Manually moving backup files to or from a Scale-Out Backup Repository

You have backup files on a standard repository that you wish to move to a Scale-Out Backup Repository (SOBR).

Scale-Out Backup Repositories have special considerations for how backup files and metadata are distributed. Thus, simply copying files to one extent may be insufficient for a rescan of the repository to detect them properly and import them.

IMPORTANT: This process does not apply to Cloud Connect, and should not be used by providers. If you are a provider attempting to migrate tenant data to SOBR, please contact support for assistance.

If you have not yet created a SOBR:

1. Create simple repositories, and at least one of them should be a path where backup files to be imported are stored (e.g., if backup files are in D:\Backups\Backup_Job_1\ then create a repository referencing the path D:\Backups).
2. Re-scan the simple repository or repositories, and ensure all backups are imported.
3. Create the SOBR and add the relevant repositories as extents.
4. During the creation process Veeam will inform via confirmation prompt that “Jobs and backups using this extent will be automatically updated to point to the scale-out backup repository.” 
   
5. If any jobs are not mapped to the backup files now within the SOBR, map them per the standard process.

If you have a SOBR and need to introduce new backups:

1. Place the backup files to be imported in a temporary path. (e.g., if backup files are in D:\Backups, either copy or move them to D:\Backups-temp. A move is usually much faster.)
2. Create a new simple backup repository that references this path (in our example, D:\Backups-temp).
3. Re-scan the repository, and ensure all backups are imported.
4. You can map the pre-existing job to the backup files’ new location now, or at the end.
5. Edit your existing SOBR and add the new temporary repository to its list of extents.
6. Place the new temporary repository extent in Maintenance Mode.
7. Evacuate the extent. Veeam will redistribute the backup files to other extents in the SOBR.
8. If you did not map the original job in step 4, do so now.

If redistribution of files is not desired or necessary, you can simply copy the folder containing VBM and backup files to an existing extent. Rename both path and VBM to ensure import, and re-scan.
 

If you need to move a backup from SOBR to a simple backup repository:

1. If you haven't done so yet, create a new simple backup repository.
2. In the root folder of the new simple backup repository, create a folder with the name of the job folder on SOBR.
3. (Optional) To avoid automatic rescans of SOBR finding the files during the move again, place the extents with the job files in Maintenance Mode.
4. Remove the backups on the SOBR from the Backups > Disk section using the option Remove from configuration.
   (Do not click Delete from disk)
5. Check the job folders on each Extent and move any VRB/VBK/VIB files you find to the newly created folder on the simple backup repository.
6. Move one of VBM files from any of the job's job folders on SOBR to the newly created job folder on the simple backup repository.
7. Remove the leftover folders with the job name and VBM files from all extents of SOBR.
8. Rescan the simple backup repository. It will import the backup into configuration.
9. Map the job which you want to use for this backup to the newly imported Backup.

• Please review Limitations for Scale-Out Backup Repositories.
• To let Veeam Backup & Replication automatically import backups during rescan of a scale-out backup repository, names of VBM files and paths to VBM files (starting from the backup repository root to VBM files, not including the root itself) must contain only allowed characters:
  • Alphanumeric characters: a-zA-Z0-9
  • Special characters: _-.+=@^
  The name of the VBM file and path to VBM files must not contain spaces.
  
  If a name of a VBM file or a path to a VBM file contains prohibited characters, Veeam Backup & Replication will fail to import such backup during rescan of the scale-out backup repository. To import such backup, you can replace prohibited characters with the underscore character, for example: C:\My Repository\Backup_Job\Backup_Job.vbm. You do not need to rename the actual backup files.
• Moving backup files from one or multiple SOBR extents is viable as well. There are a few points to note:
  • Make sure to copy files from the backup chain from all extents.
  • SOBR backup chains are typically Per-Machine backup files. Simple repositories are typically per-job backup files. The chain will retain this method until an active full is run on the job to enforce the change.
  • The VBM file will exist in all extents. All VBMs for a particular backup job within a single SOBR should be identical. As a result, the target simple backup repository needs only contain one VBM.