Incremental Backup via CMD

[vchildforever]

Hey - I have Veeam Agent for Windows triggering via a python script which runs the following command on the Windows Command Line:
"C:\Program Files\Veeam\Endpoint Backup\Veeam.EndPoint.Manager.exe /backup"
But it continues to execute a full backup and not incremental backups.

If I run it from the Veeam Agent for Windows GUI it will perform an incremental backup, but otherwise it runs a full backup each time. I have looked at the Veeam command line documentation but it does not have a parameter such as \inc or something to specify just an incremental backup.

My goal is just to have it run incremental backups and not full backups when the python script executes on the Windows Command Line. Thoughts?

[PetrM]

Hello and Welcome to our Community!

Why don't use built-in schedule instead of running a script?

Thanks!

[vchildforever]

Hey,
I am backing up to a NAS which does not run all the time, so the python script turns on and mounts the NAS, then triggers VEEAM to backup, then turns off the NAS. The host machine is not always on, so it not inefficient for me to have the NAS running all the time when I only need it once a day for incremental backups, unfortunately.

Or is there a way to control powering on the NAS through the Veeam Agent Control Panel?

I did see in there a "backup once drive is connected" or something like that, could I enable that and how often does the Veeam Agent check connection to a NAS?

[Egor Yakovlev]

On a last page of Backup Job wizard(read Summary) you will see path to trigger that job from command line passing Job ID to Veeam.Endpoint.Manager.exe.

Example:
"Command line to start the job: "C:\Program Files\Veeam\Endpoint Backup\Veeam.EndPoint.Manager.exe" "backup" "181831e7-2d07-4754-9b56-be0c324ab47e"

That should do the trick!

[vchildforever]

Yes, thank you. I tested running my version of that command directly in the CMD Terminal (not even involving the python script) and it still looking like it is creating a full backup. It is updating the .vbk file and not creating a .vib file.
Just to check my knowledge on this. I have already run my initial full backup of this job (it is the only job for this agent), so going forward it should be making incremental backups, right?

[Egor Yakovlev]

Yes. What is your retention set to? If its 1, then Veeam will create incremental backup and inject changes into existing .vbk, updating it.
It should not create additional full backups unless you force it using /activefull switch.

[vchildforever]

My "Keep backups for" prompt is set to 7 days.

[vchildforever]

NOW! ugh, now, when I use the GUI and select "Backup" it is executing another full backup. Thoughts on this?

Here is the Summary Page of the Job I have configured.

"Backup job was modified successfully.

General ------------------------------------------
Backup job name: Job DESKTOP-OU16CTT
Backup job description:
Created by DESKTOP-OU16CTT\ at 1/26/2021 1:56 PM.


Source -------------------------------------------
Backup mode: entire computer
The entire computer will be backed up


Destination --------------------------------------
Shared folder: \\---------\share\VeeamBackups\IanBackup
Keep restore points for the last 7 days
Compression level: Optimal (recommended)
Storage optimization: Local target
Storage encryption: enabled
Perform backup files health check monthly on the last Friday of January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December


Schedule -----------------------------------------
Backup is not scheduled to run automatically


Command line to start the job:
"C:\Program Files\Veeam\Endpoint Backup\Veeam.EndPoint.Manager.exe" "backup" "55f08fb4-e942-47fd-846e-017acc750cf5"

[Egor Yakovlev]

Interesting. What does job log says at the end? It states what type of backup was created.

[vchildforever]

The original backup and the secondary once which just completed both state "Full Backup Created". The rest of the job log file reads...

Initializing
Preparing for backup
Backup file will be encrypted
Creating VSS snaphot
Calculating Digest
(C:)(118.7 GB) 91.5 GB read at 9 MB/s
\\?\Volume{then_the_volume_info_which_is_the_same_on_both_executions}
Finalizing
Full backup created
Processing finished at then_the_date_and_time

The files which are created on the NAS are:
job_name.vbm
job_name2021-1-27T132120.vbk

When I push the "Backup now" button the .vbk file is the only one updated and when it finishes the name updates to the current date and time.

The second backup just finished a few minutes ago and when I push the "Backup now" button it creates a .vib file, which is great! I ran it via the python file again and it works, creating another .vib

To be honest I have no idea what is different now then before. I will reopen this thread if something changes but I appreciate you responding Egor. Thanks for the help.

[mcz]

did you enable encryption in between? because encryption would trigger active full...

[vchildforever]

Hi, Yes I had encryption enabled. I have been running it now for a week off the Task Scheduler and Python script and it seems to be working fine. I am not sure why it performed two full backups in a row but they have been running incrementally since.