Can I rename a target folder in a backup repository?

[kjstech]

I have a backup copy job that is dumping backups into \\fnbackup2\backups\Copy vmfs2.

I would like to rename that last folder from "Copy vmfs2" to just "vmfs2". I would like to do this without corrupting the job. So the job is set to be continuous (it is idle now). If I do these following steps, I will not cause any harm to this job correct?

Stop the job.
Rename the folder.
Rescan the fnbackup2 backup repository.
Edit the job Copy vmfs2 and do a map backup and point to vmfs2.
Start the job.

Will this be ok?

[Shestakov]

Hello Keith,
Correct. It should work fine.

[pshute]

I just followed the same I think successfully, following the instructions here:
https://www.veeam.com/kb2174

Some comments and questions:
- In Step 3 (Rescan the repository), it took me a little while to realise I need to go to Backup Infrastructure, then Backup Respositories, then right click on my repository, then select Rescan. The instructions say to choose "Rescan Repository", but the option reads just "Rescan". I assume the wording has changed since that was written, or since my version was released (I'm on 9.5.0.711).
- In step 5 (map backup) it says "select the existing backup chain", but I found I had to select the OLD name of the folder, which could be confusing.

I have just been through this process to make the folder called "Backup Job 1 - test" match the name of the job "Backup Job 1 - main". After following the process I still see a file in F:\Backups\Backup Job 1 - main called "Backup Job 1 - test.vbm". Will that remain like that forever?

I also still have a tape backup called "Backup Job 1 - test on Tape". Will that change to match the new folder name after the next tape backup? The actual tape job is called "Backup to Tape Job 1 - Weekly".

[foggy]

I have just been through this process to make the folder called "Backup Job 1 - test" match the name of the job "Backup Job 1 - main". After following the process I still see a file in F:\Backups\Backup Job 1 - main called "Backup Job 1 - test.vbm". Will that remain like that forever?

I believe, if you've already renamed the job itself, then you can just delete VBM and it will be recreated with the new name on the next job run.

[pshute]

I believe, if you've already renamed the job itself, then you can just delete VBM and it will be recreated with the new name on the next job run.

How sure are you? It still has the same name after several days.

[pshute]

An unexpected side effect of renaming the repository folder - the tape backup name (In Backups/Tape) now matches the folder name and the backup name, which is good. But instead of renaming the backup already in there, it's added a new one. In that new tape backup, I see just one restore point. To retrieve from older tapes, I will need to remember to look in the other tape backup, which has many restore points.

Is there a way to fix that? Should I be asking this in the tape forum?

[foggy]

How sure are you? It still has the same name after several days.

Have you deleted the old file?

[pshute]

Not yet, I was just observing that the problem won't fix itself.

I was just wondering how sure you are that deleting the old *.vbm file is safe. If it will be rebuilt during the next run, what is its purpose? And are there any side effects? Will everything behave as before after it's rebuilt? Will it be possible to access the backups in between deleting it and it being rebuilt?

And are there any plans to remove the need for the renaming of folders after a backup job is renamed? Why can't it do all that for me when I rename the job?

[foggy]

It will not fix itself, you'd need to delete the VBM file. This will not have any side effects, the file is required to store backup metadata for fast access.

[denit]

I have tested this but there is an issue with deleting the *.vbm file. It will be created again with the same name it initially had, not the new name of the backup and folder.
So in the end it does not seem to do what is wanted.

I tried incremental and full backups, there seems to be no difference.

The best way for me is still to create a completely new backup, run the full retention course and then remove the old backup and underlying folders/files.

[foggy]

Hi Denit, I've just checked it myself, I was able to rename the VBM file according to the new job name, rescan the repository, and map the job to it. After that everything went fine.

[rgmueller]

Foggy,

I had successfully renamed the job and the folder but the metafile still was the oldjobname.vbm. So I followed your steps for renaming the VBM metafile as I understood them:
1. rename the VBM file from "oldjobname.vbm" to "newjobname.vbm"
2. performed the repository rescan
3. edit the jobname to re-map it

I then ran the job. It ran successfully by performing incrementals for the 3 servers (the server files names have stayed the same names throughout and never changed) into the correct folder, but it created a new "oldjobname.vbm" metafile; the file I renamed is still there and he timestamp did not get updated.

Doesn't seem to have worked as I expected. Did I miss a step?

[veremin]

Try to move temporarily the old metadata file - if the nothing happens during job run, remove the file completely. Thanks!

[rgmueller]

I moved the "oldjobname.vbm" metafile to another folder, then ran the backup job. All three servers successfully completed and created incrementals, as expected. However, it recreated the "oldjobname.vbm" metafile; "newjobname.vbm" metafile again was not updated. In other words, did not work.

[foggy]

Ok, I'm not joking - I've just done it once more: renamed the job, renamed the folder, renamed the VBM file, rescanned the repository and mapped the job to existing backup in renamed folder - during subsequent job runs VBM file is being updated and preserves its new name. If I delete it - it is being re-created with the new job name. If you see different behavior, contacting support for assistance would be your best effort.

[rgmueller]

I just tried your process again today...and...it worked as you described. All is right with the world now. Thank you.