Like to keep backups of ONE server only out of backup chain

[cxwsrei]

HI all
I have a backup job that contains 20 VMs, it runs daily.
Restore points to keep is set to 60 (equivalent to 2 month).
Now I like to keep 2 restore points (respectively 2 full backups and its corresponding increment backups) of ONE server only for a longer period.
How to do that ? Any recommendations/ideas ?

[DGrinev]

Hi,

Can you provide a bit more details.
You can use the existing backup chain as source for backup copy job to create a separate backup chain with the only one server, if that is what you're after.

[cxwsrei]

I was already thinking abou tthat approach - but I don´t see that this is what I like.
We have 60 restore points - for example june 17 - until August 15.
These will expire soon.
There are 2 restore points - endof of june/jun3 30 and end of july/july 30 that we like to keep for a longer period.

[DGrinev]

Do you want to keep the existing two full backups, but with the data of the one particular server?
Or just keep both backup chains (60RPs) for a longer period of time?
Please provide more details about the backup job.
If you have periodic monthly fulls enabled, then you will get another full backup file followed by the 29 increments, only after that the earliest 30 RPs will be deleted by the retention rule. Thanks!

[Tnjus]

If you have space on your host, you could do an Instant VM Recovery to restore the server at each point in time (rename them obviously), then back up the restored VMs.

[cxwsrei]

Hi Dmitry
thank you for the instant response.
The job runs daily, as already mentioned, and full backups are processed weekly (saturday).
Yes - you´got it - we "only" like just to keep both backup chains (60RPs) for a longer period of time.

[DGrinev]

You can achieve this simply by increasing the retention value, but it takes you additional storage space for obvious reasons. Thanks!

[cxwsrei]

Dmitry
that´s the reason why I opened this thread.
We intend to keep it for 1 year or longer.
I don´t like to (simply) increase the retention value (and wasting a lot of disc space - the other question is -> do we have so much disc space).
Is there no other way /approach ?

[skrause]

So you are wanting to keep 365 restore points rather than 60?

A backup copy job is going to be your most flexible and likely easiest to implement solution.

Also, if you have one server with a different retention policy than the other servers, it makes sense to have it processed in a different job.

[DGrinev]

I'd say that is the most efficient way to handle this.
You can leave the primary backup job with the retention of 60 RPs and use it as source for backup copy job for the ONE server you want to retain 365 days. Thanks!

[cxwsrei]

OK. I see. Thank you all.

[Gostev]

Just wanted to add that the upcoming Update 4 brings the new functionality that may help in cases such as this. I am talking about the ability to export the selected restore point of the specific VM as a full backup file (and keep one on VeeamZIP-style retention, if required). We've had lots of requests for this functionality over past years!