incremental backup

[keystone]

Is it possible to configure a standard incremental backup on Endpoint?

I have systems across very slow links that I would like to backup the incrementals off site after a seed is pulled. However, with the reversed incremental the .VBK file is changed every backup causing the off site transfer to copy the entire backup each time.

Any solutions?

[Vitaliy S.]

Hi Jack,

Veeam Endpoint Backup is using forever forward incremental that's why you see VBK file being modified when the number of restore points hits the configured number in retention policy settings.

Can you please tell me where do you send these backups to? Have you considered using Veeam backup repository as destination target for your Endpoint backup job and then backup copy jobs to transfer all data offsite?

Thanks!

[keystone]

This is a one off for a remote site that is temporary. I have a small serer and no Veeam repositories available. The destination of the backups is to a NAS that is replicating the data via a file copy based on changed files. This is why I would like to only send the incremental but the .VBK file is changing every backup.

If I had a Veeam backup repository on the remote side of my slow link would it only send the changes?

[Vitaliy S.]

Yes, that's correct. You could use local backup repository for restore operations and remote backup repository for offsite backups. In this case only incremental changes will be sent via backup copy jobs.

[keystone]

Sadly for my situation using a repository will not work. With Endpoint you cannot have multiple backups with multiple destinations. I need a local copy of all backups on my NAS device for restoration in a timely manner if needed.

I still need a way to do differential backups with only the changes added daily and not the .vbk file. I want to use Veeam but it seems this will not work, any other suggestions?

[Gostev]

What Vitaly meant is this: backup with VEB into a Veeam backup repository, then use Backup Copy to copy your backups to any other amount of additional destinations in a forever-incremental manner. This does require Veeam Backup & Replication, of course.

[keystone]

Thank you Gostev, maybe I am not clear but even with Veeam Backup and Replication this the repository would have to be on the local site and a veeam server. This is not in place, only one small windows server. The endpoint backup backs up files to the local NAS as stated.

After posting this I have tested using a repository with our Veeam Backup at our main office but since the repository is at our main site and not remote the backup only exists in one place not replicated.

Standard file replication would work if it was a differential backup. Backup to a repository would work if I could have multiple backup destinations.

Thank you all for your help, any more ideas or back to StorageCraft?

[Vitaliy S.]

If you have a VPN connection from your main site to DR site, then you could setup a repository that would be controlled by the backup server on the main site. Your local NAS device can easily be that repository as well.

[keystone]

Vitaliy, do you mean to say that I can setup my NAS a repository and then point the Endpoint backup directly to it and not to the Veeam server?

Do I have to install software on the NAS? The NAS is a synology unit and I have read some about making them a repository but it seems like a pain.

[Vitaliy S.]

Vitaliy, do you mean to say that I can setup my NAS a repository and then point the Endpoint backup directly to it and not to the Veeam server?

Yes, that's correct.

Do I have to install software on the NAS? The NAS is a synology unit and I have read some about making them a repository but it seems like a pain.

You need to add it as a regular CIFS share or mount this box to any Linux server and add this Linux server as Veeam backup repository.

[keystone]

When you say I need to add it as a CIFS share do you mean in the Endpoint client? Wouldn't that be the same as the SMB share that I have tried just a different protocol?

Does the CIFS work differently as a repository and let me connect directly to the NAS and not to the Veeam server which is remote to the server and NAS?

[keystone]

I have tried setting up my NAS as a CIFS based repository on my Veeam server, and connecting the Endpoint backup to it successfully. However the backup from the endpoint client on the remote site sends all the data to the veeam server over the slow link and then back for the backup to the local NAS so this solution does not appear to be of any benefit. Also I am not sure how this will help as the backup .vbk file will still change everyday and will not be possible to send across the slow link.

[Vitaliy S.]

When you say I need to add it as a CIFS share do you mean in the Endpoint client? Wouldn't that be the same as the SMB share that I have tried just a different protocol?

You need to add it as a repository to the backup server and then select this repository as a destination target for Veeam Endpoint job.

However the backup from the endpoint client on the remote site sends all the data to the veeam server over the slow link and then back for the backup to the local NAS so this solution does not appear to be of any benefit

What computer do you have selected as a "proxying" server in the settings for this CIFS repository in the backup console?

[keystone]

The proxying server is the Veeam server at the main site. There are no additional proxy servers.

[keystone]

I have added a proxy server on the remote site ( using the windows server that I am backing up... probably not recommended ) This does solve the backup coming over the slow link. However, I don't see how this is going to solve the coping the backup files over the slow link incrementally as the .vbk file is still going to be changed every day.

[Vitaliy S.]

Jack,

Good to know that we have "fixed" your backup proxying issue, now as to your second question about *.vbk file and incremental changes please note that backup copy job does not copy files, it synthetically creates new files based on the new data.

See this topic for further details > Remote backup copy and achieving GFS & 3-2-1.

Let me know if you have any other questions.