Step 6. Specify GFS Retention Policy

Starting from version 2.1, you can configure long-term, or Grandfather-Father-Son (GFS), retention policy for backups. For more information on GFS retention policy, see Long-Term Retention Policy.

To configure GFS retention policy, do the following:

Select the Keep certain full backups longer for archival purposes option and press Configure at one of the following steps of the wizard:

Local Storage — if you have selected the Local storage option at the Destination step of the wizard.
Network Share — if you have selected the Network Share option at the Destination step of the wizard.
Repository — if you have selected the Veeam backup repository option at the Destination step of the wizard.
Repository — if you have selected the Veeam Cloud Connect repository option at the Destination step of the wizard.
Bucket — if you have selected the Object storage option at the Destination step of the wizard, then selected the S3 compatible option at the Cloud Type step of the wizard.
Bucket — if you have selected the Object storage option at the Destination step of the wizard, then selected the Amazon S3 option at the Cloud Type step of the wizard.
Bucket — if you have selected the Object storage option at the Destination step of the wizard, then selected the Google Cloud Storage option at the Cloud Type step of the wizard.
Bucket — if you have selected the Object storage option at the Destination step of the wizard, then selected the Microsoft Azure Blob Storage option at the Cloud Type step of the wizard.

In the Configure GFS window, do the following:

If you want to create weekly restore points for archival purposes, select the Keep weekly full backups for check box. Then specify the GFS retention period in weeks. During this period, the restore points will be protected from modification and deletion.

In the If multiple full backups exist, use the one from list, select a week day when Veeam Agent must assign the weekly GFS flag to a full restore point.

If you want to create monthly restore points for archival purposes, select the Keep monthly full backups for check box. Then specify the number of months during which you want to prevent restore points from being modified and deleted.

In the Use weekly full backup for the following week of a month list, select a week when Veeam Agent must assign the monthly GFS flag to a full restore point. A week equals 7 calendar days; for example, the first week of May is days 1–7, and the last week of May is days 25–31.

If you want to create yearly restore points for archival purposes, select the Keep yearly full backups for check box. Then specify the number of years during which you want to prevent restore points from being modified and deleted.

In the Use monthly full backup for the following month list, select a month when Veeam Agent must assign the yearly GFS flag to a full restore point.

Step 6. Specify GFS Retention Policy NOTE

If you select to assign multiple types of GFS flags, the flags begin to depend on each other. For more information on this dependency, see Assignment of GFS Flags section in the Veeam Backup & Replication User Guide.
To use a GFS retention policy, you must set Veeam Agent to create full backups. To learn more, see Backup Settings.