Question RE backup retention when removing VM from backup job

[conqueredit]

Hi all,
I'll start by stating my objective, we have a backup job containing many VMs, it has the following GFS setting enabled:

"keep certain full backups longer for archival purposes: 4 weekly, 6 monthly, 5 yearly"

I want to remove a VM from this backup job and for the backup data of this VM to following the above retention policy, I just want to confirm this.

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I found this article regarding retention policy for deleted items.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110

I also found this page relating to long-term retention policy.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/backu ... ml?ver=110

Under this second link, under limitations it states:

"Retention policy for deleted items does not apply to full backup files to which GFS flags are assigned."

So, does this confirm, If I delete a VM from a backup job, and the full backups of that VM which have GFS flags, will not be deleted? (following the policy I mentioned at the beginning.

( a few things to confirm, I do not have the retention policy setting enabled on the backup job, and the backup job is using per vm backup files, and backup mode is incremental with synthetics once per week)

Thanks

Mark

[Mildur]

Hi Mark

So, does this confirm, If I delete a VM from a backup job, and the full backups of that VM which have GFS flags, will not be deleted? (following the policy I mentioned at the beginning.

Correct, they won't be deleted by the "deleted retention policy". GFS backups on the repository are deleted by their configured GFS retention.

Best,
Fabian

[conqueredit]

Hi Fabian,
Thank you for the quick reply. I'm looking at the VM backup retention flags, if the full backup currently only has a W (weekly) flag, if I remove the VM from the backup, will this VM backup file get further flags E.g. will it then become WMY as time progresses?

Thanks

Mark

[Mildur]

Hi Mark

Flags are set when a backup job runs. New flags cannot be added to existing restore points afterwards.
In your example it still has only the W flag.

Best,
Fabian