Legato Networker ClientPak and Storage Node User's Guide

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Chapter 4: Archiving and Retrieving Files
This chapter describes how to archive and retrieve files using the optional NetWorker
Archive Application.
Archiving Data
The backup and archive processes serve very different purposes. Backup is short-term
insurance against data loss. NetWorker keeps track of backups in the online file index
to enable you to recover lost or corrupted files quickly. This online file index requires
considerable disk space. Because archives are kept forever theoretically, NetWorker
does not track them in the online file index; NetWorker only tracks archives in the
online media index.
Archiving is the process by which NetWorker backs up data to an archive volume.
Archive volumes are similar to backup volumes, except they do not have an expiration
date, which means that NetWorker will keep track of them indefinitely. Archiving is a
long-term strategy for preserving data.
Once files are safely stored on archive volumes, the archived files can be removed from
the local disk, freeing up space on your system. If you ever need to restore archived
files to your system, you can do so at any time.
If you have system administrator permissions, you can also archive MPE volume sets.
Although you can groom volume sets, be warned that you cannot remove the accounts,
groups, or pseudo files.
The best way to remember what an archive contains is to create a meaningful
annotation. An annotation is a comment that you associate with your archive to help
you identify data should you want to retrieve it. Annotations are stored in the media
index to make searching for archives easier. Annotations are limited to 1024 characters.
You can archive directories or individual files. You can start the NSRARCH program
during an MPE/iX CI session or from the POSIX shell.
When you archive, you have the options of verifying the archive, cloning the archive,
and grooming directories once the archive is complete. Cloning and grooming are
discussed under separate sections (see “Cloning an Archive” on page 47 and
“Grooming Your Directories” on page 48).