When a tape originally written on another NetVault server is scanned or imported into a different NetVault 13.x or newer server, savesets marked as Never Expire do not retain that setting. Instead, their expiration is determined by the local Minimum life for imported backups (days) setting.
During a tape scan or import, NetVault passes the tape metadata through a routine in the NetVault Media Manager. In that process, a coded check identifies savesets marked as Never Expire (MEDMGR_RETIRE_TIME_NEVER) and overrides that value with the locally configured Minimum life for imported backups timestamp.
This behavior was introduced to address two architectural requirements in NetVault 13 and later:
1. Catalog and Media Database Protection
Importing savesets marked "Never Expire" from an external tape would place an infinite, unbounded hold on the receiving server's NetVault Database (catalog) and media database. Without an override, catalog entries from an external source could accumulate indefinitely with no automatic cleanup path. The Minimum Life for Imported Backups setting serves as a hard, localized retention threshold — it ensures that the receiving server's administrators control how long imported media metadata lives, rather than inheriting an open-ended retention rule from an external tape source.
2. Immutability and Compliance Alignment (NetVault 13.x and 14.x)
Starting with NetVault 13 and 14, data immutability became a core product feature. Deduplication appliances and immutable storage targets require a fixed, calculable expiration timestamp to enforce retention boundaries and support legal compliance workflows. A "Never Expire" flag, which carries no absolute date, creates a conflict with these systems. The override ensures that every imported saveset carries a concrete expiration date that downstream systems can reliably act on.
Change Expiry Using the NetVault WebUI
*Go to the Navigation pane and click on Explore Storage.
*Choose Explore Disk Storage (for disk-based repositories) or Explore Tape Storage (for tape libraries).
*Select your device from the repository table and click Explore Repository or Explore Media.
*Locate and select the target Saveset from the list, and click Examine Saveset.
*Click the current date and time value next to the Expiry or Expires At field.
*Configure the new expiration options, such as Change Expiry Date or Change Generation Cycle, then click Set to apply
