Improved techniques for managing backups of data objects involve specifying a policy for generating complete versions of a data object at a destination data storage system (destination) from differential backups of the data object previously received. The complete versions are independent of the previous differential backups and any complete versions of the data object that preceded them. A backup policy specifies when such a complete version is to be generated. Along these lines, a destination receives differential backups of a data object stored on a source. The destination may store these differential backups at the destination. However, according to the backup policy that specifies that a complete version of a data object is generated after the destination receives a certain number of differential backups, the destination creates a complete copy of the data of the data object at new storage locations at the destination distinct from previous storage locations.