Storage for Backups

The following table lists the structure that is created and maintained by Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 in object storage where you store your backups. You can use S3 Compatible object storage, Azure Blob Storage Hot/Cool access tiers, Amazon S3 Standard and Amazon S3 Standard-Infrequent Access storage classes for this purpose.

Note

Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 does not support this structure for Azure Blob Storage Archive access tier and all Amazon S3 Glacier storage classes. You cannot target a backup job at a backup repository extended with such object storage.

 

Directory

Description

<bucket_name/container_name>

A bucket or container name.

Buckets and containers must be created in advance using the cloud provider tools. Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 does not support creating new buckets or containers.

<bucket_name/container_name>/Veeam/Backup365/

A set of mandatory folders created by Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365.

<repository_folder_name>

A repository folder that you create when adding a new object storage.

For more information on how to add a new object storage, see Adding Object Storage.

<repository_folder_name>/CommonInfo

Contains the following directories and blob files:

  • [Directory] RestorePoints. Contains information about available restore points for Microsoft Exchange.
  • [Directory] WebRestorePoints. Contains information about available restore points for Microsoft SharePoint and OneDrive for Business.

Both directories keep a blob file that contains a list of available restore points. Each blob may store up to 100,000 records after which another blob file is created.

  • [Blob file] Organizations. Contains a list of backed-up organizations.
  • [Blob file] RepositoryConfig. Contains extended backup repository configuration such as the retention type and other auxiliary information.

<repository_folder_name>/CriticalDataBackup

Contains identical copies of the following blob files:

  • [Blob file] Organizations. Contains a list of backed-up organizations.
  • [Blob file] RepositoryConfig. Contains extended backup repository configuration such as the retention type and other auxiliary information.
  • [Blob file] BackupKeys. Contains information about the encryption keys that you set during extension of a backup repository with object storage.

<repository_folder_name>/Encryption

Contains the BackupKeys blob file that holds information about the encryption keys that you set during extension of a backup repository with object storage.

For more information on how to extend a backup repository with object storage, see Specify Object Storage.

<repository_folder_name>/Organizations

The root folder that contains backed-up Microsoft organizations. Each organization is kept in its own folder with a unique identification number.

Organizations/<organization_Id>

The <organization_Id> directory contains the following blob files:

  • AccountMailbox. Contains information required to load the backup contents into the Veeam Explorer for Microsoft Exchange scope.
  • AccountWeb. Contains information required to load the backup contents into the Veeam Explorer for Microsoft SharePoint scope.

<organization_Id>/Mailboxes/<mailbox_Id>

The Mailboxes directory contains backed-up Exchange mailboxes. Each mailbox is saved under a unique identification number to the <mailbox_Id> directory.

The <mailbox_Id> directory contains the following directories:

  • Folders. Contains backed-up Exchange folders such as Inbox, Drafts, Sent Items, and other.
  • FoldersHistory. Contains folder changes.

For example, you may have renamed a folder. In such a scenario, after the subsequent backup session, Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 will update information about the renamed folders and save each new folder version to the FoldersHistory directory.

  • ItemsChanges. Contains incremental backup data.
  • ItemsData. Contains blob data of the backed-up Exchange messages.

For example, attachments are saved to this folder.

  • ItemsPreview. Contains required data to load the backup contents into the Veeam Explorer for Microsoft Exchange scope.
  • PostsPreview. Contains required data to load the backup contents into the Veeam Explorer for Microsoft Teams scope.

<organization_Id>/RestorePointObjects

Contains blob files with a list of objects (mailboxes, sites, and other) that were backed up by Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365 per a particular restore point at the specified point in time.

<organization_Id>/Sites

Contains a blob file with a list of backed-up SharePoint sites.

<organization_Id>/Teams

Contains the following directories:

  • Accounts. Contains names and descriptions of all users included in all teams at the moment of the latest backup.
  • <team_Id>. Contains backed-up Microsoft Teams data such as Channels, Tabs and Users.
  • TeamHistorySnapshots. Contains blob files with team changes and information about team Applications at the specified point in time.
  • TeamInfos. Contains blob files with unchanged information about teams.

<organization_Id>/WebData

Contains data that is required to restore SharePoint or OneDrive items.

<organization_Id>/WebBackups

Contains a list of SharePoint sites to be loaded into the Veeam Explorer for Microsoft SharePoint scope.

<organization_Id>/WebPreview

Contains backup dates of SharePoint sites.

Required for a snapshot-based retention policy.

<organization_Id>/Webs/<web_Id>

A set of folders that contain backed-up SharePoint sites and OneDrive Items.

The <web_Id> directory contains the following directories:

  • Files. Contains files of the SharePoint site.
  • Items. Contains items such as those located under the Subsites and Content folders for SharePoint, and users folders for OneDrive.
  • Lists. Contains SharePoint lists.
  • ListsData. Contains properties of ShrePoint lists.
  • ListViews. Contains SharePoint list views.

<repository_folder_name>/RepositoryLock

Contains a lock file that tells that this storage is already an extension to a backup repository.

Object storage can only be owned by one owner (a backup repository) at a time.

For more information on how to extend a backup repository with object storage, see Specify Object Storage.

Non-Archive Object Storage Structure