Large Incremental (.vib) Backup Size for Single Machine

I wouldn’t say this kind of incremental size is abnormal. If I had to guess, I’d say that windows update could be downloading updates and they’re getting backed along with the rest of the server.

To decrease the incremental backup size, you could increase the compression level. However, this would affect your backup and restore size the higher you set the compression.

It’s very normal, I agree with Tommy.

However, keep in mind that any changes to existing data will result in the CBT mechanism seeing the block as “changed”, triggering the C in CBT.

That is, tons of files might get a minor update, only a few bytes even. But that means that the block the data resides on is changed.

Especially for an Active Directory server, the AD DB is going to be constantly updating with minor updates / changes, so you're going to have some churn.

The numbers you show look pretty normal, these are not unusual incremental sizes.

Compression change _may_ help, but I’m doubtful you’re going to see significant reduction. Test is, but I’m going to guess you’ll at best see a very minor improvement.

Thanks David, I was thinking something along those lines as well, but couldn’t figure out the best way to articulate it.

Hi ​@Esayas.T - welcome to the Community!

Can you share why you think 1-2GB Incremental is “large”? Do other Jobs have less Incremental size maybe? As shared by Tommy/David, this size is quite normal. And, for a DC, even moreso. Aside from any modifications within AD itself that may be happening, MS sends updates to Defender and Virus Definition files not just everyday, but at times multiple times throughout the day. Those changes are relatively small, but between them and AD & other OS changes, 1-2GB is no doubt easily achieved imo.

Hope that helps explain a bit.

Let us know if you have further questions.

This is a normal behavior.

In environments that we do not have so many changes is normal to get .vib on this size.

I can see that you are looking for this on repository side.

Try too look this on the Veeam side. Go to Backups menu and take the properties of this chain. Over there you can see other informations like the Data Reduction collun: