Deleting Backups

Backup files created with Veeam Agent are removed automatically according to the retention policy settings. You can also remove backups from the target location and/or Veeam Agent configuration database manually if necessary.

Removing Backup from Configuration

To remove a backup from the Veeam Agent configuration database, use the following command:

veeamconfig backup delete --id <backup_id>

where <backup_id> is an ID of the backup that you want to delete.

The way Veeam Agent removes a backup from configuration depends on the backup location:

  • If the backup resides in a local directory or network shared folder, Veeam Agent removes records about the deleted backup from the Veeam Agent database. Backup files themselves (VBK, VIB, VBM) remain in the backup repository.

You can import information about the removed backup later to Veeam Agent and perform restore operations with the imported backup. To import information about the removed backup, use the veeamconfig repository rescan --all command.

  • If the backup resides in a Veeam Backup & Replication repository, Veeam Agent removes records about the deleted backup from the Veeam Agent database and Veeam Backup & Replication database. Backup files themselves (VBK, VIB, VBM) remain in the backup repository.

If you want to import information about the removed backup later to Veeam Agent and perform restore operations with this backup, you must contact backup administrator working with Veeam Backup & Replication. The administrator must rescan the backup repository that contained the backup in the Veeam Backup & Replication console. For details, see the Rescanning Backup Repositories section in the Veeam Backup & Replication User Guide.

After rescan, the backup will be displayed in the list of backups on the Veeam Agent machine connected to the Veeam backup server.

Deleting Backup Files

To delete backup files from the target location and Veeam Agent database, use the following command:

veeamconfig backup delete --id <backup_id> --purge

where <backup_id> is an ID of the backup that you want to delete.

Veeam Agent for Linux will remove records about the deleted backup from the Veeam Agent database and, additionally, delete backup files themselves from the destination storage.