3-2-1 rule for VBR Configuration Backup


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By default, VBR does a configuration backup every day at 10:00.

It is obvious that this backup should also follow the 3-2-1(-1-0) rule. A easy way to do this is to copy these restore points to a machine that is already backed up be Veeam and therefore covered by the 3-2-1(-1-0) rule. This can be done with a Veeam File Copy job. This job can copy files between systems part of Managed Servers.

Lets do it and create a File Copy job:

and select the path to the configuration backup as source

For destination select the server system you want to copy files to. As mentioned, this system should be part of backup job. Finally select your preferred time schedule. I would recommend to run this job just after the configuration backup.

Done? Almost! It is important to know, File Copy job copies files respectively a directory, but is does not synchronize. Therefore the amount of files at the destination will increase. So they should also get deleted after some time otherwise partition runs full. A easy way to do so is to schedule a PowerShell script like this:

$DeleteData = (Get-Date).AddDays(-14).Date

Get-ChildItem -Path E:\Copy_VeeamBackupConfig\VeeamConfigBackup\*\*.bco | Where-Object {$_.CreationTime -lt $DeleteData} | Remove-Item

To not ignore security at this step, the user that runs this scheduled task should not be a local administrator of the machine - a normal user-account is sufficient. Keep in mind, Veeam File Copy job also copies file permissions (ACL)! To enable a user-account at the destination system to delete copied files, files at the both (source and destination) must have write/modify permission for the users-group.

I hope this helps to keep configuration restore points safe!


16 comments

Userlevel 7
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Great post and reminder to follow 3-2-1 for even your Configuration backups.  ☝🏼

Userlevel 7
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Good reminder 😎👍🏼

In most cases we copy the configuration backup files with a script to a server in a second location. This script takes care of deleting the old files.

Up to now I have not seen any disadvantages to copy these files outside of Veeam...

Userlevel 7
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Nice post @vNote42!

 

Configuration backup is always important.

Userlevel 7
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It's a good idea to also apply the 3-2-1 to the configuration backup. While the configuration isn't necessary in order to restore in case if a disaster, it will make it much easier.

Userlevel 7
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Good reminder 😎👍🏼

In most cases we copy the configuration backup files with a script to a server in a second location. This script takes care of deleting the old files.

Up to now I have not seen any disadvantages to copy these files outside of Veeam...

Fully agree! Using a File Copy task makes it easy because you do not have to handle user authentication in a script.

Userlevel 7
Badge +13

Good reminder 😎👍🏼

In most cases we copy the configuration backup files with a script to a server in a second location. This script takes care of deleting the old files.

Up to now I have not seen any disadvantages to copy these files outside of Veeam...

Fully agree! Using a File Copy task makes it easy because you do not have to handle user authentication in a script.

+you have all tasks centralized in the Veeam console which makes it easier to manage/monitor.

Userlevel 7
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Good post @vNote42 , i would be happy if retention can be managed on file jobs in the future.

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Good post @vNote42 , i would be happy if retention can be managed on file jobs in the future.

You are absolutely right! This begs for a feature request! 

Userlevel 7
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Thx for this post @vNote42, it’s the perfect workarround. As you mentioned : it should be built-in : the possibility to copy the configuration backup file to at least 2 locations.

Something to add : if you use tapes for the secondary backup : just create a separate job (file-to-tape) to copy the configuration backup folder to the tape you are using for the backup-to-tape jobs.

Userlevel 7
Badge +7

 

Done? Almost! It is important to know, File Copy job copies files respectively a directory, but is does not synchronize. Therefore the amount of files at the destination will increase. So they should also get deleted after some time otherwise partition runs full. A easy way to do so is to schedule a PowerShell script like this:

$DeleteData = (Get-Date).AddDays(-14).Date

Get-ChildItem -Path E:\Copy_VeeamBackupConfig\VeeamConfigBackup\*\*.bco | Where-Object {$_.CreationTime -lt $DeleteData} | Remove-Item

 

This is an old problem with the file copy job is also annoying.😆
Veeam should fix it so that it keeps only a range of days of the desired Configuration Backup and not copy as is all files without the ability to rotate old Configuration Backup files .😍
You get GB of conf backup files :D if you don't schedule a cleaning task 😱

Userlevel 7
Badge +13

 

Done? Almost! It is important to know, File Copy job copies files respectively a directory, but is does not synchronize. Therefore the amount of files at the destination will increase. So they should also get deleted after some time otherwise partition runs full. A easy way to do so is to schedule a PowerShell script like this:

$DeleteData = (Get-Date).AddDays(-14).Date

Get-ChildItem -Path E:\Copy_VeeamBackupConfig\VeeamConfigBackup\*\*.bco | Where-Object {$_.CreationTime -lt $DeleteData} | Remove-Item

 

This is an old problem with the file copy job is also annoying.😆
Veeam should fix it so that it keeps only a range of days of the desired Configuration Backup and not copy as is all files without the ability to rotate old Configuration Backup files .😍
You get GB of conf backup files :D if you don't schedule a cleaning task 😱

yes, you HAVE TO clear them!

Userlevel 7
Badge +7

Good reminder thanks!
I dont know why Veeam does not implement a “backup copy” from the interface for this need.

Maybe with the v12 it will be possible to backup it directly on Object Storage.

Userlevel 7
Badge +20

Good reminder thanks!
I dont know why Veeam does not implement a “backup copy” from the interface for this need.

Maybe with the v12 it will be possible to backup it directly on Object Storage.

Yes this is coming in v12. 😁

Userlevel 7
Badge +13

Good reminder thanks!
I dont know why Veeam does not implement a “backup copy” from the interface for this need.

Maybe with the v12 it will be possible to backup it directly on Object Storage.

Yes this is coming in v12. 😁

can confirm, Configuration backup can be targeted to an object storage! .. just tried in beta2

Userlevel 7
Badge +17

Good reminder thanks!
I dont know why Veeam does not implement a “backup copy” from the interface for this need.

Maybe with the v12 it will be possible to backup it directly on Object Storage.

Yes this is coming in v12. 😁

can confirm, Configuration backup can be targeted to an object storage! .. just tried in beta2

Very good. But a copy job for the configuration backup would be fine, too. 😎

Userlevel 7
Badge +13

Good reminder thanks!
I dont know why Veeam does not implement a “backup copy” from the interface for this need.

Maybe with the v12 it will be possible to backup it directly on Object Storage.

Yes this is coming in v12. 😁

can confirm, Configuration backup can be targeted to an object storage! .. just tried in beta2

Very good. But a copy job for the configuration backup would be fine, too. 😎

that's right! no indication of this in beta2

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