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Archive Backup Retention (GFS)

GFS (Grandfather-Father-Son) archival backup storage is an algorithm for long-term retention of selected backups with the ability to configure multiple independent retention periods. Learn more about GFS in the Long-Term Retention Policy (GFS) guide in the Veeam documentation.

GFS requires regular creation of full backups. To do this, the backup method is changed to Forward Incremental Method, which increases storage consumption. Learn more about backup methods in the Backup Methods guide in the Veeam documentation.

You can change the backup method:

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

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

Enable archive storage for all jobs

  1. Create a ticket. In the ticket, specify:

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

  2. Once archive storage is enabled, we will notify you in the ticket.

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

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

  5. Click Configure.

  6. Select the desired archive copy creation rules and configure their parameters. You can configure multiple rules.

  7. Click OK.

Enable archive storage for individual jobs

Archive storage will be configured by technical support for the selected jobs. You will only be able to change storage parameters or configure archive storage for new jobs by creating a ticket.

Create a ticket. In the ticket, specify:

  • full backup type: Active or Synthetic;
  • the day of the week on which the full backup will be created;
  • the jobs for which archive storage should be configured;
  • for each job: which rules and parameters to use for archival storage.

Archive copy creation rules

DescriptionParameters
Keep yearly full backupsEvery year, one of the copies will become an archive copy and will be kept for the specified number of years
  • Number of years to store the archive copy;
  • month — the copy created in the specified month becomes the archive copy
Keep monthly full backupsEvery month, one of the copies will become an archive copy and will be kept for the specified number of months
  • Number of months to store the archive copy;
  • week of the month — the copy created in the specified week of the month becomes the archive copy: the first (First) or the last (Last)
Keep weekly full backupsEvery week, one of the copies will become an archive copy and will be kept for the specified number of weeks
  • Number of weeks to store the archive copy;
  • day of the week — if several backups were created during the week, the copy for this day of the week becomes the archive copy