Full backup purge process

[FloNcy]

Hello everyone ,

I'd like to know the best practice for "purge" a full backup into a chain.
Example with a 2 days retention configuration :
- Monday : first backup, the total size if 2Gb
- Tuesday : before the backup, all files are deleted excepted 1 file of 2Mb. A backup is made.
- Wednesday to Saturday : no modification and 1 backup per day.
Sunday : I have 2 retention points with only 1 file (of 2Mb) that I can restore (which is normal). But the full backup is always 2Gb.

In this example I excluded the compression process.

I have marked and configure "Remove deleted items data after" and "defragment" options but nothing changes.
My restore points contains only 1 file of 2Mb, why my full backup is 2Gb size ?

What is the best practice in this case ?

Thank'you for your help

Florian

[Mildur]

Hi Florian

The backup file will not getting smaller, if you use forever forward incremental.
You have to enable backup file compaction if you want to remove unused space of the vbk file.

https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/agent ... tml?ver=50

If you do not create periodic full backups, the backup job constantly transforms the full backup file in the backup chain to meet retention policy settings. The transformation process, however, has a side effect. In the long run, the full backup file grows large and gets badly fragmented.

Thanks
Fabian

[FloNcy]

Thank's for your reply and your reactivity.
I changed my configuration by adding this parameter.
I will come back to you if the modification doesn't change anything (I have already enable this option without result).

Have a good day

[FloNcy]

Hello everyone,

Bas news, the compression desn't work.

My situation :
For a test, I have a backup with 2 days of retention. The backup is sheduled from Monday to Friday.
Compression is sheduled for Thrursday.
Monday (the first day), the folder that is saved was 3Gb.
Thuesday, the folder that is saved was 5MbGb.
Since this day (still for the test), I haven't added any big files in the saved folder, excepted a few files of a few Mb.
Today (wednesday), the folder of Veeam who contains backup files does always 3Gb.

The version of agent : 5.0.3.4708 - Free edition

Can you help me please ? I think I have aproblem in my configuration.

For information, I have doing the same test with a Veeam backup repository and the result is the same.

[FloNcy]

Hello

Allow me to revive the topic.

Any ideas ?

[Mildur]

Hi Florian

Sorry for the late answer.
One question, are you running a file level or a volume level backup job?

Thanks
Fabian

[FloNcy]

Thank's for your reply.
I'm using file level backup.

[Mildur]

Thanks. I configured a similar job (File Level Backup Job) like yours.
2 GB backed up in the Full Backup. Then I removed all files and only kept 1 File with 20 KB.
I will report tomorrow or Thursday, if my backup files got compacted or not.

In the mean time, can you check if you face any of this limitations?
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/agent ... le-compact

[FloNcy]

Thank's for your help

I looked the limitations but nothing concerns me :
- Storage target is local
- Nothing full and synthetic backups are scheduled
- I have a lot of space in the storage taget
- I did not change settings
- I don't have backup cache

[Mildur]

Hi Flo

I can see the same behavior in my lab.
I will check if it's a bug or expected behavior. This can take some time.
Do you see the same behavior for Volume Level Backups?

Thanks
Fabian

[FloNcy]

Hi,

Thank's for your test !
I will do the test this week-end with a Volume Level Backup.

[FloNcy]

Hello,

For information, I have the same result with Volume Level Backup.

[Mildur]

Thanks for the test.
I have a support case open to clarify if it's a bug or expected behavior.
I'll keep you updated.

[FloNcy]

Hello,
Any reply by the Veeam support for this behavior ?

[Mildur]

Hi Flo

I'm sorry for the late answer. September was my vacation month
After talking to our support and other tests, it seems to be expected behavior for now.
Backup File Compaction is only used for volume level backups in case a volume was removed.
Currently I cannot say if the behavior will change in a future version or not. But I will have add it to the user guide, to make it clear that it's only used for volume level backups.

Thanks
Fabian

[FloNcy]

Hello,
Thank's for your reply.
Ok I understand. But what is the best practice if I have a Full Backup who is 5Gb, and the source folder was reduced with 1Gb only ?
New Active Full with new Full backup point ?

[Dima P.]

For a test, I have a backup with 2 days of retention. The backup is sheduled from Monday to Friday.
Compression is sheduled for Thrursday.
Monday (the first day), the folder that is saved was 3Gb.
Thuesday, the folder that is saved was 5MbGb.
Since this day (still for the test), I haven't added any big files in the saved folder, excepted a few files of a few Mb.
Today (wednesday), the folder of Veeam who contains backup files does always 3Gb.

Day 1 - 3GB folder full restore point
Day 2 - 5MB folder incremental restore point.
Day 3 - job creates new incremental restore point, Day 2 restore point is merged into Day 1 full backup replacing the content with an actually state

New Active Full with new Full backup point ?

You can take active full but that does not trigger the retention process - you will have Full + Inc + Full on disk.

Hope that helps!