How to manage backup versions

[MarsBaby]

Hey,
I'm setting up brand new Veeam Agent for MS Windows install in my office. Objective is to back up 20GB directory. I used to back up very same directory to old NAS by simply copying files over to it (SMB). What I have as of now is:
1. Old NAS with old version of 20GB directory
2. Laptop with current/fresh version of 20GB directory
3. Brand new NAS

The goal is to install Veeam Agent for MS Windows on laptop (2), create initial Veeam backup version from files on old NAS (1) and then create current backup version from (2). How do I do that?

The one thing that I WILL NOT DO is to overwrite current version of 20GB directory on (2) with old files from (1). Please advise.

[DGrinev]

Hey, welcome to the community MarsBaby!

Unfortunately, you can't backup CIFS/SMB share by the Agent for Windows at the moment, but you can back up a folder on your laptop to the NAS Device (Shared folder).
You should install VAW on the laptop, create File level Backup and select Shared Folder in the Destination menu of the wizard. Thanks!

[MarsBaby]

@DGrinev
I can download CIFS/SMB share contents to my laptop. That way I will have:
- C:\Current_20GB (the workspace I want to backup on a weekly basis)
- C:\downloaded_from_nas (very old version of the same workspace)

What I want to achieve is that 'downloaded_from_nas' becomes first revision, and then following ones are backups of 'Current_20GB'. If I follow your steps and backup 'downloaded_from_nas' first, can I then change source folder to 'Current_20GB' while preserving the destination directory?

[DGrinev]

You can initiate a file level backup for the folder C:\downloaded_from_nas, so in the backup file you will have the old folder's content.
Then you can change the source to the new version of folder C:\Current_20GB, now you will have an old folder in the full backup file (.VBK) and new folder in the increment (.VIB).
Please keep in mind, according to the retention policy the oldest backup will be removed, when the backup chain will be exceeded. Thanks!

[MarsBaby]

@DGrinev, thanks for explaining that!