Check your Backup Files with Veeam Backup Validator

Veeam Backup Validator is an unknown feature that allows checking the consistency of a backup created with Veeam Backup and Replication. You can easily check your backup files with a command line tool located into the installation folder of the software: Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe (path: C:\Program Files\Veeam\Backup and Replication\Backup). This feature is not a SureBackup job! A SureBackup job is an automated task for recovery verification by starting the Virtual Machines from the backup file. The SureBackup job aggregates all settings and policies of the recovery verification task, such as application group and Virtual Lab to be used, VM backups that must be verified in the virtual lab and so on. Veeam Backup Validator is an alternative if a Standard license is used by your Veeam Backup Server or if you don’t have the required resources (compute) to create a Virtual Lab.

Running the command line:

You have to run the .exe file “Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe”, path: C:\Program Files\Veeam\Backup and Replication\Backup.

Note: If the tool is not run, you should execute a terminal console (cmd):

Then, move into Veeam Backup and Replication folder by using this command line: cd “C:\Program Files\Veeam\Backup and Replication\Backup”

Using the command line:

You can use the help menu, command: .\Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /?

Note: Backup file has to be implemented into your Veeam Backup Server otherwise the tool does not work. Basically, you can not check your standalone backup file via the tool.

Then, you can launch the checking process on the target job that you need to verify. I use this command line: .\Veeam.Backup.Validator.exe /backup:”YOUR-JOB-NAME” /report:”D:report.html” /format:html The tool will start checking all the files comprised in the backup file:

Veeam Backup Validator will check the files inside the Virtual Machines (VMX, VMDK etc.). Once the check is complete, the final result will appear (successfully or failed):

If the content of the backup is consistent, at least you will be able to exclude the file as a possible problem, and you can investigate somewhere else. If the result is negative, probably the backup file is corrupted:

Finally, You can automatize the checking of you backup files with Microsoft PowerShell script. It should be useful if you have several Backup Jobs in your Veeam Backup Server.

Add-PsSnapin -Name VeeamPSSnapIn
 
$MailSender = "EMAIL-ADDRESS-FROM"
$MailDestination = "EMAIL-ADDRESS-TO"
$SMTPServer = "SMTP SERVER"
set-location "C:\Program Files\Veeam\Backup and Replication\Backup"
 
#Function:
$jobs = get-vbrbackup
 
foreach ($job in $jobs){
   $jobname = $job.name
   $reportname = $job.metafilename
   $report = "c:\ReportValidation-$reportname-$date.html"
   .\veeam.backup.validator.exe /backup:"$jobname" /format:html /report:"$report"
   send-mailmessage -from "<$MailSender>" -to "<$MailDestination>" -subject "Report Veeam Backup Validator for $jobname" -body "Here is the report about your Backup File checking $jobname " -Attachments "$report" -smtpServer $SMTPServer
}

Thanks to Bilkam for this useful script! Bilkam is the owner of vINCEPTION IT blog!

Download the script: Here

Need to deploy Veeam B&R 9.5 Update1? Follow this guide!

You can learn more about Veeam Backup & Replication 9.5 here.

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