Backing up data effectively is a vital aspect of modern IT operations, and Veeam’s suite of tools offers some of the best solutions for this task. However, when using the Official Veeam Calculators available on the Veeam site, it's important to understand the default backup schedules that these calculators assume. In this post, we’ll break down the backup schedules integrated into Veeam’s calculators, specifically focusing on the daily backup with a weekly synthetic full and the forever forward incremental backup chain in regard to object storage. In addition, we'll delve into how these schedules impact the Restore Point Simulator (RPS) and why you might see certain extra days or multiples of seven.
A Set Schedule Within the Calculator
To cut right to the point: Veeam's calculators assume a specific backup schedule to simplify calculations:
- Daily Backup with a Weekly Synthetic Full: This is the default backup schedule for traditional block storage.
- Forever Forward Incremental Backup: When backing up to object storage, this approach is employed because synthetic full backups are not supported in object storage.
Daily Backup with a Weekly Synthetic Full
What is it?
This schedule features daily incremental backups combined with a synthetic full backup every week. Here’s how it works:
- Daily Incremental Backups: Every day, only the changes made since the last backup are saved, ensuring minimal impact on storage and network resources.
- Weekly Synthetic Full Backup: Once a week, a synthetic full backup is created from these incremental backups. This synthetic full backup is compiled from data already stored, eliminating the need to re-read all source data.
Why Use It?
This schedule is designed to balance performance, resource utilization, and restore efficiency:
- Reduced Storage Usage: Incremental backups save only new or changed data, conserving storage space.
- Lower Impact on Production: Synthetic full backups are created using existing data, reducing the load on production systems.
- Efficient Backup Windows: Daily incremental backups are quicker to complete, ensuring shorter backup windows that minimally affect production operations.
Impact on Restore Point Simulator (RPS)
When viewing the results from the calculator, the Restore Point Simulator will show:
- Multiples of 7: The RPS will display all restore points as multiples of seven. Each incremental backup contributes to forming a complete weekly cycle before creating the synthetic full backup, reflecting a consistent and predictable backup pattern. Not only are the points shown but the extra storage is calculated into the result.
- Extra 7 Days: You'll observe an extra 7 days in the RPS. This additional week accounts for the previous whole backup chain that is not able to be pruned until a new whole chain satisfies retention.
Forever Forward Incremental Backup for Object Storage
What is it?
When backing up to object storage, Veeam’s calculators assume a forever forward incremental approach, which involves:
- Initial Full Backup: A complete backup of the entire dataset to start with.
- Incremental Daily Backups: Following the initial full backup, all subsequent backups are incremental, capturing only the changes since the last backup.
Why This Approach for Object Storage?
Object storage, like AWS S3 or Azure Blob Storage, doesn't support synthetic full backups, prompting the use of forever forward incremental backups. This approach is optimized for the characteristics of object storage:
- Optimized Transfers: Only changed data blocks are transferred daily, reducing bandwidth usage and speeding up the backup process.
- Cost-Effective: Less data transfer and storage usage translate into lower costs.
Why These Assumptions?
The primary reason for these assumed schedules is the vast number of potential job schedule combinations that users might set up. Accommodating all possible combinations would significantly complicate the calculator’s code and reduce its usability. By streamlining to these two primary schedules, Veeam ensures that the calculators:
- Remain Simple and Predictable: Users can quickly estimate resources without needing to input complex scheduling scenarios.
- Provide Accurate Benchmarking: The default schedules chosen represent common real-world practices, giving users a reliable starting point for planning.
Conclusion
Understanding the default backup schedules assumed by Veeam’s calculators is crucial for accurate resource estimation and effective backup planning. The daily backup with a weekly synthetic full and the forever forward incremental backup for object storage each offer unique benefits tailored to different storage environments. By using these defaults, the calculators provide a balance of simplicity and realism, helping IT professionals efficiently plan their backup strategies.
- Multiples of 7: The RPS will show all restore points in multiples of seven, reflecting the cycle of incremental backups culminating in a synthetic full backup every week.
- Extra 7 Days in Restore Point Simulator: When using block storage and daily backups with a weekly synthetic full, you will notice an extra 7 days in the RPS, accounting for the full backup chains required to satisfy retention.
Make sure to leverage the Veeam Backup & Replication Calculator to accurately estimate the resources required for your chosen backup strategy, ensuring optimal performance and cost-efficiency.
