About NetBackup image .f files
The binary catalog contains one or more image .f files. This type of file is also referred to as a files file. The image .f file may be large because it contains the detailed backup selection list for each file backup. Generally, image files range in size from 1 kilobyte to 10 gigabytes.
Note:
You can use intelligent catalog archiving (ICA) to reduce the number of catalog .f files based on a specified retention period or file size.
See Enabling intelligent catalog archiving (ICA) to reduce the number of .f files.
ICA applies only to servers running NetBackup 10.1.1 and later using MSDP or MSDP Cloud storage.
The .f files are found in the following location:
Windows: install_path\NetBackup\db\images\clientname\ctime
UNIX: /usr/openv/netbackup/db/images/clientname/ctime/
The file layout determines whether the catalog contains one .f file or many .f files. NetBackup configures the file layout automatically, based on the size of the binary catalog. NetBackup uses one of two layouts: single file layout or multiple file layout.
Image .f file single file layout
NetBackup stores file information in a single image.f file if the information for the catalog is less than 100 megabytes.
When the backup file of one catalog backup is less than 100 megabytes, NetBackup stores the information in a single image.f file. The image.f file is always greater than or equal to 72 bytes, but less than 100 megabytes.
The following is a UNIX example of an .f file in a single file layout:
-rw------- 1 root other 979483 Aug 29 12:23 test_1030638194_FULL.f
Image .f file multiple file layout
When the file information for one catalog backup is greater than 100 megabytes, the information is stored in multiple .f files: one main image .f file plus nine additional .f files.
Separating the additional .f files from the image .f file and storing the files in the catstore directory improves performance while writing to the catalog.
The main image.f file is always exactly 72 bytes.
-rw- 1 root other 72 Aug 30 00:40 test_1030680524_INCR.f -rw- 1 root other 804 Aug 30 00:08 catstore/test_1030680524_INCR.f-list -rw- 1 root other 1489728 Aug 30 00:39 catstore/test_1030680524_INCR.f_imgDir0 -rw- 1 root other 0 Aug 30 00:40 catstore/test_1030680524_INCR.f_imgExtraObj0 -rw- 1 root other 1280176 Aug 30 00:39 catstore/test_1030680524_INCR.f_imgFile0 -rw- 1 root other 192 Aug 30 00:40 catstore/test_1030680524_INCR.f_imgHeader0 -rw- 1 root other 0 Aug 30 00:40 catstore/test_1030680524_INCR.f_imgNDMP0 -rw- 1 root other 9112680 Aug 30 00:39 catstore/test_1030680524_INCR.f_imgRecord0 -rw- 1 root other 2111864 Aug 30 00:39 catstore/test_1030680524_INCR.f_imgStrings0 -rw- 1 root other 11 Aug 30 00:40 catstore/test_1030680524_INCR.f_imgUserGroupNames0