3.1 Prerequisites for Retrieving File Versions

Previous versions of your files can exist in the archive database only after your files meet the following prerequisites:

  • Your administrator must configure file versioning for the Novell Storage Services data volume on a OES 11 SP3 server where your data is stored.

  • Your administrator sets criteria to determine which files are eligible for versioning, such as by path or file extension. If your files meet the criteria, they are eligible for versioning.

  • Versioning occurs for eligible files at scheduled intervals, called epochs. Your administrator can also manually pause versioning jobs and run jobs on demand.

  • A file’s lifetime must span the end of one epoch to be versioned. Only files that exist when the versioning occurs are versioned. If you create and delete a file within the epoch, it cannot be versioned.

  • It does not matter how much or how often you change an eligible file during a epoch. The versioning process captures the file in whatever state it is in at the end of the epoch. You do not have direct control over which of your files are versioned, when the versioning occurs, or what the state of your files is when the epoch ends and the file versions are copied to the archive database.

  • Versioned files typically have a limited lifetime in the archive. The administrator configures a delete policy that sets the maximum keep time and the maximum number of versions to retain. The delete policy for volumes can be configured to allow indefinite retention of at least one most recent file version.

  • To use the NSS File Version Utility, you must download the executable from the Welcome page and install on your Windows desktop.

  • To access versions using Novell NetStorage, your administrator must install and configure a Novell NetStorage server, then configure NetStorage services to access Archive service.

For information about the versioning policies for your network files, contact your system administrator.