This is an archive version of the document. To get the most up-to-date information, see the current version.Synchronization Intervals
When creating a backup copy job, you should specify its synchronization interval.
The synchronization interval is a time span in which the backup copy job must copy a VM restore point from the source backup repository to the target backup repository. When a new synchronization interval starts, Veeam Backup & Replication checks if a new restore point is available on the source backup repository. In case a new restore point is found, Veeam Backup & Replication copies it from the source backup repository to the target backup repository. Note that the duration of the synchronization interval affects the restore point selection process. For more information, see Restore Point Selection.
You can specify the synchronization interval in minutes, hours or days.
Minutely and Hourly Synchronization Intervals
If you set the synchronization interval in minutes or hours, Veeam Backup & Replication runs the backup copy process in cycles, one following another. When one synchronization interval is over, Veeam Backup & Replication starts a new synchronization interval.
For example, if you set the synchronization interval to 4 hours and start the backup copy job at 12 PM, Veeam Backup & Replication will create new synchronization intervals at 12 PM, 4 PM, 8 PM and so on.
Daily Synchronization Intervals
If you set the synchronization interval to one or several days, Veeam Backup & Replication requires that you define the start time for the synchronization interval. This start time acts as a milestone, or control point for the backup copy process. When the specified point in time occurs, Veeam Backup & Replication starts a new synchronization interval.
For example, if you set the synchronization interval to 1 day and specify to start a new interval at 12 PM, Veeam Backup & Replication will force a new synchronization interval at 12 PM daily.
In some cases, the start time of the backup copy job and the start time of the synchronization interval start may not coincide. For example, when configuring a backup copy job, you may set the start time of the synchronization interval to 12 PM; the backup copy job itself may be launched at 12 AM. In this case, the first synchronization interval will be started immediately after you launch the job and will be run for a shorter period of time: in our example, for 12 hours only instead of one day. All subsequent synchronization intervals will be created and run as usual.