When configuring GFS retention policy settings, you can choose a number of GFS flag types that Veeam Backup & Replication will use to mark backup files for long-term retention. Depending on this number, Veeam Backup & Replication will apply slightly different algorithms when assigning GFS flags:
Veeam Backup & Replication assigns GFS flags only after you save GFS retention policy settings. This means that GFS flags are assigned only to those backup files created after the configuration, while backup files created earlier are not affected and previously assigned flags are not modified.
If you select only one type of GFS flags when configuring retention policy settings for a backup job, Veeam Backup & Replication performs the following steps as soon as the job finishes:
- If the job finishes within the period when a new GFS flag must be assigned, Veeam Backup & Replication checks whether the backup job has created a full backup file.
- Yes: If the GFS flag has already been assigned to another backup file during the scheduled period, Veeam Backup & Replication does not assign another GFS flag to the backup file. If the GFS flag has not been assigned, Veeam Backup & Replication assigns it.
- No: Veeam Backup & Replication waits for a full backup file to be created.
- If the job finishes outside the scheduled period, Veeam Backup & Replication checks whether the GFS flag has already been assigned during the previous period.
- Yes: Veeam Backup & Replication does not assign a new GFS flag.
- No: Veeam Backup & Replication checks whether the backup job has created a full backup file.
- Yes: Veeam Backup & Replication assigns the GFS flag.
- No: Veeam Backup & Replication does not assign a new GFS flag.
Consider the following example. On Monday, you configure GFS policy settings of a backup job in a way weekly GFS flags must be assigned every Wednesday. The following animation shows how Veeam Backup & Replication will assign the flag if a full backup file is not created on the scheduled day.
Example Description
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Algorithm for Multiple Flag Types
If you select multiple types of GFS flags when configuring retention policy settings for a backup job, GFS flags depend on each other. Yearly flags (high level) depend on monthly flags, monthly flags depend on weekly flags, weekly flags (low level) do not depend on any flags. This means that Veeam Backup & Replication can only assign GFS flags of a higher level to backup files with GFS flags of a lower level — this mechanism helps you save space on the backup repository.
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The described mechanism does not apply to a situation where you select only two types of GFS flags, yearly and weekly. If you select these two types and do not select the monthly type, Veeam Backup & Replication treats the case as if you select only one flag type. This means that flags of each type are assigned according to the algorithm for one flag type. |
Veeam Backup & Replication performs the following steps as soon as the job finishes. Note that GFS flags of lower levels are processed before flags of higher levels.
- If the job finishes within the period when a new GFS flag must be assigned, Veeam Backup & Replication checks whether the flag of a lower level must be assigned.
- Yes: If the GFS flag of a lower level has already been assigned to the backup file created by the job, Veeam Backup & Replication assigns the GFS flag of the current level. If the GFS flag of a lower level has not been assigned, Veeam Backup & Replication waits for the flag to be assigned.
- No: Veeam Backup & Replication checks whether the backup job has created a full backup file.
- Yes: If the GFS flag of current level has already been assigned to another backup file during the scheduled period, Veeam Backup & Replication does not assign the GFS flag of the current level to the backup file. If the GFS flag has not been assigned, assigns it.
- No: Veeam Backup & Replication waits for a full backup file to be created.
- If the job finishes outside the scheduled period, Veeam Backup & Replication checks whether the GFS flag of current level has already been assigned during the previous period.
- Yes: Veeam Backup & Replication does not assign any GFS flags.
- No: Veeam Backup & Replication checks whether the backup job has created a full backup file.
- Yes: Veeam Backup & Replication assigns the flag of the current level.
- No: Veeam Backup & Replication does not assign any GFS flags.
Consider the following example. On Monday, you configure GFS policy settings of a backup job in a way weekly GFS flags must be assigned every Wednesday and monthly GFS flags must be assigned every first week of a month. The following animation shows how Veeam Backup & Replication will assign the flags.
Example Description
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