Can a backup chain be converted?

[rikH]

Hello,
If you have a reverse incremental backup job and you want to change it to a forward incremental with scheduled synthetic backup including the transform option. Can you achieve this by just changing the advanced settings in the storage section of the job or can this only be achieved by creating an entirely new job? By the way this is on Veeam 8

The reason I wish to do this is described below.
I have a customer that wishes to reduce the data that is being sent to tape to reduce the cartridge usage.

Right now they are using the following construction.

They backup VM’s to disk using reverse incremental, they have a secondary job scheduled as synchronous that kicks of a copy job to copy the backup to a secondary location. Then at a scheduled time overnight the copy job is being backed up to tape.

What I am thinking is that because they are running a reverse incremental every backup to tape is a full backup. If we were to change the initial backup to forward incremental with a scheduled synthetic full backup (say weekly on a Saturday) and the transform option.
The result of this I expect the data to tape should be significantly reduced.

[PTide]

Hi,

Can you achieve this by just changing the advanced settings in the storage section of the job

Yes, you can do that by changing storage section settings.

The result of this I expect the data to tape should be significantly reduced.

Your expectations are correct. With Tape job properly configured you can take incrementals to tape instead of taking all fulls. Just make sure that you schedule it rightly. Also take a look at virtual full. Here is a thread with an explanation how the whole thing works.

Thank you.

[rikH]

Thanks PTide I’m pleased the conversion of an existing job is possible.

I had read a fair few items but conversion of a job I never saw specifically mentioned so I just wanted to check.

So from the explanation I Should I see the transform in the backup chain after the first synthetic full. The transform will make use of the previous full. Is my interpretation correct?
I am being cautious of myself here here so maybe over asking.

[PTide]

Yes, everything is correct.

[rikH]

Thanks