Backup archive storage (GFS)

Last update: June 04 2025

Backup archive storage (GFS)

GFS (Grandfather-Father-Son) backup archiving is a long-term retention algorithm for selective backups with the ability to configure multiple independent retention periods. Learn more about GFS in the Long-Term Retention Policy (GFS) instructions of the Veeam documentation.

GFS requires full backups to be created on a regular basis. For this purpose, the backup method is changed to Forward Incremental Method, which increases storage consumption. For more information about backup methods, see Backup Methods in Veeam documentation.

You can change the backup method:

• for all jobs (including new jobs). The GFS parameters for each job are configured independently;
• for individual jobs. You can only configure and change the GFS parameters via a ticket.

For long-term storage without changing the backup method, you can independently configure separate jobs to store weekly and monthly backups. Each backup chain will consist of a full backup and additional incremental backups.

Enable archiving for all jobs⁠

1. Create a ticket. In the ticket specify:

   • for which jobs to connect GFS: for all jobs (including new jobs);
   • type of full backup: Active or Synthitis;
   • the day of the week on which the full backup will be created.

2. When archival storage is connected, we will send a notification in a ticket.

3. In the Veeam® Backup Enterprise Manager portal, when creating or editing a job, open the Job Settings tab.

4. Check the Keep certain full backups longer for archival purposes checkbox.

5. Click Configure.

6. Check the desired archive copy rules and configure their settings. You can configure multiple rules.

7. Press OK.

Enable archiving for individual jobs⁠

Archive storage will be configured by technical support for the selected jobs. You can change the storage settings or configure archive storage for new jobs only through a ticket.

Create a ticket. In the ticket specify:

• type of full backup: Active or Synthitis;
• the day of the week on which the full backup will be created;
• tasks for which you want to configure archiving;
• for each task: which rules and with which parameters should be used for archiving.

Rules for creating archive copies⁠

	Description	Parameters
Keep yearly full backups	Each year, one of the copies will become an archival copy and will be retained for a specified number of years	The number of years the archival copy has been retained; month — the copy that was created in the specified month will become the archive copy
Keep monthly full backups	Each month, one of the copies will become an archive copy and will be kept for a specified number of months	Number of months of archival copy retention; week of the month — the copy created in the specified week of the month will be archived: First (First) or Last (Last).
Keep weekly full backups	Each week, one of the copies will become an archive copy and will be kept for a specified number of weeks	Number of weeks of archival copy retention; day of the week — if several backups were created during the week, the copy for that day of the week will become the archive copy.