The process to create copies as part of a storage lifecycle policy differs from the process to create copies as set up in a policy. The policy's Configure Multiple Copies dialog box includes the option to Fail all copies. That option means that if one copy fails, the remaining copies can be set to either continue, or to fail.

In a storage lifecycle policy, all copies must be completed. A lifecycle initially tries three times to create a copy. If no copy is created, NetBackup continues to try, but less frequently.

The successful completion of copies is important because a lifecycle does not allow a copy to be expired before all copies are completed to each destination in the lifecycle. Expiration is necessary to free up space on the storage unit for new backups. NetBackup changes the retention period of an image to Infinite until all copies are created. After all copies are complete, the retention returns to the level as set in the policy that writes to the storage destination.

To complete successful backups in the lifecycle, a backup destination may duplicate a backup onto another backup destination.

Consider the following example: A lifecycle contains two backup destinations (BU_1, BU_2) and three duplication destinations. The backup to BU_1 is successful, but the backup to BU_2 is not successful. To fulfill the backup on BU_2, a duplication job is created from BU_1 to BU_2. The duplication job is in addition to the jobs that are run for the three duplication destinations.

Duplication jobs can be controlled by using the nbstlutil command.