Backup archive storage (GFS)

Last update: September 06 2024

Backup archive storage (GFS)

GFS (Grandfather-Father-Son) backup archiving is an algorithm for long-term storage of selective backups with the ability to configure multiple independent retention periods. Read more about GFS in the manual Long-Term Retention Policy (GFS) 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. More details about backup methods in the manual Backup Methods Veeam documentation.

You can change the backup method:

• for all jobs (including new ones). The GFS parameters for each job are configured independently;
• for individual tasks. You can only configure and change GFS settings via 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 task tab Job Settings.

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

5. Click Configure.

6. Mark the right ones archival copying policy and customize their settings. You can configure multiple rules.

7. Click OK.

Enable archiving for individual jobs⁠

Archive storage will be configured by technical support for selected tasks. It will be possible to change storage parameters or configure archiving for new tasks 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 ones rules and with what parameters to use for archival storage.

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.