backup rotation in VEB

[UniSys]

We backup a couple of important computers and servers with VEB. And we need to keep the backup files for a year (on offsite server).

I can see "Keep restore points for the last XX days" option. Is it safe to set 365 days in this field? And copy backup files to offsite server daily?

Or should I remove backup files every 30 days to let VEB start new full backup?

Or could you recommend some better solution for such a task?

[Dima P.]

UniSys,

And copy backup files to offsite server daily

And that location is not used in the Veeam Endpoint Backup's job configuration, right? Do you copy (=sync) the hole backup chain or only changed files?

[UniSys]

Dima,

UniSys, And that location is not used in the Veeam Endpoint Backup's job configuration, right? Do you copy (=sync) the hole backup chain or only changed files?

Correct, offsite server is not used in the Veeam Endpoint Backup's job configuration.

It is planned, but not implemented yet. I need your advice before we start it.

Yes, we are going to copy the hole backup chain. Actually we are going to setup several copy processes. "Daily" is going to copy backup files to weekdays (mo tu we th fr) folders on offsite server. "Weekly" is going to copy backup files to "WeekXX" folders on offsite server.

[Dima P.]

Thanks for the clarification! Yes, you can copy the backup files but keep in mind: you have to copy the whole backup chain including .vbk, .vbm and .vib files for further incremental restores or .vbk and .vbm for restoring the full backup restore point only.

Copied backup chain is no longer affected by retention and you have to delete the retired backups manually. It might be tricky because deleting the incremental backup in the middle of the backup chain makes all the further incremental restore points corrupted. Additionally, do not forget about the automatic merge of the retired incremental restore point into full backup: How retention works

With these being said you either should set a long retention coping offsite only newly created increments or short retention (2-3 days) with complete backup folder sync.