Confused with automatic consolidation

We are currently in the process of setting up Acronis TI Ent. 9.1

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this one last part

When number of backups, storage space or storage period for some backups exceeds the preset value, Acronis Backup Server will combine the first full backup with the next incremental one into one full backup which will be dated the later backup date. Then, if necessary, this backup will be combined with the next, until the occupied storage space (or number of backups) decreases to the limitation. Thus, the archive integrity will not be affected, in spite of the fact that the most old backups will be deleted. This procedure is called automatic consolidation.

My basic scenario: All I want to do is have 7 days worth of backups so I can always go back to any time in the last 7 days and restore.


Question 1: What actually counts as a "backup"? Is it full backups only or incremental as well? I don't care about space requirments. Like I said I just want 7 days worth of backups. So does that mean my "backup quota" will be 7? Or is my maximum storage PERIOD 7, which would trigger the automatic consolidation and delete the 8th oldest backup.

Question 2: Then, if necessary, this backup will be combined with the next, until the occupied storage space (or number of backups) decreases to the limitation. Thus, the archive integrity will not be affected, in spite of the fact that the most old backups will be deleted.

How does anything actually get deleted in this process?

Scenario: I have a full backup worth 5gb. I reach my storage quota a few days later at around 20gb. So it proceeds to take the first full backup, combine it with the first incremental (lets say that is 1gb), and create one bigger backup that would now be 6gb (5gb for the full and 1gb for the incremental)

Where does anything get deleted to create space in that scenario? To me it just keeps making the first full backup bigger and bigger.


Thanks much for any advice

 

anyone with any advice?

pretty confused

 

Incrementals are too messy, so I don't bother with them myself. So I'm not sure, but iirc from prior posts, ATI will try consolidations and if that doesn't bring the Backup Location within the user-set limits, then it will attempt deletion -- oldest first.

This thread might help:

https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=171488&highlight=consolidation delete

 

thanks for the link, should help!

 

Hello Risingson,

Thank you for choosing Acronis Remote Server Backup Software.

Every separate .tib file is considered a backup archive (full ones, incremental ones, differential ones).

Actually, the way Acronis True Image operates, the size of resulting full backup will be the same as if you created a full backup instead of incremental (the process will need the combined free space to succeed, though). Older full backups get deleted only if there are no incremental/differential ones to be consolidated with (i.e. the next oldest is a full backup as well).

If you have any further questions concerning Acronis software, please feel free to submit a request for technical support or post any of them on this forum. We will certainly try to help you in resolving any issues.

Thank you.
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Marat Setdikov