Backup from Storage Snapshots with Snapshot Retention
You can configure a backup job to create regular backup files in the backup repository and, additionally, maintain a snapshot chain on the storage system. Veeam Backup & Replication lets you create long-term storage snapshots in the following destinations:
- Primary storage array where VM disks are hosted
- Secondary storage arrays
Depending on the backup job settings, the created storage snapshots can be application-consistent or crash-consistent.
How Backup from Storage Snapshots with Snapshot Retention Works
The backup job of this type is performed in the following way:
- Veeam Backup & Replication triggers the vCenter Server to create a VMware vSphere snapshot for a VM.
- Veeam Backup & Replication instructs the storage system to create two snapshots of a volume or LUN capturing VM disks:
- A long-term snapshot on the storage system. This snapshot remains in the snapshot chain until it is removed by the retention policy.
- A temporary snapshot for backup or replication operations. This snapshot is removed after backup or replication is complete.
- Veeam Backup & Replication removes the created VMware vSphere snapshot from the VM snapshot list.
- Veeam Backup & Replication uses the temporary storage snapshot as a data source for backup and replication.
- Veeam Backup & Replication performs cleanup operations and removes the temporary snapshot on the storage array.
- Veeam Backup & Replication checks the number of long-term storage snapshots in the snapshot chain. If the number exceeds the value defined in retention policy settings, Veeam Backup & Replication instructs the storage system to remove the earliest snapshot from the snapshot chain.
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