[VEEAM] - Multiple .AVHDX Files being created but not deleted

[FragglePete]

Morning all,

 

I'm in the process of setting up Veeam - moving away from BackUp Exec. I've got an open case with Veeam at the moment dealing with a server that is not playing ball, but I'm noticing some other weird behaviour on other servers. I'm still getting my head around it.

 

With each backup, a .avhdx file is being created and a checkpoint appears in the Hyper-V manager for each VM - now, I'm led to believe this is how it works, creates the snapshot does a the backup, but then I thought it was supposed to then merge this back to the original file? This does not appear to be happening. Am I missing something or does this require another case to be opened? These additional files will gobble up space on the host in no time and add the obvious load onto the servers dealing with multiple checkpoints.

 

Thanks

 

Pete

[Geoff]

This is Microsofts fault. Assuming you ticked the box to tell it to delete the checkpoints all Veeam does is ask the VSS to make a backup checkpoint then remove it. What happens when you try and remove the checkpoints with powershell?

 

List checkpoints:

 

Get-VMSnapshot -VMName vmwithcheckpoint.domain.com -ComputerName hyper-v.domain.com| fl  

 

Deletes checkpoints:

 

Get-VMSnapshot -VMName vmwithcheckpoint.domain.com -ComputerName hyper-v.domain.com| Remove-VMSnapshot 

[FragglePete]

This is Microsofts fault. Assuming you ticked the box to tell it to delete the checkpoints all Veeam does is ask the VSS to make a backup checkpoint then remove it. What happens when you try and remove the checkpoints with powershell?

Woah! Ok - I'll take a look at that.

 

Is this tick box in Veeam somewhere (couldn't find it), or is it a Hyper-V setting?

 

Pete

[Geoff]

There used to be a setting on the Hyper-v tab of the advanced settings for the backup job. It doesn't look like it exists any more. BTW I googled a bit more and this is apparently a problem with Microsofts own backup tools too.

 

https://blog.workinghardinit.work/2015/10/15/remove-lingering-backup-checkpoints-from-a-hyper-v-virtual-machine/

[FragglePete]

Hmmm..... I see a 'Transform previous backup chains into rollbacks' Is that it?

 

Think it's not

 

Pete