Turning off schedule while backup still running

[trevora]

We're currently running 6.5, which may or may not be relevant. We have an occasional issue where we have a reverse incremental backup job that contains a particular VM that, for no apparent reason, takes hours longer to complete than it normally does. It doesn't seem to be related to the volume of data changes since the last backup and other backups using the same hardware complete in the usual time. This doesn't happen often enough to be a major issue, but when it does occur we try to disable the backup schedule while the backup is running to make sure it doesn't try to start another backup while the same one is running. We'd rather the backup complete than force it to finish before it's completed as we've found that if we cancel the job it never subsequently completes until we let it finish after running for hours.

But we've noticed that when the backup then completes the schedule is back in place and enabled, even though it had been 'unscheduled' whilst the backup was running. The first time this happened I thought I must have made a mistake, but it's just happened again today. Does this mean the settings of a job cannot be amended whilst the backup is running? If so, what is the correct way to deal with a backup that looks like it might overrun into the next schedule - does Veeam realise the backup is already running and just not start it, or does it postpone it and then start again as soon as the previous backup completes (which will give us issues with post backup copies to other devices?).

Thanks in advance

[veremin]

Can you tell how you disabled the schedule (settings -> schedule -> untick? right-click -> disable)? How did you understand that the schedule was re-enabled? The previously unticked button was ticked again? The disabled label disappeared? Also, have not you thought of updating to the latest product version? Thanks.

[trevora]

Updating to the latest version is in my 'To Do' list - unfortunately so is a lot of other stuff and I haven't had time yet

Slightly embarassingly, I've only just noticed that when you right click the job there is a Disable option - that's not what I clicked. Would that work? Instead I clicked Edit, went to Schedule and unticked the 'Run this job automatically' tick box and OK'd the box.

I noticed the schedule was re-enabled because when the job finished yesterday in time for the next job to take place I went back in to tick the 'Run this job automatically' box and noticed it was already scheduled to run (and subsequently did run correctly last night in a couple hours as opposed to previous nights 16 hours).

[veremin]

Both ways should disable job execution. The schedule should not be re-enabled, unless you manually do so. Given that, the described behavior looks unexpected. The best strategy will be to open a case with our support team and let them find the root cause. Thanks.

[trevora]

Thanks - I'll try and replicate this on a test installation and log it with support.

Either way, is cancelling\disabling the job whilst running the correct way to deal with a situation where a backup looks as though it will overrun into the next backup window? What would Veeam do in such a situation if left alone?

[foggy]

It will finish the job and start the next time according to the schedule copying data that has changed since the last run. If you force it to stop incomplete, the data that were not completely transferred are still to be copied during the next job run.

[trevora]

Sorry Foggy - I wasn't clear. I meant if I cancel the schedule while the job is running, not cancel the job itself while it's running.

Anyway, I've tested this in a version 7 install and it doesn't seem to do the same thing as v6.5 (i.e. if you disable a schedule while the job is running then v6.5 seemed to turn the schedule back on when the job completes. In version 7 it seems to stay disabled.)

Gives me another reason to upgrade, so it's just got nearer the top of my 'to do' list. And the Backup Copy job feature is another excellent reason to upgrade !!

[veremin]

Sorry Foggy - I wasn't clear. I meant if I cancel the schedule while the job is running, not cancel the job itself while it's running.

Once the job is finished, the schedule should stay disabled. This is the logic you should observe. Thanks.