Synthetic Full Backups

A synthetic full backup is created by consolidating existing incremental or differential backups with the previous full backup image. This is sometimes called an 'Incremental Forever Backup'. Unlike traditional full backups, synthetic full backups are not transferred from the local server to the offsite server. Instead, after the first full backup is transferred, only the incremental or differential files are transferred to the offsite server. A synthetic backup component on the offsite server recreates the next full synthetic backup in parallel with the local server. This eliminates the need to transfer full backups between the local server and offsite server. With synthetic full backups, bandwidth requirements for transferring full backups are eliminated, but the offsite server's access to its own file server may need to be enhanced to handle the processing of its synthetic full backups.

If synthetic full backups are being used on a KBU managed machine and the Image Location or Offsite Servers' local directory is a UNC path, such as \\server\share, then Copy the Files Locally First is enabled by default instead of Access the Network Directly. To use this robust consolidation option effectively, appropriate hard disk space is required on the managed machine. For more information, see the Kaseya knowledge base.

Configuring synthetic full backups involves the following steps:

These first three steps apply to ANY Offsite Server.

1. Install an agent on a local server. Typically the backup image locations of machine IDs being backed up point to the local server.

   Note: You do not have to install the backup client to either a local server or an offsite server.

2. Install an agent on the offsite server.
3. Define a machine ID as an offsite server using Backup > Offsite Servers.

   These steps apply to Offsite Servers using Synthetic Full Backups.

4. Click the Schedule Install hyperlink on the Backup > Offsite Servers page for the machine ID you want to schedule synthetic support on. A dialog box displays. Schedule the installation of synthetic support components to the offsite server.
5. When using Backup > Schedule Volumes or Schedule Folders to create backups for machine IDs, ensure the Synthetic Full checkbox is checked. These are machine IDs that store backups on local servers that transfer backups to the offsite server you defined above.
6. Check the progress of scheduled synthetic backups using the Backup Status page. The Offsite Server Status and Local Server Status sections on this page display a Synthetic Backups Queued column. The columns displays counts for each machine ID with synthetic backups scheduled. Click the link to display a window showing the queue status of each synthetic full backup.

Hidden Preferences

Alt+clicking the Synthetic Full backup icon in the header panel of Schedule Volumes or Schedule Folders displays four tabs of preferences that can be applied individually to each machine.

• Synthetic Full
  • Retry Counts - Sets the retry count options for synthetic full backups.
  • Consolidation - If synthetic full backups are being used on a KBU managed machine and the Image Location or Offsite Servers' local directory is a UNC path, such as \\server\share, then Copy the Files Locally First is enabled by default instead of Access the Network Directly. To use this robust consolidation option effectively, appropriate hard disk space is required on the managed machine. See the Kaseya knowledge base for more information.
• Installer - Sets the maximum number of concurrent downloads.
• Offsite Replication - Selects the verification method used to check offsite data integrity.
• Diagnostics - Runs AcronisInfo on selected machines. AcronisInfo is a utility that automatically gathers User Rights Assignment list, Windows Event Log, Msinfo32, Acronis registry keys, Acronis logs, Acronis Scheduler report, Acronis Disks Report and list of user’s Active Directory groups. This information is placed inside a AcronisInfo.zip file. The AcronisInfo.zip file can then be downloaded from a link that displays in the Acronis Link Info column of selected machines.

  Note: Creating the AcronisInfo.zip file displays progress bars and other programs on the user's desktop momentarily. You may wish to get the user's approval before running this process.