Managing Backed-Up Data

You can manage backed-up data in the following ways.

Removing Image-Level Backups and Snapshots

You can remove image-level backups and snapshots from backup repositories only using the Veeam Backup for AWS appliance Web UI. For more information on how to delete snapshots and backups, see the following sections in Veeam Backup for AWS User Guide:

• Removing EC2 Instance Backups and Snapshots
• Removing EC2 Instance Snapshots Created Manually
• Removing RDS Snapshots
• Removing RDS Snapshots Created Manually
• Removing VPC Configuration Backups
• Removing EFS Backups
• Removing EFS Backups Created Manually

Decrypting Image-Level Backups

If you specify decryption passwords for standard backup repositories when adding a Veeam Backup for AWS appliance, Veeam Backup & Replication automatically decrypts backup files stored in these repositories. If you do not specify decryption passwords, backup files remain encrypted.

To decrypt backup files:

1. Open the Home view.
2. In the inventory pane, navigate to Backups > External Repository (Encrypted).
3. In the working area, select a backup policy whose image-level backups you want to decrypt or select an individual backup. Then click Specify Password on the ribbon, or right-click one of the selected backups, and select Specify password.
4. In the Password field, enter a password.

In the Hint field, you can see a hint for the password used to encrypt the backup files. Use this hint to recall the password.

Alternatively, you can specify a decryption password at the Bucket step of the Edit External Repository wizard. For more information on how to open the wizard, see the Editing Settings of External Repository section in the Veeam Backup & Replication User Guide.

Retrieving Data from Archive

To access data stored in an archive repository, you must first retrieve the data. During the data retrieval process, a temporary copy of the archived data is created in an Amazon S3 bucket where the archive repository resides. This copy is stored in the S3 standard storage class for the period of time that you specify when launching the data retrieval process.

Data retrieval is required if you want to restore workloads from archive backups. Veeam Backup & Replication will suggest you to retrieve data directly from the Restore to Amazon EC2 wizard.

To launch the data retrieval process, do the following:

1. Launch the restore wizard as described in Launch Restore to Amazon EC2 Wizard.
2. At the Machine step of the restore wizard, select a EC2 instance whose backup is stored in an archive repository. Click Next.
3. [If backup is also stored in standard repository] In the Confirm restore window, click Glacier.
4. Click Yes to perform data retrieval.
5. At the Retrieval Mode step of the Retrieve Backup wizard, select a method for data retrieval:

• Expedited. The most expensive method. The retrieved data will be available within 1–5 minutes.

• Standard. The recommended method. The retrieved data will be available within 3–5 hours for data stored in the Amazon S3 Glacier storage class and within 12 hours for data stored in the Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive storage class.
• Bulk. The least expensive method. The retrieved data will be available within 5–2 hours for data stored in the Amazon S3 Glacier storage class and within 48 hours for data stored in the Amazon S3 Glacier Deep Archive storage class.

For more information on the retrieval methods, see AWS Documentation.

6. At the Availability Period step of the Retrieve Backup wizard, do the following:

1. In the Keep retrieved data available for field, specify the number of days for which you want to keep the data available for restore operations.

The data will be available during the day when the retrieval finishes plus the specified number of days. Each day starts at 12 AM (UTC) and ends at 11:59 PM (UTC). For example, if the data retrieval finished at 3 PM (UTC), June 6, and the number of days is set to 1, the data will be available till 11:59 PM (UTC), June 7.

You will be able to manually extend data availability later if required.

2. If you want to receive an email notification when data availability period is about to expire, select the Send notification email check box, and specify the number of hours before the expiration time when the notification must be sent.

Check that you have configured global email notification settings as described in the Configuring Global Email Notification Settings section in the Veeam Backup & Replication User Guide.

7. At the Summary step of the Retrieve Backup wizard, review settings for data retrieval and click Finish.

The retrieved data will be available on the Home view, in the Data Retrieval node of the inventory pane.

Extending Data Availability

To extend time for which you want to keep retrieved data available for restore operations:

1. Open the Home view.
2. In the inventory pane, click the Data Retrieval node.
3. In the working area, select the EC2 instance for which you want to extend availability of the retrieved data.
4. On the ribbon, click Extend Availability. Alternatively, right-click the selected EC2 instance and click Extend availability.

4. In the opened window, specify the number of days for which you want to keep the data available for restore operations. Click OK.