This is an archive version of the document. To get the most up-to-date information, see the current version.Backup Chain
Veeam Backup for RHV creates a new backup file in a backup repository during every backup session. A sequence of backup files created during a set of backup sessions makes up a backup chain. Each backup chain contains data for one VM only. If a backup job includes several VMs, Veeam Backup for RHV creates one backup chain for each VM processed by the job.
The backup chain includes backup files of the following types:
- VBK — a full backup file stores a copy of the full VM image.
- VIB — incremental backup files store incremental changes of the VM image.
- VBM — backup metadata files store information about the backup job, VMs processed by the backup job, number and structure of backup files, restore points, and so on. Metadata files facilitate import of backups, backup mapping and other operations.
To create a backup chain for a VM protected by a backup job, Veeam Backup for RHV implements the forever forward incremental backup method:
- During the first (full) backup session, Veeam Backup for RHV copies the full VM image and creates a full backup file in the backup repository. The full backup file becomes a starting point in the backup chain.
- During subsequent backup sessions, Veeam Backup for RHV copies only those data blocks that have changed since the previous backup session, and stores these data blocks to incremental backup files in the backup repository. The content of each incremental backup file depends on the content of the full backup file and the preceding incremental backup files in the backup chain.
Note |
If the UUID of a VM changes (for example, if the VM was migrated to another cluster), Veeam Backup for RHV will be unable to continue the backup chain for this VM. After you re-add the VM to the backup job, Veeam Backup for RHV will start a new backup chain for it. However, you will still be able to perform restore operations using backups from the old backup chain. |
Full and incremental backup files act as restore points for backed-up VMs that let you roll back VM data to the necessary state. To recover a VM to a specific point in time, the chain of backup files created for the VM must contain a full backup file and a set of incremental backup files dependent on the full backup file.
If some file in the backup chain is missing, you will not be able to roll back to the necessary state. For this reason, you must not delete individual backup files from the backup repository manually. Instead, you must specify retention policy settings that will let you maintain the necessary number of backup files in the backup repository.
