Cloud repository & ReFS

[FrancWest]

Hi,

We are using a service provider to store our backup copies. The SP is using a ReFS repository. Last weekend I noticed that the used space on the cloud repository as reported in the veeam console is increasing very rapidly when creating synthetic fulls although fast clone is being used. When looking at the stats of the repository in the veeam console we notice that used space + free space equals total space, where as for on-prem ReFS repositories the used space + free space is much larger than total space, which is expected due to block cloning. Currently the veeam console reports that we have 29TB of used space on the cloud repository, but according to our SP the size on disk is only 15TB.

Why is veeam reporting it differently for cloud ReFS repo’s than for local ReFS repo’s?

[Mildur]

Used space in the console always shows, how much disk space all full backups and incrementals would use, if there was no block cloning.

It doesn‘t show you used Space on physical disk.

[FrancWest]

Yeah, but why isn’t the sum of used space + free space much larger than total capacity as it is with on-prem repo’s using refs? In my opinion, free space should be much larger. Reported free space is decreasing on the cloud repo even when using block cloning. Now we have to increase the size of the cloud repo, even when the actual space being used on the underlying storage is way less.

[Mildur]

Your cloud repo total size is not the disk size.
Your service provider has configured a quota.
What you see, is this quota.

The disk size can be 10000TB, but you will see only your configured quota

Quota: 10TB
Used Space: 8TB (all vbks and vibs, block cloning is ignored for the calculation)
Free Space: 2TB

With each synthetic Full, your free space of your quota will be going down by the size of a full backup. With Cloud Repo, Refs space savings (block cloning) will help the service provider to save space, not your company.

The only advantage for you is to save bandwith, you don‘t have to upload every block again if you create a full backup for gfs archival

[FrancWest]

Ok, thanks. It’s clear to me now.