Problem: Veritas backup exec is taking over a lot of space due catalogs; the issue will consequently feed the drive and grow space on the disk if truncation is not enabled
Pre-checks
Read Veritas Articles Pre-check ( Read prior doing changes )
https://vox.veritas.com/t5/Backup-Exec/Large-Catalog-Cleanup/td-p/769578
https://www.veritas.com/support/en_US/article.100025627.html
BACKUP! ( Do not perform any changes with a reliable backup just in case! :))
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How many days will Backup Exec store the catalogs on a media server?
Cause
Catalogs are index files which are used to list the restore selections in the restore view.
Backup Exec will store the catalogs on the media server under X:\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec\Catalogs by default.
Solution
Backup Exec will not delete or truncate any catalogs by default.
If the catalog files from older backup sets are consuming too much disk space, this setting can be changed.
In order to truncate/delete the catalogs, perform the following:
1. Launch the BE console and navigate to the Catalogs settings:
For Backup Exec 2010 navigate to Tools > Options > Catalogs
For Backup Exec 2012 navigate to menu Backup Exec round-yellow icon > Configuration and Settings > Backup Exec Settings > Catalogs
2. Check the option that says Truncate Catalogs After.
3. Once the option is checked, Backup Exec will set a default time period of 2 months (which can be altered) to truncate the catalogs.
Note: Enabling this option will not delete any old catalogs which are already present under the X:\Program Files\Symantec\Backup Exec\Catalogs folder. The setting will only be applied to the new catalogs that get created after the Truncate checkbox is checked.
In order to free up space that is getting utilized due to old catalogs (pre-truncation setting), older catalog files will need to be manually deleted. Use the modified dates on the files to determine which ones are no longer needed.
In order to restore data which has had the catalogs removed, perform an inventory and catalog on the media containing the data and the selections for that media will be available once again
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Solution:
Activate Log truncation for ( at least 2 months, depending on your appendable data set or retention in my case is 2 months )
Backup Exec > Configuration and Settings > Backup Exec Settings
Manually delete all files older than 2 months on the Veritas catalog folder; Make sure you do delete nothing further according to your retention backups
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