Backup Troubles - Laptop

[yathus]

Hello,

We are trying to back up user workstations using Veeam Agent (aroung 70 computers with Workstation Licence), we are using a Backup Repository as target, Veeam v11 (upgrade to v12 planned for July).

For desktop PCs, there is no problem as we can schedule tasks and automatically shut down the PCs. As for "Active Full" backups, they work fine because PCs perform them over the last day (Friday).

The major issues arise with laptops used for remote work. To connect to the server, the VPN needs to be active, and users always launch it since it is also required for internal software. However, laptops may not necessarily be turned on during the night or on weekends.

How can we avoid having only partial backups? We have encountered several cases where the differential backups accumulate (over 70 of them!).

What is the recommended procedure for this type of backup? Should we ask for user interaction in this case?
We dont want to have a "full" each time, it could take too much time.

We just need a backup a day, 7 differential backup and 1 full.

Thanks a lot,

Yathus

[Mildur]

Hi Yathus

You can leverage backup cache if your users don't have permanent connection to the backup repository server.
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/agent ... tml?ver=60

When there is no connection, the backup gets written to a local folder on the laptop. As soon there is a connection to the backup server, the restore point in the cache gets uploaded to the backup server.
Please note, with backup cache, you can only restore from those restore points after the upload from the cache was successful.

A full backup every week is not required. You can use forever forward Incremental backup chains. Just disable the full backup.

Best,
Fabian

[yathus]

Hello Fabian,

A full backup every week is not required. You can use forever forward Incremental backup chains. Just disable the full backup.

So I'm going to have several dozen or even hundreds of files, isn't that risky if I then have to do a full restore?

[Mildur]

In your first post you told me that you need 1 full and 7 incremental backups (differential is another backup method which veeam doesn‘t provide). I assumed that‘s your retention setting.

With 8 restore points, I don‘t expect dozens or hundreds of files for a single machine. Only 8 backup files and the metadata file. Forever Forward incremental just works fine, especially for such small amount of backup files.

Best,
Fabian

[yathus]

Yes we dont need much retention for backup.

The problem is as follows: when merge for incrementals to create or update the complete file, in VPN it takes far too long and generally the PC is switched off before the end ...

For example, we have a case when we start a chain, first full at work in 1 hour, then it takes a few minutes each day but several hours after 7 days! It's not an internet connection problem because the users are on FTTH.

I'm looking for a best practices / recommandations : what's the best way to back up laptops that don't come back to work very often?