---
title: "Add-VBRProtectionGroup"
description: "This cmdlet creates protection groups. Before creating a protection group, you must create a protection scope for this group. Protection groups can include the following objects: Active Directory objects. Individual computers. Cloud machines."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbr/powershell/add-vbrprotectiongroup.html"
breadcrumb: "Veeam PowerShell Reference > Veeam PowerShell Reference > Veeam Agent Management > Working with Protection Groups > Veeam Agent Management Protection Groups > Add-VBRProtectionGroup"
dateModified: "2026-08-20"
---

# Add-VBRProtectionGroup

## Short Description
Creates protection groups in Veeam Backup & Replication.

**Product Edition**: Community, Standard, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License

## Syntax
```
Add-VBRProtectionGroup -Name <String> [-Description <String>] -Container <VBRProtectionGroupContainer>
 [-ScheduleOptions <VBRProtectionGroupScheduleOptions>]
 [-DeploymentOptions <VBRProtectionGroupDeploymentOptions>]
 [-AdvancedOptions <VBRProtectionGroupAdvancedWindowsOptions>]
 [-NotificationOptions <VBRProtectionGroupNotificationOptions>] [-CacheRepository <VBRBackupRepository>] [<CommonParameters>]
```

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet creates protection groups.

Before creating a protection group, you must create a protection scope for this group. Protection groups can include the following objects:

- Active Directory objects.
- Individual computers.
- Cloud machines.
- Computers imported from a CSV file.
- Computers with pre-installed backup agents.
- MongoDB Replica sets.
- InterSystems IRIS servers.

For more information about the protection scope, see the following cmdlets:

- [`New-VBRADContainer`](new-vbradcontainer.md)
- [`New-VBRIndividualComputerContainer`](new-vbrindividualcomputercontainer.md)
- [`New-VBRAmazonEC2Container`](new-vbramazonec2container.md)
- [`New-VBRAzureContainer`](new-vbrazurecontainer.md)
- [`New-VBRCSVContainer`](new-vbrcsvcontainer.md)
- [`New-VBRManuallyDeployedContainer`](new-vbrmanuallydeployedcontainer.md)
- [`New-VBRMongoDBContainer`](new-vbrmongodbcontainer.md)
- [`New-VBRIrisContainer`](new-vbririscontainer.md)

## Parameters

<table style="width:100%;" class="Blue_Table">
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Parameter</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Description</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Type</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Required</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Position</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Accept Pipeline Input</p>
        </th>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">AdvancedOptions</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies settings for Veeam Agent for Windows deployed on computers in the protection group. You can specify the following settings:</p><ul><li>Network usage settings</li><li>Throttling settings</li><li>Security settings</li></ul><p>Accepts the <a href="vbrprotectiongroupadvancedwindowsoptions.md"><code>VBRProtectionGroupAdvancedWindowsOptions</code></a> object. To get this object, run the <a href="new-vbrprotectiongroupadvancedwindowsoptions.md"><code>New-VBRProtectionGroupAdvancedWindowsOptions</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><a href="vbrprotectiongroupadvancedwindowsoptions.md"><code>VBRProtectionGroupAdvancedWindowsOptions</code></a></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">CacheRepository</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the cache repository for the protection group. Veeam Backup & Replication will keep the .VCACHE files on this repository. This parameter applies only to protection groups with the IrisServers container type. If you do not specify the parameter, Veeam Backup & Replication will automatically select a default cache repository.</p><p>Accepts the <code>VBRBackupRepository</code> object. To get this object, run the <a href="get-vbrbackuprepository.md"><code>Get-VBRBackupRepository</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>VBRBackupRepository</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Container</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the protection scope. The protection scope can contain the following objects:</p><ul><li>Active Directory objects.</li><li>Individual computers.</li><li>Cloud machines.</li><li>Computers imported from a CSV file.</li><li>Computers with pre-installed backup agents.</li><li>MongoDB Replica sets.</li><li>InterSystems IRIS servers.</li></ul><p>The cmdlet will create the protection group with this protection scope.</p><p>Accepts the following objects:</p><ul><li><a href="vbradcontainer.md"><code>VBRADContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="vbrindividualcomputercontainer.md"><code>VBRIndividualComputerContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="vbramazonec2container.md"><code>VBRAmazonEC2Container</code></a></li><li><a href="vbrazurecontainer.md"><code>VBRAzureContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="vbrcsvcontainer.md"><code>VBRCSVContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="vbrmanuallydeployedcontainer.md"><code>VBRManuallyDeployedContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="vbrmongodbcontainer.md"><code>VBRMongoDBContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="vbririscontainer.md"><code>VBRIrisContainer</code></a></li></ul><p>To get this objects, run one of the following cmdlets:</p><ul><li><a href="new-vbradcontainer.md"><code>New-VBRADContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="new-vbrindividualcomputercontainer.md"><code>New-VBRIndividualComputerContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="new-vbramazonec2container.md"><code>New-VBRAmazonEC2Container</code></a></li><li><a href="new-vbrazurecontainer.md"><code>New-VBRAzureContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="new-vbrcsvcontainer.md"><code>New-VBRCSVContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="new-vbrmanuallydeployedcontainer.md"><code>New-VBRManuallyDeployedContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="new-vbrmongodbcontainer.md"><code>New-VBRMongoDBContainer</code></a></li><li><a href="new-vbririscontainer.md"><code>New-VBRIrisContainer</code></a></li></ul>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>VBRProtectionGroupContainer</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">DeploymentOptions</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies Veeam Agent deployment settings. The cmdlet will use these settings to install Veeam Agent on the discovered computers in the protection group.</p><p>Accepts the <a href="vbrprotectiongroupdeploymentoptions.md"><code>VBRProtectionGroupDeploymentOptions</code></a> object. To get this object, run the <a href="new-vbrprotectiongroupdeploymentoptions.md"><code>New-VBRProtectionGroupDeploymentOptions</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><a href="vbrprotectiongroupdeploymentoptions.md"><code>VBRProtectionGroupDeploymentOptions</code></a></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Description</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the description of the protection group.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>String</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Name</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the name you want to assign to the protection group.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>String</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">NotificationOptions</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies notification settings for the protection group.</p><p>Accepts the <a href="vbrprotectiongroupnotificationoptions.md"><code>VBRProtectionGroupNotificationOptions</code></a> object. To get this object, run the <a href="new-vbrprotectiongroupnotificationoptions.md"><code>New-VBRProtectionGroupNotificationOptions</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><a href="vbrprotectiongroupnotificationoptions.md"><code>VBRProtectionGroupNotificationOptions</code></a></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">ScheduleOptions</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the discovery schedule. The cmdlet will use this schedule to perform discovery operations for computers in the protection group.</p><p>Accepts the <a href="vbrprotectiongroupscheduleoptions.md"><code>VBRProtectionGroupScheduleOptions</code></a> object. To get this object, run the <a href="new-vbrprotectiongroupscheduleoptions.md"><code>New-VBRProtectionGroupScheduleOptions</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><a href="vbrprotectiongroupscheduleoptions.md"><code>VBRProtectionGroupScheduleOptions</code></a></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>

`<CommonParameters>`

This cmdlet supports Microsoft PowerShell common parameters. For more information on common parameters, see [ Microsoft Docs](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_commonparameters?view=powershell-7).

## Output Object
[`VBRProtectionGroup`](vbrprotectiongroup.md)

## Examples

::: example
### Example 1. Creating Protection Group for Individual Computers

This example shows how to create a protection group with the following settings:

- The created protection group will include individual computers.
- Veeam Backup & Replication will discover computers in the protection group every 12 hours.
- Veeam Backup & Replication will automatically install Veeam Agent on all discovered computers of this protection group.

```
$creds = Get-VBRCredentials -Name "jsmith@support.east.local"
$computers = @("support.east.local", "qa.east.local", "adm-v8931") | ForEach { New-VBRIndividualComputerCustomCredentials -HostName $_ -Credentials $creds}
$scope = New-VBRIndividualComputerContainer -CustomCredentials $computers
$periodically = New-VBRPeriodicallyOptions -FullPeriod 12 -PeriodicallyKind Hours
$schedule = New-VBRProtectionGroupScheduleOptions -PolicyType Periodically -PeriodicallyOptions $periodically
$deployment = New-VBRProtectionGroupDeploymentOptions -InstallAgent
Add-VBRProtectionGroup -Name "Support_East" -Container $scope -ScheduleOptions $schedule -DeploymentOptions $deployment
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Get-VBRCredentials`](get-vbrcredentials.md) cmdlet. Specify the `Name` parameter value. Save the result to the `$creds` variable.
2. Run the [`New-VBRIndividualComputerCustomCredentials`](new-vbrindividualcomputercustomcredentials.md) cmdlet. Use the `ForEach` statement to apply the same credentials to multiple computers. Set the `$creds` variable as the `-Credentials` parameter value. Save the result to the `$computers` variable.
3. Run the [`New-VBRIndividualComputerContainer`](new-vbrindividualcomputercontainer.md) cmdlet. Set the `$computers` variable as the `CustomCredentials` parameter value. Save the result to the `$scope` variable.
4. Run the [`New-VBRPeriodicallyOptions`](new-vbrperiodicallyoptions.md) cmdlet. Specify the `FullPeriod` and the `PeriodicallyKind` parameter values. Save the result to the `$periodically` variable.
5. Run the [`New-VBRProtectionGroupScheduleOptions`](new-vbrprotectiongroupscheduleoptions.md) cmdlet. Set the `Periodically` value as the `PolicyType` parameter value. Set the `$periodically` variable as the `PeriodicallyOptions` parameter value. Save the result to the `$schedule` variable.
6. Run the [`New-VBRProtectionGroupDeploymentOptions`](new-vbrprotectiongroupdeploymentoptions.md) cmdlet. Provide the `InstallAgent` parameter. Save the result to the `$deployment` variable.
7. Run the `Add-VBRProtectionGroup` cmdlet. Specify the following settings:

   - Specify the `Name` parameter value.
   - Set the `$scope` variable as the `Container` parameter value.
   - Set the `$schedule` variable as the `ScheduleOptions` parameter value.
   - Set the `$deployment` variable as the `DeploymentOptions` parameter value.

:::

::: example
### Example 2. Creating Protection Group for Pre-Installed Veeam Agents

This example shows how to create a protection group that will include Linux and Unix computers with pre-installed Veeam Agents.

```
$linuxdistr = Get-VBRProtectionGroupLinuxPackage -LinuxDistributionName "debian", "ubuntu" -LinuxPackageBitness X64
$unixdistr = Get-VBRProtectionGroupUnixPackage -Name "Solaris Intel"
$preinstalledcontainer = New-VBRManuallyDeployedContainer -Path \\srv001\VeeamBackups -LinuxPackage $linuxdistr -UnixPackage $unixdistr
Add-VBRProtectionGroup -Name PreinstalledPG -Container $preinstalledcontainer
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the `Get-VBRProtectionGroupLinuxPackage` cmdlet. Specify the `LinuxDistributionName` and `LinuxPackageBitness` parameter values. Save the result to the `$linuxdistr` variable.
2. Run the `Get-VBRProtectionGroupUnixPackage` cmdlet. Specify the `Name` parameter value. Save the result to the `$unixdistr` variable.
3. Run the `New-VBRManuallyDeployedContainer` cmdlet. Specify the `Path` parameter value. Set the `$linuxdistr` variable as the `LinuxPackage` parameter value. Set the `$unixdistr` variable as the `UnixPackage` parameter value. Save the result to the `$preinstalledcontainer` variable.
4. Run the `Add-VBRProtectionGroup` cmdlet. Specify the `Name` parameter value. Set the `$preinstalledcontainer` variable as the `Container` parameter value.

:::

## Related Commands

- [`New-VBRIndividualComputerCustomCredentials`](new-vbrindividualcomputercustomcredentials.md)
- [`New-VBRIndividualComputerContainer`](new-vbrindividualcomputercontainer.md)
- [`New-VBRPeriodicallyOptions`](new-vbrperiodicallyoptions.md)
- [`New-VBRProtectionGroupScheduleOptions`](new-vbrprotectiongroupscheduleoptions.md)
- [`New-VBRProtectionGroupDeploymentOptions`](new-vbrprotectiongroupdeploymentoptions.md)
- [`Get-VBRBackupRepository`](get-vbrbackuprepository.md)