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      Policy for Broken Image Chains (11/5/2024)

      There are some situations where an SPX Image Chain can become broken or corrupt. This article will lay out our policies for broken image chains.

      General Policy: 

      For most situations, if a backup chain is identified as broken (and not easily fixed), our standard policy is to initiate a rebase of the chain. This approach ensures a fresh baseline of data and aligns with best practices in backup integrity and storage efficiency. 

      Historically, we may have assisted in maintaining existing chains by downloading necessary files from the cloud. However, as of 11/5/2024, we no longer support restoring files from the cloud to maintain an existing chain. We will also no longer support image chains containing Consolidated Rolling (CR) files or backup chains created on unsupported version of Shadowprotect. We've found that supporting such chains poses risks to data integrity and inefficient storage use. 

      Policy Details: 

      1. Broken Chain Identification: 
        1. A chain is considered broken when critical snapshots or components (such as .spf files) are missing or corrupted. 
        2. Chains with missing recent daily or intra-daily images, can usually be rectified with ShadowProtect's Self-healing Incremental so, those situations will not be considered a broken chain.
        3. Technicians will assess chain integrity by comparing the last successful snapshot to the existing files on the NAS/backup storage and utilizing ImageManager's Chain Shortest Path functionality.

      2. Rebase Requirement: 
        1. When a broken chain is identified, Servosity will require a full rebase of the backup chain(s).
        2. Rebasing may require additional storage. Clients may need to delete the existing chain or temporarily increase NAS/local storage to accommodate the rebase.
      3. Alternative Solutions:
        1. If a rebase is not feasible due to storage constraints or other considerations, clients may discuss alternatives with a Servosity engineer. However, the default recommendation of rebasing the chain remains to ensure the highest reliability of future restorations.
      4. Transition for Existing Chains with CR Files:
        1. Existing chains containing CR files, previously allowed, are no longer supported due to technical limitations and data risks.
        2. Servosity will assist in transitioning these chains through a rebase, providing guidance on data management during the process.

       

      If you have any questions about this, please contact us at Support@Servosity.com.