How do I clear out old Backups?

Question

How do I clear out old Backups?

Sean Grebey

Ten Centuries

Points: 1159
More actions
December 26, 2012 at 12:33 pm

#266549

I change the days to retain on the Backup job from 14 to 3 before I left last Friday. I come into today and there are 7 days worth on there. What am I missing to get it to auto-clear these older backups? Thanks.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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Jared SSC Guru Points: 61793 More actions · Answer 1

Where exactly are you changing this? In a script? In a maintenance plan package? No matter which one... Please provide details of the script/package. My initial assumption is that you are deleting backup history and not backup files.

Jared
CE - Microsoft

Sean Grebey Ten Centuries Points: 1159 More actions · Answer 2

In the Maintenance Plan Back of Database (Full) Task, there is an option Property called RetainDays. Change it, and the summary of the Task changes to Backup set will expire: After (in days) 3. I still have 7 days of Backups however.

Scott D. Jacobson SSCertifiable Points: 6089 More actions · Answer 3

You want to add a Maintenance Plan Cleanup task instead of adjusting the media-set retention period.

Sean Grebey Ten Centuries Points: 1159 More actions · Answer 4

Scott D. Jacobson (12/26/2012)
You want to add a Maintenance Plan Cleanup task instead of adjusting the media-set retention period.

Thanks