Determining whether a selected backup set satisfies a retention policy

A method for assessing a backup image comprising a backup of a source computer system to recover to a target computer system, comprising:

• selecting a backup image from a plurality of backup images taken of an image on the source computer system, wherein the selected backup image is to be applied to the target computer system;
• determining from a plurality of retention policies applicable to files included in the source computer system a most restrictive retention policy;
• determining whether the selected backup image satisfies the most restrictive retention policy based on a comparison of the retention policies according to a common retention term unit;
• setting a retention status of the selected backup image based on whether the determined version of the selected backup image satisfies the most restrictive retention policy;
• and
• presenting the retention status for use in determining whether to use the selected backup image.

A system for assessing a backup image comprising a backup of a source computer system to recover to a target computer system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium including program code executed by the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
• selecting a backup image from a plurality of backup images taken of an image on the source computer system, wherein the selected backup image is to be applied to the target computer system;
• determining from a plurality of retention policies applicable to files included in the source computer system a most restrictive retention policy based on a comparison of the retention policies according to a common retention term unit;
• determining whether the selected backup image satisfies the most restrictive retention policy;
• setting a retention status of the selected backup image based on whether the determined version of the selected backup image satisfies the most restrictive retention policy;
• and
• presenting the retention status for use in determining whether to use the selected backup image.