Maintaining data with different retention policies
Use of multivariate data backup retention policies, including: generating a snapshot of a dataset; identifying respective subsets of the dataset that correspond to respective retention policies of a plurality of retention policies; and generating tracking information indicating the respective subsets of the dataset corresponding to the respective retention policies of the plurality of retention policies.
1 . A method comprising:
generating, by a processing device, tracking information stored in metadata of a snapshot that applies different retention policies to different subsets of the snapshot, the tracking information stored in metadata associating a subset of the snapshot with a retention policy and another subset of the snapshot with another retention policy; and
modifying the metadata of the snapshot to invalidate the subset by removing metadata references corresponding to the subset while preserving the snapshot, and retaining the other subset of the different subsets of the snapshot based on the other retention policy.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
deleting, after lapse of an amount of time and based on a first retention policy corresponding to a first subset of the subsets of the dataset, the first subset; and
retaining, after lapse of the time and based on a second retention policy corresponding to a second subset of the subsets of the dataset, the second subset.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the dataset is a volume of data, and wherein deleting the first subset comprises:
mounting the volume of data to extract the second subset prior to deleting the snapshot.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein retaining the second subset comprises:
generating tracking information for the second subset that includes generating a reference to one or more portions of storage content managed by a deduplication process.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
invalidating a data object from a file system while retaining another data object, wherein the file system includes tracking information for the subsets of the dataset, and wherein the tracking information is used to determine retention of the subsets in accordance with the different retention policies.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the different retention policies include policies based on one or more of: user designation of one or more files, ownership of a file, priority level of a file, priority level of an application or system process that created a file, or read or write privileges of a file or directory.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
updating a version history of one or more of the different subsets to indicate availability of the one or more subsets of data as additional snapshots are taken.
8 . An apparatus comprising:
a memory; and
a processing device, operatively coupled to the memory, configured to:
generate tracking information stored in metadata of a snapshot that applies different retention policies to different subsets of the snapshot, the tracking information stored in metadata associating a subset of the snapshot with a retention policy and another subset of the snapshot with another retention policy; and
modify the metadata of the snapshot to invalidate the subset by removing metadata references corresponding to the subset while preserving the snapshot, and retaining the other subset of the different subsets of the snapshot based on the other retention policy.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , the processing device is further configured to:
delete, after lapse of an amount of time and based on a first retention policy corresponding to a first subset of the subsets of the dataset, the first subset; and
retain, after lapse of the time and based on a second retention policy corresponding to a second subset of the subsets of the dataset, the second subset.
10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the dataset is a volume of data, and wherein the processing device configured to delete the first subset is further configured to:
mount the volume of data to extract the second subset prior to deleting the snapshot.
11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processing device configured to retain the second subset is further configured to:
generate tracking information for the second subset that includes generating a reference to one or more portions of storage content managed by a deduplication process.
12 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
invalidate a data object from a file system while retaining another data object, wherein the file system includes tracking information for the subsets of the dataset, and wherein the tracking information is used to determine retention of the subsets in accordance with the different retention policies.
13 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the different retention policies include policies based on one or more of: user designation of one or more files, ownership of a file, priority level of a file, priority level of an application or system process that created a file, or read or write privileges of a file or directory.
14 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
update a version history of one or more of the different subsets to indicate availability of the one or more subsets of data as additional snapshots are taken.
15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed, cause a processing device to:
generate tracking information stored in metadata of a snapshot that applies different retention policies to different subsets of the snapshot, the tracking information stored in metadata associating a subset of the snapshot with a retention policy and another subset of the snapshot with another retention policy; and
modify the metadata of the snapshot to invalidate the subset by removing metadata references corresponding to the subset while preserving the snapshot, and retaining the other subset of the different subsets of the snapshot based on the other retention policy.
16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
delete, after lapse of an amount of time and based on a first retention policy corresponding to a first subset of the subsets of the dataset, the first subset; and
retain, after lapse of the time and based on a second retention policy corresponding to a second subset of the subsets of the dataset, the second subset.
17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the dataset is a volume of data, and wherein the processing device caused to delete the first subset is further caused to:
mount the volume of data to extract the second subset prior to deleting the snapshot.
18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the processing device caused to retain the second subset is further caused to:
generate tracking information for the second subset that includes generating a reference to one or more portions of storage content managed by a deduplication process.
19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processing device is further caused to:
invalidate a data object from a file system while retaining another data object, wherein the file system includes tracking information for the subsets of the dataset, and wherein the tracking information is used to determine retention of the subsets in accordance with the different retention policies.
20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the different retention policies includes policies based on one or more of: user designation of one or more files, ownership of a file, priority level of a file, priority level of an application or system process that created a file, or read or write privileges of a file or directory.