Changing Primary Backup Location to secondary and set new primary location without loosing GFS

[informatik3792]

Hi All,

I will try to explain the situation and what I need, simple and short.
Following Situation:
-> Before
1 Backup Repository (Name: FAS)
More than 80 Backup Jobs, 1 Tape Job
-> After
2 Backup Repositories (FAS and Local)
More than 80 Backup Jobs, 1 Tape Job, 1 Copy Job

I need to update all Jobs, the change the primary Backup Storage to the Local Storage, and then add in the Secondary Target, the FAS again.

Actually on the FAS I have all the restore points for the specifics jobs. I need to retain this restore points without loosing the retention policy on them.

What I tried:
- Move the Backups with the "Move Backup" function. Great, BUT. I have then all the backups on the Local Repository, and I need the retain them on the FAS.
- Move manualy the restore points the the Copy Job Folder. Now I have some "Disk (Exported)" in my Backups. The Retention Policy doesn't work any more.


Is there a way to move the restore points on the FAS to the Copy Job Folder, while maintaining the link to the job, maintaining the retention policy and set the primary store to local while adding the FAS as secondary target beside the tape backup?

Thanks for your help.
Adrian

[david.domask]

Hi Adrian,

I think I get the idea, but to confirm, as your end result, you want the following to be true:

1. Primary jobs will target the Local repository
2. Existing backups are moved to the Local repository, and jobs are mapped to these backups on the Local repository
3. A copy of the existing backups remains on the FAS repository and will be cleared by retention on their normal schedule
4. You will add in a new Backup Copy Job from Local to FAS repository and start new backups for these backup copies?
5. You want to have two copies of the original backups one on the Local repository for use by the jobs, and a second copy on the FAS which will follow the original retention.

Am I correct? Are you hoping that the new Backup Copies can use the copy of the backups from point 3? Or you are prepared to start new backup chains for the new Backup Copy?

If I'm correct on the above, I would start with a Copy Backup while the backups are on the FAS repository -- this will create the necessary copies and you can enable auto-delete of the copied backups at the Copy Backup wizard, though please note this applies to the entire backup. (See the Tip box on that User Guide page for adding custom retention values). Once copies are created, use Backup Move to move the backups from FAS to Local. Veeam will automatically adjust for this in the jobs.

[informatik3792]

Hi David,

Thank you for your reply.

You are near, but not to 100%.
1: correct
2: don't need to be moved, but newly created has to be stored locally
3: the actually exiting restore points have to stay on the FAS. But the also have to retain the retention policy and be deleted as configured.
4: not sure....
5: all over we will have 3 versions. Local, FAS and Tape. Local for fast backup and recovery. FAS for long term storage, Tape as security.

I would like to hold the old backups on the FAS and set them as Secondary destination with a "copy job" while creating a new primary destination localy with a new retention policy.

The local repository is much faster than the FAS repository. This way the backups would go much faster, and the Veeam has after the primary backup, enough time to transfer to the FAS for longterm storage.

The main problem is if a switch the repository, i loos the retention policy on the exiting restore points.

Best regards
Adrian

[david.domask]

Got it, the main line that is a little unclear is:

>I would like to hold the old backups on the FAS and set them as Secondary destination with a "copy job"

It's not clear if you want to use these backup as a seed for the Backup Copy jobs, that is, mapping the Backup Copy job to the existing Backups.

Backup Copies must be mapped to backups made by a backup copy for modern Backup Copy jobs.

So very likely, the easiest way to accomplish your goals:

1. Detach the backups from the current primary job. They will be moved to the Backups > Disk (Orphaned) node
2. Edit the primary job and change the backup repository to the new Local repository
3. Create a new Backup Copy job using the primary job as the source, and target the FAS repository.
4. Create your tape job (note you can use either the primary or backup copy job as the source, or both even)
5. Background retention will handle retention for the original backups on the FAS.

[informatik3792]

If a do the way you explain me, the backups will stay as Disk (Orphaned), but won't be deleted as configured in the backup job, and the same way, we will not have all the restore points under the backup job self, but in a separate one. That's exactly what we don't wont.

[david.domask]

Hi Adrian,

You are correct except for the not deleted part. Please check the link on background retention I shared previously, this feature is designed to specifically handle a situation where you need retention to continue, but no further backups will be created for this backup chain, or have I misunderstood this part:

> 2: don't need to be moved, but newly created has to be stored locally

I understand this that you want to keep the existing backups on the FAS and have retention apply to them, but the jobs should start using the Local repository instead of the FAS, is this incorrect?

I understand it will place the backups (old and new) in different locations in the UI, but it will behave as you've described in the thread.

[informatik3792]

Hi David,

I did what you told me.

1. Detach the backups from the current primary job. They will be moved to the Backups > Disk (Orphaned) node
2. Edit the primary job and change the backup repository to the new Local repository
3. Create a new Backup Copy job using the primary job as the source, and target the FAS repository.
4. Create your tape job (note you can use either the primary or backup copy job as the source, or both even)
5. Background retention will handle retention for the original backups on the FAS.

The Disk (Orphaned) backups doesn't get deleted as excepted. What can I do?

[david.domask]

Hi Adrian,

That behavior would not be expected, and it's best to open a Support Case and let Support review the logs. Initial guess is that retention isn't applicable yet, but I'm guessing you expect it should be for some points, but we won't be able to troubleshoot this over the forums. Background retention works as described in the articles linked previously, and if you're seeing different behavior, a Support case is the way to go.

[informatik3792]

Hi David,

I was just impatient. As I double checked this morning, the background retention has done the work correctly.

Thanks for your help. I hope this thread will also help other persons.

Regards
Adrian

[david.domask]

Ah, great! I was hoping it was just a matter of waiting Glad we were able to solve it, and indeed, I think this is a useful discussion for future readers.