FEATURE REQUEST: EJECT USB even when "backup no more than every" prevents backup

[Hariseldon1]

Dear Veeam,

Thank you for Veeam Agent for Windows (free)!

Thank you for CLEVERLY designing the ability to software 'eject' USB storage devices after backup!

Thank you for SMARTLY designing the ability to 'rate limit' backups using the "Backup no more often than every" setting!

I tested my new backup job:
Option #1 of 3... CHECKED = When backup target is connected
Option #2 of 3... CHECKED = Eject removable storge once backup is completed (ransomware protection)
Option #3 of 3.... 24 Hour = Backup no more often than every

Worked like a charm!
Step #1 = plug in the USB NVMe Enclosure
Step #2 = Backup Job kicked off... I let backup job perform its first backup
Step #3 = After backup job finished, USB was software 'ejected'
Step #4 = plug back in the USB NVMe Enclosure
Step #5= Job did not re-run... it has not been more than 24 hours since last backup

FLAWLESS SO FAR awesome sausce kudos to Veeam!

Just One thing.... during the 24 hour window since last backup, if the backup target get's re-inserted again... and backup job settings recognized the drive and did not re-run the backup job because it was not enough time since last backup taken... the USB backup target remained inserted and exposed for ransom ware attacks.

What is worse: if the USB backup target stays plugged in (avail to OS) long enough, the job will never run beause there is no schedule (only event driven triggers) and it will never again be soft ejected after the next job because the job will never occur again.

FEATURE REQUEST: would you please give a check box option to enable "eject removable media even if job settings prevented writting any backup data"

Using my FEATURE REQUEST, here is the sequence I envision:
Step #1 = plug in the USB NVMe Enclosure
Step #2 = Backup Job kicks off... I let backup job perform its first backup
Step #3 = After backup job finished, USB was software 'ejected'
Step #4a = plug back in the USB NVMe Enclosure
Step #4b = Job see's target connected
Step #4c = Job checks if it has been 24 hours since last backup
Step #4d = Job realizes it should not run for an additional "x" hours
Step #5 = Even though the Job did not re-run... because it has not been more than 24 hours since last backup.... Veeam Agent for Windows will automatically soft 'eject' the removable storage at the end of the attempt to see if it was time for the job to run or not run.

Thanks for everything Veeam Folks!!!

Sincerely,
Hari

[Mildur]

Hi Hari

Thank you for your nice words about our product.
And thank you for the request.

I just want to note, the disk is ejected by the software, but not physically. It's easy for someone with local administrative permissions to get it back online if you don't disconnect the disk physically from the machine. Short: Unplug the cable, or your backups will not be safe.

At some point, you need to connect the disk with your machine for the next backup. What you could do to protect your backup data is using two different disks as backup targets. Rotate those disks. Each week, use the other disk for the backup job. If the backups gets deleted by ransomware, you would have another backup on a disconnected disk.
https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/agent ... tml?ver=60

Best,
Fabian

[Hariseldon1]

"Unplug cable or not safe"

I am in 100% complete Agreement with you!

My feature request was not to institute perceived higher level state of security... I was asking to automatically eject removable media even if backup job settings determine not to backup.

If inserting media draws attn of the Veeam agent for Windows to begin process for considering (per job settings) to/not perform a backup... even if the job settings logic results in not backing up: please automatically eject removable media as a result of Veeam agent logic.

I hope I communicated my concept clearly enough.

Now, if backup job did not enable the settings "backup when target is avail" then I would concede we would not expect Veeam agent to be looking for "is the target avail" or not.

Looking for the target means backup job logic processing procedures are underway.

Confirming target is reachable

Means determining if enough time has passed since last backup

when veeam agent is determining "3 more hours need to transpire since the last backup... before taking another backup"

Means attempt-to-backup sequence is actively in play

If attempt-to-backup sequence is actively in play... and the backup job is configured for the conclusion of the attempt-to-backup sequence results in "eject removable media" as final step

Then any attempt-to-backup a backup job (with these two setting configured) should always:
#1 = require target be available (to kickoff)
#2 = result in eject of removable media (to conclude)

ON PRINCIPLE: if a backup job is configured with the correct settings to conclude with ejection f removable media.... then every attempt to run the properly configured backup job should consistently conclude with attempts to perform the final step of the backup job was configured for "eject removable media". REGARDLESS IF THE BACKUP JOB ACTUALLY BACKED ANYTHING UP FOR ANY REASON.

Consistency

Right now, Veeam agent skips the "eject" final step at the end -- bc 'nothing was backed up'' (due to rate limit setting).

SILLY SCENARIO TO ILLUMINATE MY POINT: imagine if the removable media did not have enough space to perform the backup job.... would Veeam agent skip the "eject" are at the end -- bc 'nothing was backed up''?