How to Configure Retention Policies
The Backup > Retention policies page in Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup helps you define how long you retain data from your connected sources. The Retention policies page is part of the Backup menu alongside the Backup sources page. For an overview of the Backup menu, see Backup Page.
Retention in Cloud-to-Cloud Backup applies to backed‑up data, not to live data in your connected services, and defines how long deleted data remains recoverable from backup.
When a file is deleted or an older revision is replaced by a new version, the retention countdown for that item begins. After the retention period ends, the item is permanently purged from backup and cannot be recovered.
Note that the Policies role must be assigned to create and manage retention policies. See Settings Page for role permissions.
Tip: Before you create or assign a retention policy, verify the policy name, description, and retention duration are correct. If you need to keep data longer, adjust the policy or set it to retain data forever. Always confirm the policy is applied to the correct data sources before saving.
Create a New Retention Policy
View, create, and manage all retention policies on the Retention policies page.
To create a retention policy:
Log in to BarracudaONE. Click Apps at the bottom left. Select Cloud-to-Cloud Backup.
Navigate to the Backup > Retention policies page from the side navigation menu.
On the Retention policies page, click Create Policy.
Enter the following details:
Policy name
Description
Retain all data for – Specify the duration in days, weeks, months, or years.
Alternatively, select Retain data forever.
Click Create. The new policy appears on the Retention policies page and can be assigned to other sources.
Other Actions
Click the three dots
next to the desired retention policy to:
Edit – Edit the retention policy details.
Delete – Remove the retention policy.
The Default retention policy has a 1-year (365 days) retention period and cannot be edited or deleted.
A retention policy can be deleted only if it is not assigned to any data source. If assigned, first unlink the policy from the data source, then delete the retention policy from this page.
View Your Retention Policies
To view all of your retention policies in one place:
Log in to BarracudaONE. Click Apps at the bottom left. Select Cloud-to-Cloud Backup.
Navigate to Backup > Retention policies from the side navigation menu.
The Retention policies page displays each policy's name, description, retention period, and the number of data sources assigned.
Click the Retention period card next to a policy to view its details.
Click the Sources assigned card next to a policy to see which data sources are using that policy.
Assign or Change a Retention Policy on a Data Source
To assign a retention policy to a data source, or change the policy currently assigned:
Log in to BarracudaONE. Click Apps at the bottom left. Select Cloud-to-Cloud Backup.
Navigate to Backup > Backup sources from the side navigation menu.
Click the Retention section next to the desired data source.
Choose a policy:
Select the Default retention policy (1 year) or an existing retention policy, or
Click Create new policy to define a new retention policy.
If creating a new policy, enter the policy name, description, and retention period. For detailed steps, see Create a New Retention Policy above.
Click Apply to save.
Tip: Any retention policy created from the Backup sources page is also visible and manageable on the Retention policies page. For more information about the Backup sources page, see Backup Page.
FAQs
Question | Answer |
|---|---|
Why would I want to use retention policies? | The less data you store, the lower the risk of exposure during a data breach. By eliminating outdated or unnecessary backup data, a retention policy minimizes the volume of sensitive information that remains stored in Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup and could be exposed during a breach. Implementing a retention policy is also useful for maintaining compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. |
Does retention affect live data, recycle bins, or version history? | No. Retention in Cloud-to-Cloud Backup applies only to backup data stored in Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup. It does not change or override live data, recycle bin behavior, or file version history in your connected services. Items can still be edited, deleted, or removed from recycle bins according to your service’s native settings. As long as the deleted or previous versions are still within your Cloud-to-Cloud Backup retention period, they remain recoverable from backup even after they are removed from the live service. |
As an existing customer, does the retention change for any of my existing backups? | No, pre-existing (previously configured) data sources will not have a retention policy assigned and will continue to retain data forever. Any new data source configurations will have the default retention policy automatically applied. You can choose to apply a custom retention policy to data sources. |
What is the default retention period? | The default retention period is 1 year (365 days). This default is automatically applied to any newly configured data source. For pre-existing data sources, see "As an existing customer, does the retention change for any of my existing backups?" above. |
What limits are there for retention periods? | Retention periods cannot be set shorter than 30 days. This is to prevent data loss due to accidental misconfiguration or malicious action. There is no limit on how long you can retain data, including keeping the data forever. |
When will my data be purged? | When data falls outside of a retention period, it becomes eligible for purge. Cloud-to-Cloud Backup evaluates retention based on item lifecycle events, such as when an item was deleted or superseded by a newer version, not on the date of the last backup. Once data is eligible, Cloud-to-Cloud Backup automatically schedules the purge of that data within the following week, typically within 7 days. After purge completes, the data is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. |
Can I apply retention policies to a subset of a data source (individual users, directories, etc.)? | No, at this time, retention policies can be applied at the data source level only. Applying retention policies to a selected subset of a data source is a planned future enhancement. |
What role permissions do I need to access the Policies page to create or manage retention policies? | Access to the Policies page is limited to users with the Admin or Policies roles only. See Settings Page. |
Once my data falls out of the retention period and has been deleted, can I get it back? | No. Retention purge is permanent and cannot be undone. See "When will my data be purged?" above for details on purge timing. |
Does retention take into account the number of days in a particular month? | No, when setting a retention period in days, weeks, months, or years, these are translated to days as follows: 1 week = 7 days 1 month = 30 days 1 year = 365 days |