Managing AWS EC2 Instance Backup Data
After running each AWS backup job session, the AWS backup data can be found and managed on Cloud Backup > Backup Data page.
Restore Points
By default, all AWS EC2 instance backups of all backup storages from Vinchin backup infrastructure will be displayed, if you wish to view backups of a specific backup storage, please select a storage from the dropdown list. The EC2 instance backup data is organized with a cloud platform -> backup job -> EC2 instance -> restore point structure.
Each restore point is named with the timestamp of its creation and will be marked with its backup type. To view more information of the restore points, simply click on the EC2 instance name, all the restore points of the selected EC2 instance will be listed on the right side with more detailed information. You can get more information like the actual data size, written size and the storage which is used to store the restore point data. To search specific restore point(s), you can use the Search button on the left or use the Advanced search button on top right of the Restore Point List.
Retention Tags
The purpose of using the retention tags is to avoid the short-term retention policy from purging some specific backups and keep them for a longer period. There are 4 types of retention tags in Vinchin Backup & Recovery.
W: the weekly GFS retention tag (applicable for full backups).
M: the monthly GFS retention tag (applicable for full backups).
Y: the yearly GFS retention tag (applicable for full backups).
F: the forever retention tag (applicable for all types of backups).
The W, M and Y GFS retention tags can be either pre-configured in a AWS EC2 backup job by enabling GFS retention to tag specific restore points automatically or can be manually set. While the F tag can only be manually set. To manually set retention tags, please go to Cloud Backup > Backup Data page. By selecting an EC2 instance from a backup job, all the restore points will be listed on the right, find the restore point which you wish to set/unset retention tags and click Options button, and then select Set Retention Tag.
In the popup dialog you can set/unset retention tags for the selected restore point. GFS retention tags are only applicable for full restore points, forever retention tag is applicable for all types of restore points.
If GFS retention had been enabled in the backup job, the manually tagged restore points’ retention time complies with the GFS retention time configured in the backup job. When the GFS retention tag exceeded the retention time defined in the AWS EC2 backup job, the oldest tag will be removed and the corresponding restore point will be purged by the general retention policy.
If GFS retention is not enabled in the backup job, the manually tagged restore points will be reserved forever. As for the forever retention tag, once it has been set, the tagged restore point will be reserved forever.
For GFS retention tag, there can be only one full restore point tagged as weekly full backup of each week (same for the monthly and yearly retention tag). If there’s already a full restore point had been tagged for the week, there will not be the second one to be tagged and it will fail to manually set the second GFS tag for the week (same for the monthly and yearly retention tag).
Forever retention tag works independently with the GFS retention tags, a restore point can be tagged with GFS retention and forever retention tag at the same time, when the GFS retention tag expires, the forever retention tag will remain and the restore point will be retained forever.
Delete AWS Backups
We recommend configuring comprehensive retention policies for the AWS EC2 backup jobs to automatically purge the out-of-date backups instead of manual deletion of the backup data. It is a highly risk operation by deleting the backup data manually. If you must do this, please follow the below instructions.
To delete AWS EC2 backup data, please go to Cloud Backup > Backup Data page. There are two approaches to perform the deletion, batch (or single) deletion of restore points from the left side tree view and single restore point deletion on the right side restore point list view.
- Deleting restore point(s) from the tree view
Please unfold the cloud platform and the associated backup job, and unfold the EC2 instance which you wish to delete backup data from. Then select the restore point(s) you wish to be deleted and click on the Delete button on the top left of the tree view. You’ll have to provide you password to confirm the deletion of selected restore point(s).
If it’s a standalone full restore point, no incremental or differential restore points dependent on it, you can select and delete the standalone full restore point directly.
If it’s a backup chain, formed by a full restore point and a series of incremental (or differential) restore points dependent on the full restore point, you can only delete the backup chain from the tree view.
- Deleting restore point from the restore point list view
Please select a EC2 instance from the left tree, the associated restore points will be listed on the right-side list view. By clicking on the Options button of a specific restore point and selecting Delete you can delete that single restore point, no matter it’s full, incremental, or differential.
If it’s a standalone full restore point, no incremental restore points or differential restore points dependent on it, you can delete the standalone full restore point directly.
If it’s a backup chain formed by a full restore point and a series or incremental restore points dependent on the full restore point, while deleting the incremental restore point in the end of the incremental chain, it will be directly deleted, if you delete any other restore point it will lead to data blocks merging with the next restore point. For example, you got an incremental backup chain, full on Monday, incremental on Tuesday and Wednesday, if you delete the incremental restore point of Tuesday, its data blocks will be merged with Wednesday incremental restore point. This mechanism can guarantee the backup data consistency.
If it’s a backup chain formed by a full restore point and a series of differential restore points dependent on the full restore point, while deleting the full restore point is not allowed but you can delete the differential restore points, and there will not be data blocks merging required.