For Application-Aware Backups, Synthetic Full Backups Are Converted Automatically to Full Backups

For VM groups (subclients) that are configured for application-aware backups, synthetic full backups are converted automatically to full backups.

Symptoms

For VM groups (subclients) that are configured for application-aware backups, synthetic full backups are converted automatically to full backups.

Causes

For VM groups or subclients that are configured for application-aware backups, you can only perform full or incremental backups. Synthetic full backups are not supported. If you request a synthetic full backup, either directly or using a schedule, Commvault automatically converts the backup to a full backup. This change ensures that data aging and pruning are handled consistently for the Virtual Server Agent backup job and for the associated application backups. For hypervisors that use Indexing Version 1, this change was made in Service Pack 18 and more recent feature releases. For hypervisors that use Indexing Version 2 for VM-centric operations, this change was made in Feature Release 21 and more recent feature releases.

Resolution

If synthetic full backups are launched from a backup schedule that is part of the server plan or storage policy that is used by a VM group or subclient, create a new server plan or storage policy that includes only full or incremental backups and assign the plan or storage policy to VM groups or subclients that are configured for application-aware backups.