Adding & Replacing Computers in Veeam BDR

Field	Details
Category	Backup & Disaster Recovery
Author	DTC
Date	April 2026
Version	1.0
Audience	T1/T2/T3
Platform	Veeam Backup & Replication 13.x (Enterprise Edition)

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1. Purpose

This SOP covers adding new computers and replacing existing computers in Veeam backup infrastructure. It ensures new endpoints are properly protected and old backup chains are cleaned up to prevent repository storage issues.

What this document covers:

• Adding new workstations to existing BDR
• Adding new servers to existing BDR
• Replacing workstations (includes cleanup)
• Replacing servers (includes cleanup)
• 30-day follow-up ticket for verification

Related Documents:

• Veeam BDR Deployment SOP (page 1096) — Initial BDR deployment
• Veeam Backup and Replication Standards (page 1004) — Configuration standards
• BDR Storage Alerts & Capacity Issues (page 1947) — Storage troubleshooting

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2. Adding New Workstations to Existing BDR

Use this procedure when adding a net-new workstation to a client site (not replacing an existing computer).

Prerequisites

• ☐ Workstation is fully deployed and on the network
• ☐ Workstation can ping the BDR appliance
• ☐ You have BDR admin credentials (IT Glue)
• ☐ Parent "Workstations" backup job has encryption enabled and password is in IT Glue as Veeam Backup Encryption – <Site Abbrev>. If missing, remediate the parent job first (see Veeam Backup and Replication Standards §1 Standard Advanced Job Settings) — adding an endpoint to an unencrypted job will produce unencrypted backups.

Procedure

Step 1: Add to Protection Group

1. RDP to the BDR appliance
2. Open Veeam Backup & Replication Console
3. Navigate to Inventory → Physical Infrastructure
4. Right-click the "Workstations" protection group → Edit Protection Group
5. Click Add → Individual computers
6. Enter the workstation's:
   • Hostname (preferred) or IP address
   • Click Add
7. Click Next → Finish

Step 2: Verify Discovery

8. Wait 5-10 minutes for discovery to complete
9. Navigate to Home → Jobs → Backup Job → Workstations
10. Right-click → Properties → Computers tab
11. Verify the new workstation appears in the list

Step 3: Test Backup

12. Right-click the Workstations job → Start
13. Monitor the job to ensure the new workstation is backed up successfully
14. Verify restore points appear under Home → Backups → Disk

Step 4: Document

15. Update the HALO ticket:

• Workstation name added to Veeam protection group
• First backup completed successfully
• Restore points visible in Veeam console

Expected Outcome

• Workstation appears in protection group within 10 minutes
• First backup completes successfully (may take 30-120 minutes depending on data size)
• Restore points visible in Veeam console under Home → Backups → Disk

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3. Adding New Servers to Existing BDR

Use this procedure when adding a new VM to an existing Hyper-V host that is already backed up by Veeam.

Prerequisites

• ☐ VM is created on the Hyper-V host
• ☐ VM is powered on and accessible
• ☐ Hyper-V host is already a managed server in Veeam
• ☐ Parent "[Site] Hyper-V" backup job has encryption enabled and password is in IT Glue as Veeam Backup Encryption – <Site Abbrev>. If missing, remediate the parent job first (see Veeam Backup and Replication Standards §1 Standard Advanced Job Settings) — adding a VM to an unencrypted host-level job will produce unencrypted backups.

Procedure

Step 1: Rescan Hyper-V Host

1. RDP to the BDR appliance
2. Open Veeam Backup & Replication Console
3. Navigate to Backup Infrastructure → Managed Servers
4. Right-click the Hyper-V host → Rescan
5. Wait for rescan to complete (30-60 seconds)

Step 2: Verify VM Detection

6. Navigate to Inventory → Virtual Infrastructure → Microsoft Hyper-V
7. Expand the Hyper-V host
8. Verify the new VM appears in the list

Step 3: Verify Backup Job Includes New VM

Since DTC standard is to back up at the host level (not individual VMs), the new VM is automatically included in the existing backup job. Verify:

9. Navigate to Home → Jobs → Backup Job → [Site] Hyper-V
10. Right-click → Properties → Virtual Machines tab
11. Verify the Hyper-V host is selected (not individual VMs)
12. This ensures all VMs on the host are backed up automatically

Step 4: Verify First Backup

The next scheduled backup (every 1 hour) will automatically include the new VM. You can verify or manually trigger:

13. Right-click the backup job → Start
14. Monitor job progress
15. Verify new VM is included in processed VMs
16. Check restore points under Home → Backups → Disk

Step 5: Document

17. Update the HALO ticket:

• New VM detected on Hyper-V host
• Included in existing backup job
• First backup completed successfully

Expected Outcome

• New VM automatically included in next backup cycle (within 1 hour)
• Restore points visible in Veeam console
• No manual job configuration needed (host-level backup)

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4. Replacing Workstations (With Cleanup)

Use this procedure when replacing an existing workstation with a new computer. This ensures the new computer is backed up AND the old backup data is cleaned up.

Prerequisites

• ☐ New workstation is deployed and on the network
• ☐ Old workstation is decommissioned (powered off or removed from site)
• ☐ You have BDR admin credentials (IT Glue)

Procedure

Part A: Add New Workstation

1. Follow Section 2: Adding New Workstations to add the replacement computer to the protection group
2. Verify first backup completes successfully
3. Do not proceed to cleanup until new computer is successfully backing up

Part B: Create 30-Day Follow-Up Ticket

⚠️ CRITICAL: Do not delete old backup data immediately. Create a follow-up ticket to allow for data recovery window.

4. Open HALO PSA
5. Create new ticket:
   • Client: [Client Name]
   • Summary: "Veeam Cleanup - Remove backup data for [OLD COMPUTER NAME]"
   • Description:

     Old computer [OLD COMPUTER NAME] was replaced on [DATE] with [NEW COMPUTER NAME].
     
     Task: Remove old backup chain from Veeam BDR to free repository space.
     
     Procedure:
     1. RDP to BDR: [BDR IP or hostname]
     2. Open Veeam Backup & Replication Console
     3. Navigate to Home → Backups → Disk
     4. Expand backup job, locate [OLD COMPUTER NAME]
     5. Right-click → Remove from backup → Delete from disk
     6. Verify storage space freed (check repository capacity)
     7. Update ticket and close
     
     Old Computer: [OLD COMPUTER NAME]
     New Computer: [NEW COMPUTER NAME]
     Replaced On: [DATE]
     

   • Scheduled Date: 30 days from replacement date
   • Assign to: T2 (or your name if you want to handle it)
   • Priority: Low
6. Link this cleanup ticket to the original workstation replacement ticket

Part C: Document Current Work

7. Update the original HALO ticket:
   • New workstation added to protection group
   • First backup completed successfully
   • Created follow-up ticket [TICKET NUMBER] for cleanup in 30 days
   • Old computer: [NAME]
   • New computer: [NAME]

Expected Outcome

• New workstation backing up successfully
• Follow-up ticket created for 30-day cleanup
• Old backup data preserved for recovery window

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5. Replacing Servers (With Cleanup)

Use this procedure when replacing a server VM on a Hyper-V host. Since DTC backs up at the host level, the new VM is automatically included, but cleanup still requires attention.

Prerequisites

• ☐ New server VM is created and configured on Hyper-V host
• ☐ Old server VM is shut down or deleted from Hyper-V
• ☐ You have BDR admin credentials (IT Glue)

Procedure

Part A: Add New Server

1. Follow Section 3: Adding New Servers to ensure the new VM is detected and backed up
2. Verify first backup includes the new VM
3. Do not delete old VM backup data until new VM is successfully backing up

Part B: Create 30-Day Follow-Up Ticket

⚠️ CRITICAL: Do not delete old server backup data immediately. Allow recovery window for data restoration if needed.

4. Open HALO PSA
5. Create new ticket:
   • Client: [Client Name]
   • Summary: "Veeam Cleanup - Remove backup data for [OLD SERVER NAME]"
   • Description:

     Old server [OLD SERVER NAME] was replaced on [DATE] with [NEW SERVER NAME].
     
     Task: Remove old backup chain from Veeam BDR to free repository space.
     
     Procedure:
     1. RDP to BDR: [BDR IP or hostname]
     2. Open Veeam Backup & Replication Console
     3. Navigate to Home → Backups → Disk
     4. Expand backup job, locate [OLD SERVER NAME]
     5. Right-click → Remove from backup → Delete from disk
     6. Verify storage space freed (check repository capacity)
     7. If replication was configured: Check replication job and remove old replica
     8. Update ticket and close
     
     Old Server: [OLD SERVER NAME]
     New Server: [NEW SERVER NAME]
     Replaced On: [DATE]
     

   • Scheduled Date: 30 days from replacement date
   • Assign to: T2/T3
   • Priority: Low
6. Link this cleanup ticket to the original server replacement/migration ticket

Part C: Document Current Work

7. Update the original HALO ticket:
   • New server VM detected and included in backup job
   • First backup completed successfully
   • Created follow-up ticket [TICKET NUMBER] for cleanup in 30 days
   • Old server: [NAME]
   • New server: [NAME]

Expected Outcome

• New server VM backing up successfully (within 1 hour)
• Follow-up ticket created for 30-day cleanup
• Old backup data preserved for recovery window

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6. 30-Day Cleanup Procedure

Use this procedure when you receive the 30-day follow-up cleanup ticket.

Prerequisites

• ☐ 30+ days have passed since replacement
• ☐ New computer/server is backing up successfully (verify in VEEAM console)
• ☐ No open issues or data recovery requests for the old computer

Procedure

Step 1: Verify Replacement is Healthy

1. RDP to the BDR appliance
2. Open Veeam Backup & Replication Console
3. Navigate to Home → Jobs → verify the backup job for this site shows green/successful
4. Navigate to Home → Backups → Disk
5. Expand the backup job
6. Verify the NEW computer/server has recent restore points (within last 24 hours)

Step 2: Identify Old Backup Chain (Local Repository)

7. In the same Backups → Disk view
8. Locate the OLD computer/server name
9. Review restore point count and last backup date
10. Common indicators of orphaned backup:

• Last backup date: 30+ days ago
• Workstation with 100+ restore points (normal is 15-20)
• Server with 500-1000+ restore points (normal is 200-400)

Step 3: Remove Old Backup Data from Local Repository

⚠️ CRITICAL: Verify you are selecting the OLD computer, not the new one.

11. Right-click the OLD computer/server → Remove from backup
12. Select Delete from disk (this removes the backup files and frees space)
13. Click Yes to confirm
14. Wait for deletion to complete (may take 5-15 minutes depending on data size)

Step 4: Check Object Storage Repository (S3/Cloud)

⚠️ NEW STEP: Old backup data may also exist in object storage repositories.

15. Navigate to Backup Infrastructure → Backup Repositories
16. Look for Object Storage repositories (e.g., "S3-[SiteAbbrev]", Backblaze B2, Azure Blob)
17. Right-click the object storage repository → Browse Repository
18. OR navigate to Home → Backups → Object Storage
19. Expand the backup copy job
20. Look for the OLD computer/server name
21. If found: Right-click → Remove from backup → Delete from disk
22. Confirm deletion

Why this matters: Object storage cleanup frees ongoing cloud storage costs and prevents accumulation of obsolete backup chains in offsite repositories.

Step 5: Verify Storage Freed

23. Navigate to Backup Infrastructure → Backup Repositories
24. Check local repository capacity — verify free space has increased
25. Check object storage repository capacity (if applicable)
26. If a storage alert was active, verify it has cleared

Step 6: Check Replication (Servers Only)

If the old server had cross-site replication configured:

27. Navigate to Home → Replicas
28. Locate any replicas for the old server name
29. Right-click → Remove from replication
30. Select Delete from disk
31. Verify on the remote Hyper-V host that the replica VM is deleted

Step 7: Document and Close

32. Update the HALO ticket:

• Old backup chain removed from local BDR repository
• Old backup chain removed from object storage repository (if applicable)
• Storage space freed: [XX GB/TB] (approximate)
• Local repository capacity now: [XX%]
• Object storage cleaned: [Yes/No]
• New computer/server continues to back up successfully

33. Close the ticket

Expected Outcome

• Old backup data deleted from both local and object storage repositories
• Repository storage capacity increased (local and cloud)
• Cloud storage costs reduced (if object storage was used)
• New computer/server continues backing up normally
• No impact to production systems

7. Troubleshooting

New Computer Not Appearing in Protection Group

Symptoms: Added computer to protection group but it doesn't show up in the backup job.

Fixes:

1. Wait 10-15 minutes for discovery to complete
2. Check network connectivity: ping [workstation] from BDR
3. Verify Veeam Agent service is running on the workstation:

   Get-Service VeeamBackupSvc
   

4. If service is missing, agent may need to be deployed — escalate to T2
5. Check protection group discovery schedule — may need to trigger manual discovery

Old Backup Chain Still Visible After 30+ Days

Symptoms: Computer was replaced 30+ days ago but old backup chain still consuming space.

Root Cause: Cleanup ticket was not created or was missed.

Fix:

1. Verify replacement computer is backing up successfully
2. Follow Section 6: 30-Day Cleanup Procedure to remove old data
3. Create process reminder: Always create cleanup ticket when replacing computers

Storage Alert After Adding New Computer

Symptoms: BDR repository shows low space warning after adding new workstation.

Diagnosis:

1. Navigate to Home → Backups → Disk
2. Review restore point counts for all machines
3. Look for orphaned backup chains (high restore point counts, old last backup dates)

Fix:

1. Identify obsolete backup chains per BDR Storage Alerts & Capacity Issues (page 1947)
2. Create cleanup tickets for verified decommissioned systems
3. Remove old backup data to free space

Cannot Delete Old Backup Chain - "In Use"

Symptoms: Veeam returns error "Cannot delete backup chain - file is in use" or "Active sessions exist."

Fixes:

1. Verify no active backup or restore jobs are running
2. Check for merge operations: Home → Jobs → Background Jobs
3. Wait for background merge to complete (can take hours for large backups)
4. If stuck for 24+ hours, restart Veeam Backup Service:

   Restart-Service VeeamBackupSvc
   

5. Retry deletion after service restart

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8. Best Practices

Replacement Workflow Checklist

When replacing any computer or server:

1. ☐ Deploy new system and verify it's online
2. ☐ Add to Veeam (protection group for workstations, rescan for servers)
3. ☐ Verify first backup completes successfully
4. ☐ Create 30-day cleanup ticket in HALO (do not skip this step)
5. ☐ Document old/new computer names and replacement date in ticket
6. ☐ Link tickets (original replacement ticket + cleanup ticket)
7. ☐ Schedule cleanup ticket for exactly 30 days out

Why 30 Days?

The 30-day window serves several critical purposes:

• Data recovery: Allows time to recover any missed data from old system
• Verification period: Ensures new system is stable and backing up correctly
• User requests: Time for users to request files from old computer
• Compliance: Meets retention requirements for replaced systems

Do NOT delete backup data immediately — the 30-day window is not optional.

Storage Capacity Planning

Monitor BDR repository capacity regularly:

• >20% free: Healthy
• 10-20% free: Warning — review for cleanup opportunities
• <10% free: Critical — immediate action required

Create cleanup tickets proactively when:

• Multiple computers replaced in same month
• Large server migrations
• Repository capacity trending toward 20%

Documentation Standards

Every replacement ticket should include:

• Old Computer/Server Name: Exact name as shown in Veeam
• New Computer/Server Name: Exact name as shown in Veeam
• Replacement Date: Date the new system went into production
• Follow-up Ticket Number: Link to 30-day cleanup ticket
• Backup Verification: Confirmation that new system is backing up

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9. Quick Reference

Adding New Workstation

1. Veeam Console → Inventory → Physical Infrastructure → Edit "Workstations" protection group
2. Add → Individual computers → Enter hostname
3. Verify in backup job after 10 minutes
4. Test backup → Monitor completion

Adding New Server

1. Veeam Console → Backup Infrastructure → Managed Servers → Rescan host
2. Verify VM appears in Inventory → Virtual Infrastructure
3. Next backup cycle (1 hour) automatically includes new VM
4. Verify restore points appear

Replacing Computer (Quick Checklist)

1. Add new computer to Veeam (Section 2 or 3)
2. Verify first backup successful
3. Create 30-day cleanup ticket (CRITICAL - do not skip)
4. Document old/new names in tickets
5. Link tickets together
6. Old backup data stays until cleanup ticket is executed

30-Day Cleanup

1. Verify new computer backing up successfully
2. Home → Backups → Disk → Locate old computer
3. Right-click → Remove from backup → Delete from disk
4. Verify storage freed
5. Document and close ticket

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10. HALO Ticket Templates

Template: 30-Day Cleanup Ticket (Workstation)

Summary: Veeam Cleanup - Remove backup data for [OLD WORKSTATION NAME]

Description:

Old workstation [OLD WORKSTATION NAME] was replaced on [DATE] with [NEW WORKSTATION NAME].

Task: Remove old backup chain from Veeam BDR to free repository space.

Procedure:
1. RDP to BDR: [BDR IP or hostname]
2. Open Veeam Backup & Replication Console
3. Navigate to Home → Backups → Disk
4. Expand backup job "Workstations"
5. Locate [OLD WORKSTATION NAME]
6. Right-click → Remove from backup → Delete from disk
7. Navigate to Home → Backups → Object Storage (or Backup Infrastructure → Object Storage repos)
8. Check for [OLD WORKSTATION NAME] in S3/cloud backup copy jobs
9. If found: Right-click → Remove from backup → Delete from disk
10. Verify storage space freed (Backup Infrastructure → Backup Repositories - check both local and object storage)
11. Update ticket and close

Old Workstation: [OLD WORKSTATION NAME]
New Workstation: [NEW WORKSTATION NAME]
Replaced On: [DATE]
Original Ticket: [LINK TO REPLACEMENT TICKET]

Scheduled Date: [30 days from replacement]
Assign to: T2
Priority: Low

Template: 30-Day Cleanup Ticket (Server)

Summary: Veeam Cleanup - Remove backup data for [OLD SERVER NAME]

Description:

Old server [OLD SERVER NAME] was replaced on [DATE] with [NEW SERVER NAME].

Task: Remove old backup chain from Veeam BDR to free repository space.

Procedure:
1. RDP to BDR: [BDR IP or hostname]
2. Open Veeam Backup & Replication Console
3. Navigate to Home → Backups → Disk
4. Expand backup job "[Site] Hyper-V"
5. Locate [OLD SERVER NAME]
6. Right-click → Remove from backup → Delete from disk
7. Navigate to Home → Backups → Object Storage (or Backup Infrastructure → Object Storage repos)
8. Check for [OLD SERVER NAME] in S3/cloud backup copy jobs
9. If found: Right-click → Remove from backup → Delete from disk
10. Check for replication: Home → Replicas → Remove old replica if exists
11. Verify storage space freed (Backup Infrastructure → Backup Repositories - check both local and object storage)
12. Update ticket and close

Old Server: [OLD SERVER NAME]
New Server: [NEW SERVER NAME]
Replaced On: [DATE]
Original Ticket: [LINK TO REPLACEMENT TICKET]

Scheduled Date: [30 days from replacement]
Assign to: T2/T3
Priority: Low

11. Document Control

Version	Date	Author	Changes
1.0	April 2026	DTC	Initial release. Covers adding new workstations/servers to existing BDR, replacing computers with 30-day cleanup workflow, cleanup procedures, troubleshooting, and HALO ticket templates for follow-up.
1.1	April 2026	Scott Leister	Critical addition: Updated 30-day cleanup procedure to include checking Object Storage repositories (S3/cloud) for old backup data. Old computers may have backup chains in both local and object storage - both must be cleaned to free space and reduce cloud storage costs. Updated ticket templates accordingly.