Backup Destinations
Overview
A backup destination is the storage location where Storware Backup & Recovery retains backup data for later recovery. It holds the backup copies created from protected workloads, such as virtual machines, containers, cloud instances, applications, and file systems.
Configuring a backup destination tells Storware Backup & Recovery where to store backups and how to access that storage. A backup policy selects the destination to use, while retention settings determine how long its backup copies are kept.
The Storware Node performs storage operations, including writing backups, reading data for restore, and removing backups according to retention rules. Each destination must be assigned to the appropriate Node Configuration and accessible to the Nodes using that configuration.
Backup Destination and Staging Space
These locations serve different purposes:
Location
Purpose
Staging space
Working space used by the Node while processing backup and restore data, where required by the selected workflow.
Backup destination
Storage that retains completed backup copies for recovery.
Preparing staging space alone does not configure a backup destination. The destination must also be added to Storware Backup & Recovery and selected in the backup policy.
Backup Destination Types
Choose a destination type that matches your storage infrastructure and protection requirements.
Type
Purpose
File System
Stores backups in a directory on a file system accessible to the Node.
Deduplication Appliances
Stores backups on a supported appliance that provides deduplication capabilities.
Object Storage
Stores backups in a supported object storage service.
Enterprise Backup Providers
Integrates with a supported enterprise backup system to store backup data.
Tape Pools
Stores backup copies on tape through a configured tape pool.
Refer to the chapter for each destination type for its configuration, requirements, and available features.
Configure and Use a Backup Destination
Prepare the storage. Ensure that the required storage, credentials, and network connectivity are available.
Create the backup destination. Select its type and provide the storage location and access settings.
Assign it to a Node Configuration. Ensure that the Nodes using that configuration can access the destination.
Select it in a backup policy. Configure retention for the backup copies stored there.
Verify operation. Run a backup and a test restore to confirm that data can be written and recovered.
Assigning a destination to a Node Configuration makes it available to those Nodes. Selecting it in a policy determines which backups are stored there.
Retention
Retention controls how long backup copies remain on a destination. Configure it in the backup policy under Backup SLAs → Policy → Rule.
Where both backup-count and age limits are configured, a backup becomes eligible for removal when either limit is reached. Retention is configured separately for each destination assigned to the policy.
For details, refer to Backup SLAs → Policy → Rule.
Remove a Backup Destination
Removing a backup destination deletes its configuration from Storware Backup & Recovery, but does not delete the backup data from the underlying storage.
Important: Data left on the storage cannot subsequently be reattached as an existing backup destination. Before removing a destination, ensure that its backup copies are no longer required for recovery through Storware Backup & Recovery.
Pre- and Post-Access Commands
Pre- and post-access scripts automate actions required before and after the Node accesses a backup destination. For example, a pre-access script can prepare and mount a remote volume.
Script
Execution point
Pre-access
Before each access to the backup destination.
Post-access
After the Node finishes a store, restore, or cleanup operation.
Configure the Scripts
Prepare the scripts required for the destination.
Place them on every Node that will access the destination, using consistent paths.
Ensure that the
vprotectuser can access and execute them.Configure the pre- and post-access commands in the backup destination settings.
If a script requires elevated privileges, grant access only to the required command.
Available Environment Variables
Storware Backup & Recovery sets the following variables before executing the scripts. VM-related values depend on the workload and operation being processed.
Variable
Description
VP_VM_GUID
VM identifier in Storware Backup & Recovery.
VP_VM_UUID
VM identifier assigned by the hypervisor or hypervisor manager.
VP_VM_NAME
VM name.
VP_VM_TMP_DIR
Path to the directory containing the workload’s files in staging space.
VP_BD_GUID
Identifier of the backup destination being accessed.
VP_BD_NAME
Name of the backup destination being accessed.
VP_CONTAINER_NAME
Generated storage container name in the format <VM-NAME>__<PART-OF-UUID>, for example Centos 7__8d3ef6f1. The value may contain spaces or special characters.
VP_EXPORT_PATH
Export path from the Node Configuration. It can be used as the mount root for backup destination volumes.
VP_TASK_TYPE
Operation type, such as STORE, RESTORE, DELETE_VM, or OLD_BACKUPS_REMOVAL.
Quote variable values when using them as shell arguments, particularly names and paths that may contain spaces or special characters.
Privileged Script Execution
If a script needs root privileges, configure a dedicated rule under /etc/sudoers.d/. For example:
This rule allows the vprotect user to execute the specified script as root through sudo without a password. The script and its parent directories must be protected from modification by unprivileged users.
Use visudo to create and validate the rule:
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