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Retention Policy for Forever Forward Incremental Backup

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    If the number of restore points in forever forward incremental backup chains exceeds the retention policy settings, Veeam Backup & Replication transforms the backup chain to make room for the most recent restore point. The transformation process is performed in the following way:

    1. Veeam Backup & Replication adds a new restore point to the backup chain and detects that the number of allowed restore points is exceeded.

    Veeam Backup & Replication re-builds the full backup file to include changes of the incremental backup following the full backup. To do this, Veeam Backup & Replication injects data blocks from the first incremental backup in the chain into the full backup. As a result, the full backup ‘moves’ one step forward in the backup chain.

    Retention Policy for Forever Forward Incremental Backup  

    2. The first incremental backup is removed from the backup chain as redundant. Its data has already been injected into the full backup and the full backup file contains the same data as this incremental restore point.

    Retention Policy for Forever Forward Incremental Backup  

    For example, you want to keep 7 restore points in the backup chain. The backup job starts on Sunday and runs daily. In this case, Veeam Backup & Replication will create the backup chain in the following way:

    1. During the first backup job session on Sunday, Veeam Backup & Replication creates the first restore point — a full backup.
    2. Monday through Saturday Veeam Backup & Replication adds six incremental backups to the chain.

    Retention Policy for Forever Forward Incremental Backup  

    1. The next Sunday, Veeam Backup & Replication adds a new incremental backup to the backup chain.
    2. Veeam Backup & Replication detects that the number of allowed restore points is exceeded, and starts the transform process:
    1. Veeam Backup & Replication merges data blocks from the incremental backup copied on Monday into the full backup copied on Sunday. This way, the full backup file ‘moves’ one step forward — from Sunday to Monday.

    Retention Policy for Forever Forward Incremental Backup  

    1. The incremental backup copied on Monday becomes redundant and is removed from the chain.

    Retention Policy for Forever Forward Incremental Backup  

    As a result, you have a chain of a full backup as of Monday and six incremental backups Tuesday through Sunday.

    Related Topics

    Creating Backup Jobs