File Copy To External Drive, overwrite/delete old files?

[pawel]

Hello,

I have a File Copy job that I would like to use to copy our production backups to external drives so that those drives can be used as off-site backups until we have replication and tape setup.

The first backup works well; however, any backup after that fails because there isn't enough free space on the drive. However, in reality there is plenty of space available if Veeam would simply overwrite the existing files (or better yet skip them if they are the same). Also, it would be good if Veeam deleted any files that were old and no longer found at the destination (maybe a setting to do this).

Am I doing something wrong or is this how the File Copy job is currently setup to work?

[Shestakov]

Hello pawel,
Have you considered using backup copy job instead? It`s made specially to copy backup files offsite.
Thanks.

[pawel]

The one issue I have with that is I have some SQL backup files on this server that I would like backed up, and since the server is physical there is no good way to do that with Veeam. Would be nice to have it delete old files or simply overwrite them and I can run a script at the end of the job to delete old files.

For my main backups I can use backup copy without issue, I assume the same things apply with the rotated drives where if the folder doesn't exist it will be automatically added?

Thanks.

[Shestakov]

Pawel,

Am I doing something wrong or is this how the File Copy job is currently setup to work?

You are doing everything correct. File copy just doesn`t perform changed block tracking.
And you are right, backup copy job is made to copy virtual machines` restore points.
However, we are currently working on Veeam Endpoint Backup, a free solution for backing up Windows-based physical machines. Now it`s on beta-version stage. It can be really useful for your situation.

Is your repository able to contain at least 2 files? If yes, you can use powershell script to delete oldest file between file copy job`s runs.

would be good if Veeam deleted any files that were old and no longer found at the destination (maybe a setting to do this)

Could you elaborate on it? What dou you mean by "old and no longer found at the destination"?
Thank you.

[pawel]

Pawel,

However, we are currently working on Veeam Endpoint Backup, a free solution for backing up Windows-based physical machines. Now it`s on beta-version stage. It can be really useful for your situation.

Thanks, I am testing Endpoint on a couple workstations, and I'm very happy with it. However, since our SQL backups are critical I have to have something that is centrally managed.

Is your repository able to contain at least 2 files? If yes, you can use powershell script to delete oldest file between file copy job`s runs.

I'll work that up. Are there any sample scripts out there so I don't have to reinvent the wheel?

Could you elaborate on it? What dou you mean by "old and no longer found at the destination"?
Thank you.

Sure. Basically I'm thinking that the "File Copy Job" would make a clone of the source data to the destination location. So the destination would be identical to the source. Any files that are no longer on the source get deleted from the destination. Any files that already exist don't get copied.

This opens up a number of issues I'm sure, including making sure that Veeam somehow tracks what it already backed up to the drive so it knows which files are new and which are old. I realize Veeam is meant for virtual machines so maybe this is wishful thinking on my part. I can use Backup Exec for the time being to manage those backups. But I really dislike Backup Exec (not to mention it complicates things having 2 backup solutions), so having a solution built around Veeam would be awesome. Using the script method might work fine (although there will be a lot of wear on the drive as it sounds like I'll have to copy the full backup each time).

Thanks.

[Shestakov]

Thanks, I am testing Endpoint on a couple workstations, and I'm very happy with it. However, since our SQL backups are critical I have to have something that is centrally managed.

Great to know! I`ll provide your feedback to Endpoint team.

Are there any sample scripts out there so I don't have to reinvent the wheel?

Sure, you can find one here.

Basically I'm thinking that the "File Copy Job" would make a clone of the source data to the destination location. So the destination would be identical to the source. Any files that are no longer on the source get deleted from the destination. Any files that already exist don't get copied.

I see your point, thanks for clarifying. It looks like replication procedure, though. File copy job does not able to perform it. I think it`s not the best feature for data protection, since once you accidentally delete or corrupt critical file, it will be deleted from "backup" file as well.

Hope it helps. Thanks!