Configuring Backup Job Policies

ShadowControl SPX policies provide a system for delivering SPX backup jobs to multiple SPX endpoints. Once created, ShadowControl applies the policy-defined backup job configuration to the selected endpoints.

Before implementing SPX backup policies, consider the following:

• Once installed, you can manage policy-based backup jobs only through the ShadowControl appliance. Users cannot modify or control the backup job locally.
• You can assign only one SPX backup policy to an endpoint. For example, if you create one SPX backup policy for system volumes, and another for data volumes, you cannot assign both policies to the same endpoint.
• Note: If desired, you could create a local backup job to backup volumes not protected by an SPX backup policy job.
• When assigning SPX policies, ShadowControl never changes or replaces an existing backup job. This is true whether the existing job is locally managed, or based on a previous SPX policy assignment. This ensures that SPX policies do not cause an endpoint to start a new backup image chain, which would require a new full backup image.
• ShadowControl does not guarantee that a policy gets applied to a particular endpoint, but it will regularly retry any failed policy assignments. Also, ShadowControl regularly checks the job configuration to ensure it matches current policy settings, and will automatically update the policy-based backup job as needed.
• Once configured on each endpoint, policy-based backup jobs run independently, so even if the endpoint loses communication with the ShadowControl appliance, backup jobs continue to run.

To Define your SPX Backup Policy, use the following tasks: