diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b22b8c0..e3f0626 100755
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -378,6 +378,111 @@ Restore entire PostgreSQL cluster from archive:
 ./dbbackup restore cluster ARCHIVE_FILE [OPTIONS]
 ```
 
+### Verification & Maintenance
+
+#### Verify Backup Integrity
+
+Verify backup files using SHA-256 checksums and metadata validation:
+
+```bash
+./dbbackup verify-backup BACKUP_FILE [OPTIONS]
+```
+
+**Options:**
+
+- `--quick` - Quick verification (size check only, no checksum calculation)
+- `--verbose` - Show detailed information about each backup
+
+**Examples:**
+
+```bash
+# Verify single backup (full SHA-256 check)
+./dbbackup verify-backup /backups/mydb_20251125.dump
+
+# Verify all backups in directory
+./dbbackup verify-backup /backups/*.dump --verbose
+
+# Quick verification (fast, size check only)
+./dbbackup verify-backup /backups/*.dump --quick
+```
+
+**Output:**
+```
+Verifying 3 backup file(s)...
+
+📁 mydb_20251125.dump
+   ✅ VALID
+   Size: 2.5 GiB
+   SHA-256: 7e166d4cb7276e1310d76922f45eda0333a6aeac...
+   Database: mydb (postgresql)
+   Created: 2025-11-25T19:00:00Z
+
+──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+Total: 3 backups
+✅ Valid: 3
+```
+
+#### Cleanup Old Backups
+
+Automatically remove old backups based on retention policy:
+
+```bash
+./dbbackup cleanup BACKUP_DIRECTORY [OPTIONS]
+```
+
+**Options:**
+
+- `--retention-days INT` - Delete backups older than N days (default: 30)
+- `--min-backups INT` - Always keep at least N most recent backups (default: 5)
+- `--dry-run` - Preview what would be deleted without actually deleting
+- `--pattern STRING` - Only clean backups matching pattern (e.g., "mydb_*.dump")
+
+**Retention Policy:**
+
+The cleanup command uses a safe retention policy:
+1. Backups older than `--retention-days` are eligible for deletion
+2. At least `--min-backups` most recent backups are always kept
+3. Both conditions must be met for a backup to be deleted
+
+**Examples:**
+
+```bash
+# Clean up backups older than 30 days (keep at least 5)
+./dbbackup cleanup /backups --retention-days 30 --min-backups 5
+
+# Preview what would be deleted
+./dbbackup cleanup /backups --retention-days 7 --dry-run
+
+# Clean specific database backups
+./dbbackup cleanup /backups --pattern "mydb_*.dump"
+
+# Aggressive cleanup (keep only 3 most recent)
+./dbbackup cleanup /backups --retention-days 1 --min-backups 3
+```
+
+**Output:**
+```
+🗑️  Cleanup Policy:
+   Directory: /backups
+   Retention: 30 days
+   Min backups: 5
+
+📊 Results:
+   Total backups: 12
+   Eligible for deletion: 7
+
+✅ Deleted 7 backup(s):
+   - old_db_20251001.dump
+   - old_db_20251002.dump
+   ...
+
+📦 Kept 5 backup(s)
+
+💾 Space freed: 15.2 GiB
+──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+✅ Cleanup completed successfully
+```
+
 **Options:**
 
 - `--confirm` - Confirm and execute restore (required for safety)
diff --git a/ROADMAP.md b/ROADMAP.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..905f4f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ROADMAP.md
@@ -0,0 +1,523 @@
+# dbbackup Version 2.0 Roadmap
+
+## Current Status: v1.1 (Production Ready)
+- ✅ 24/24 automated tests passing (100%)
+- ✅ PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB support
+- ✅ Interactive TUI + CLI
+- ✅ Cluster backup/restore
+- ✅ Docker support
+- ✅ Cross-platform binaries
+
+---
+
+## Version 2.0 Vision: Enterprise-Grade Features
+
+Transform dbbackup into an enterprise-ready backup solution with cloud storage, incremental backups, PITR, and encryption.
+
+**Target Release:** Q2 2026 (3-4 months)
+
+---
+
+## Priority Matrix
+
+```
+                    HIGH IMPACT
+                         │
+    ┌────────────────────┼────────────────────┐
+    │                    │                    │
+    │  Cloud Storage ⭐  │ Incremental ⭐⭐⭐ │
+    │  Verification      │ PITR ⭐⭐⭐       │
+    │  Retention         │ Encryption ⭐⭐   │
+LOW │                    │                    │ HIGH
+EFFORT ─────────────────┼──────────────────── EFFORT
+    │                    │                    │
+    │  Metrics           │ Web UI (optional)  │
+    │  Remote Restore    │ Replication Slots  │
+    │                    │                    │
+    └────────────────────┼────────────────────┘
+                         │
+                    LOW IMPACT
+```
+
+---
+
+## Development Phases
+
+### Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-4)
+
+**Sprint 1: Verification & Retention (2 weeks)**
+
+**Goals:**
+- Backup integrity verification with SHA-256 checksums
+- Automated retention policy enforcement
+- Structured backup metadata
+
+**Features:**
+- ✅ Generate SHA-256 checksums during backup
+- ✅ Verify backups before/after restore
+- ✅ Automatic cleanup of old backups
+- ✅ Retention policy: days + minimum count
+- ✅ Backup metadata in JSON format
+
+**Deliverables:**
+```bash
+# New commands
+dbbackup verify backup.dump
+dbbackup cleanup --retention-days 30 --min-backups 5
+
+# Metadata format
+{
+  "version": "2.0",
+  "timestamp": "2026-01-15T10:30:00Z",
+  "database": "production",
+  "size_bytes": 1073741824,
+  "sha256": "abc123...",
+  "db_version": "PostgreSQL 15.3",
+  "compression": "gzip-9"
+}
+```
+
+**Implementation:**
+- `internal/verification/` - Checksum calculation and validation
+- `internal/retention/` - Policy enforcement
+- `internal/metadata/` - Backup metadata management
+
+---
+
+**Sprint 2: Cloud Storage (2 weeks)**
+
+**Goals:**
+- Upload backups to cloud storage
+- Support multiple cloud providers
+- Download and restore from cloud
+
+**Providers:**
+- ✅ AWS S3
+- ✅ MinIO (S3-compatible)
+- ✅ Backblaze B2
+- ✅ Azure Blob Storage (optional)
+- ✅ Google Cloud Storage (optional)
+
+**Configuration:**
+```toml
+[cloud]
+enabled = true
+provider = "s3"  # s3, minio, azure, gcs, b2
+auto_upload = true
+
+[cloud.s3]
+bucket = "db-backups"
+region = "us-east-1"
+endpoint = "s3.amazonaws.com"  # Custom for MinIO
+access_key = "..."  # Or use IAM role
+secret_key = "..."
+```
+
+**New Commands:**
+```bash
+# Upload existing backup
+dbbackup cloud upload backup.dump
+
+# List cloud backups
+dbbackup cloud list
+
+# Download from cloud
+dbbackup cloud download backup_id
+
+# Restore directly from cloud
+dbbackup restore single s3://bucket/backup.dump --target mydb
+```
+
+**Dependencies:**
+```go
+"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go-v2/service/s3"
+"github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-go/sdk/storage/azblob"
+"cloud.google.com/go/storage"
+```
+
+---
+
+### Phase 2: Advanced Backup (Weeks 5-10)
+
+**Sprint 3: Incremental Backups (3 weeks)**
+
+**Goals:**
+- Reduce backup time and storage
+- File-level incremental for PostgreSQL
+- Binary log incremental for MySQL
+
+**PostgreSQL Strategy:**
+```
+Full Backup (Base)
+    ├─ Incremental 1 (changed files since base)
+    ├─ Incremental 2 (changed files since inc1)
+    └─ Incremental 3 (changed files since inc2)
+```
+
+**MySQL Strategy:**
+```
+Full Backup
+    ├─ Binary Log 1 (changes since full)
+    ├─ Binary Log 2
+    └─ Binary Log 3
+```
+
+**Implementation:**
+```bash
+# Create base backup
+dbbackup backup single mydb --mode full
+
+# Create incremental
+dbbackup backup single mydb --mode incremental
+
+# Restore (automatically applies incrementals)
+dbbackup restore single backup.dump --apply-incrementals
+```
+
+**File Structure:**
+```
+backups/
+├── mydb_full_20260115.dump
+├── mydb_full_20260115.meta
+├── mydb_incr_20260116.dump      # Contains only changes
+├── mydb_incr_20260116.meta      # Points to base: mydb_full_20260115
+└── mydb_incr_20260117.dump
+```
+
+---
+
+**Sprint 4: Security & Encryption (2 weeks)**
+
+**Goals:**
+- Encrypt backups at rest
+- Secure key management
+- Encrypted cloud uploads
+
+**Features:**
+- ✅ AES-256-GCM encryption
+- ✅ Argon2 key derivation
+- ✅ Multiple key sources (file, env, vault)
+- ✅ Encrypted metadata
+
+**Configuration:**
+```toml
+[encryption]
+enabled = true
+algorithm = "aes-256-gcm"
+key_file = "/etc/dbbackup/encryption.key"
+
+# Or use environment variable
+# DBBACKUP_ENCRYPTION_KEY=base64key...
+```
+
+**Commands:**
+```bash
+# Generate encryption key
+dbbackup keys generate
+
+# Encrypt existing backup
+dbbackup encrypt backup.dump
+
+# Decrypt backup
+dbbackup decrypt backup.dump.enc
+
+# Automatic encryption
+dbbackup backup single mydb --encrypt
+```
+
+**File Format:**
+```
++------------------+
+| Encryption Header|  (IV, algorithm, key ID)
++------------------+
+| Encrypted Data   |  (AES-256-GCM)
++------------------+
+| Auth Tag         |  (HMAC for integrity)
++------------------+
+```
+
+---
+
+**Sprint 5: Point-in-Time Recovery - PITR (4 weeks)**
+
+**Goals:**
+- Restore to any point in time
+- WAL archiving for PostgreSQL
+- Binary log archiving for MySQL
+
+**PostgreSQL Implementation:**
+
+```toml
+[pitr]
+enabled = true
+wal_archive_dir = "/backups/wal_archive"
+wal_retention_days = 7
+
+# PostgreSQL config (auto-configured by dbbackup)
+# archive_mode = on
+# archive_command = '/usr/local/bin/dbbackup archive-wal %p %f'
+```
+
+**Commands:**
+```bash
+# Enable PITR
+dbbackup pitr enable
+
+# Archive WAL manually
+dbbackup archive-wal /var/lib/postgresql/pg_wal/000000010000000000000001
+
+# Restore to point-in-time
+dbbackup restore single backup.dump \
+  --target-time "2026-01-15 14:30:00" \
+  --target mydb
+
+# Show available restore points
+dbbackup pitr timeline
+```
+
+**WAL Archive Structure:**
+```
+wal_archive/
+├── 000000010000000000000001
+├── 000000010000000000000002
+├── 000000010000000000000003
+└── timeline.json
+```
+
+**MySQL Implementation:**
+```bash
+# Archive binary logs
+dbbackup binlog archive --start-datetime "2026-01-15 00:00:00"
+
+# PITR restore
+dbbackup restore single backup.sql \
+  --target-time "2026-01-15 14:30:00" \
+  --apply-binlogs
+```
+
+---
+
+### Phase 3: Enterprise Features (Weeks 11-16)
+
+**Sprint 6: Observability & Integration (3 weeks)**
+
+**Features:**
+
+1. **Prometheus Metrics**
+```go
+# Exposed metrics
+dbbackup_backup_duration_seconds
+dbbackup_backup_size_bytes
+dbbackup_backup_success_total
+dbbackup_restore_duration_seconds
+dbbackup_last_backup_timestamp
+dbbackup_cloud_upload_duration_seconds
+```
+
+**Endpoint:**
+```bash
+# Start metrics server
+dbbackup metrics serve --port 9090
+
+# Scrape endpoint
+curl http://localhost:9090/metrics
+```
+
+2. **Remote Restore**
+```bash
+# Restore to remote server
+dbbackup restore single backup.dump \
+  --remote-host db-replica-01 \
+  --remote-user postgres \
+  --remote-port 22 \
+  --confirm
+```
+
+3. **Replication Slots (PostgreSQL)**
+```bash
+# Create replication slot for continuous WAL streaming
+dbbackup replication create-slot backup_slot
+
+# Stream WALs via replication
+dbbackup replication stream backup_slot
+```
+
+4. **Webhook Notifications**
+```toml
+[notifications]
+enabled = true
+webhook_url = "https://slack.com/webhook/..."
+notify_on = ["backup_complete", "backup_failed", "restore_complete"]
+```
+
+---
+
+## Technical Architecture
+
+### New Directory Structure
+
+```
+internal/
+├── cloud/              # Cloud storage backends
+│   ├── interface.go
+│   ├── s3.go
+│   ├── azure.go
+│   └── gcs.go
+├── encryption/         # Encryption layer
+│   ├── aes.go
+│   ├── keys.go
+│   └── vault.go
+├── incremental/        # Incremental backup engine
+│   ├── postgres.go
+│   └── mysql.go
+├── pitr/              # Point-in-time recovery
+│   ├── wal.go
+│   ├── binlog.go
+│   └── timeline.go
+├── verification/      # Backup verification
+│   ├── checksum.go
+│   └── validate.go
+├── retention/         # Retention policy
+│   └── cleanup.go
+├── metrics/           # Prometheus metrics
+│   └── exporter.go
+└── replication/       # Replication management
+    └── slots.go
+```
+
+### Required Dependencies
+
+```go
+// Cloud storage
+"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go-v2/service/s3"
+"github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-go/sdk/storage/azblob"
+"cloud.google.com/go/storage"
+
+// Encryption
+"crypto/aes"
+"crypto/cipher"
+"golang.org/x/crypto/argon2"
+
+// Metrics
+"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
+"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus/promhttp"
+
+// PostgreSQL replication
+"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgconn"
+
+// Fast file scanning for incrementals
+"github.com/karrick/godirwalk"
+```
+
+---
+
+## Testing Strategy
+
+### v2.0 Test Coverage Goals
+- Minimum 90% code coverage
+- Integration tests for all cloud providers
+- End-to-end PITR scenarios
+- Performance benchmarks for incremental backups
+- Encryption/decryption validation
+- Multi-database restore tests
+
+### New Test Suites
+```bash
+# Cloud storage tests
+./run_qa_tests.sh --suite cloud
+
+# Incremental backup tests
+./run_qa_tests.sh --suite incremental
+
+# PITR tests
+./run_qa_tests.sh --suite pitr
+
+# Encryption tests
+./run_qa_tests.sh --suite encryption
+
+# Full v2.0 suite
+./run_qa_tests.sh --suite v2
+```
+
+---
+
+## Migration Path
+
+### v1.x → v2.0 Compatibility
+- ✅ All v1.x backups readable in v2.0
+- ✅ Configuration auto-migration
+- ✅ Metadata format upgrade
+- ✅ Backward-compatible commands
+
+### Deprecation Timeline
+- v2.0: Warning for old config format
+- v2.1: Full migration required
+- v3.0: Old format no longer supported
+
+---
+
+## Documentation Updates
+
+### New Docs
+- `CLOUD.md` - Cloud storage configuration
+- `INCREMENTAL.md` - Incremental backup guide
+- `PITR.md` - Point-in-time recovery
+- `ENCRYPTION.md` - Encryption setup
+- `METRICS.md` - Prometheus integration
+
+---
+
+## Success Metrics
+
+### v2.0 Goals
+- 🎯 95%+ test coverage
+- 🎯 Support 1TB+ databases with incrementals
+- 🎯 PITR with <5 minute granularity
+- 🎯 Cloud upload/download >100MB/s
+- 🎯 Encryption overhead <10%
+- 🎯 Full compatibility with pgBackRest for PostgreSQL
+- 🎯 Industry-leading MySQL PITR solution
+
+---
+
+## Release Schedule
+
+- **v2.0-alpha** (End Sprint 3): Cloud + Verification
+- **v2.0-beta** (End Sprint 5): + Incremental + PITR
+- **v2.0-rc1** (End Sprint 6): + Enterprise features
+- **v2.0 GA** (Q2 2026): Production release
+
+---
+
+## What Makes v2.0 Unique
+
+After v2.0, dbbackup will be:
+
+✅ **Only multi-database tool** with full PITR support  
+✅ **Best-in-class UX** (TUI + CLI + Docker + K8s)  
+✅ **Feature parity** with pgBackRest (PostgreSQL)  
+✅ **Superior to mysqldump** with incremental + PITR  
+✅ **Cloud-native** with multi-provider support  
+✅ **Enterprise-ready** with encryption + metrics  
+✅ **Zero-config** for 80% of use cases  
+
+---
+
+## Contributing
+
+Want to contribute to v2.0? Check out:
+- [CONTRIBUTING.md](CONTRIBUTING.md)
+- [Good First Issues](https://git.uuxo.net/uuxo/dbbackup/issues?labels=good-first-issue)
+- [v2.0 Milestone](https://git.uuxo.net/uuxo/dbbackup/milestone/2)
+
+---
+
+## Questions?
+
+Open an issue or start a discussion:
+- Issues: https://git.uuxo.net/uuxo/dbbackup/issues
+- Discussions: https://git.uuxo.net/uuxo/dbbackup/discussions
+
+---
+
+**Next Step:** Sprint 1 - Backup Verification & Retention (January 2026)
diff --git a/cmd/cleanup.go b/cmd/cleanup.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1d2dc35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/cleanup.go
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+
+	"dbbackup/internal/metadata"
+	"dbbackup/internal/retention"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+var cleanupCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "cleanup [backup-directory]",
+	Short: "Clean up old backups based on retention policy",
+	Long: `Remove old backup files based on retention policy while maintaining minimum backup count.
+
+The retention policy ensures:
+1. Backups older than --retention-days are eligible for deletion
+2. At least --min-backups most recent backups are always kept
+3. Both conditions must be met for deletion
+
+Examples:
+  # Clean up backups older than 30 days (keep at least 5)
+  dbbackup cleanup /backups --retention-days 30 --min-backups 5
+
+  # Dry run to see what would be deleted
+  dbbackup cleanup /backups --retention-days 7 --dry-run
+
+  # Clean up specific database backups only
+  dbbackup cleanup /backups --pattern "mydb_*.dump"
+
+  # Aggressive cleanup (keep only 3 most recent)
+  dbbackup cleanup /backups --retention-days 1 --min-backups 3`,
+	Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+	RunE: runCleanup,
+}
+
+var (
+	retentionDays int
+	minBackups    int
+	dryRun        bool
+	cleanupPattern string
+)
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(cleanupCmd)
+	cleanupCmd.Flags().IntVar(&retentionDays, "retention-days", 30, "Delete backups older than this many days")
+	cleanupCmd.Flags().IntVar(&minBackups, "min-backups", 5, "Always keep at least this many backups")
+	cleanupCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&dryRun, "dry-run", false, "Show what would be deleted without actually deleting")
+	cleanupCmd.Flags().StringVar(&cleanupPattern, "pattern", "", "Only clean up backups matching this pattern (e.g., 'mydb_*.dump')")
+}
+
+func runCleanup(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	backupDir := args[0]
+
+	// Validate directory exists
+	if !dirExists(backupDir) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("backup directory does not exist: %s", backupDir)
+	}
+
+	// Create retention policy
+	policy := retention.Policy{
+		RetentionDays: retentionDays,
+		MinBackups:    minBackups,
+		DryRun:        dryRun,
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("🗑️  Cleanup Policy:\n")
+	fmt.Printf("   Directory: %s\n", backupDir)
+	fmt.Printf("   Retention: %d days\n", policy.RetentionDays)
+	fmt.Printf("   Min backups: %d\n", policy.MinBackups)
+	if cleanupPattern != "" {
+		fmt.Printf("   Pattern: %s\n", cleanupPattern)
+	}
+	if dryRun {
+		fmt.Printf("   Mode: DRY RUN (no files will be deleted)\n")
+	}
+	fmt.Println()
+
+	var result *retention.CleanupResult
+	var err error
+
+	// Apply policy
+	if cleanupPattern != "" {
+		result, err = retention.CleanupByPattern(backupDir, cleanupPattern, policy)
+	} else {
+		result, err = retention.ApplyPolicy(backupDir, policy)
+	}
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cleanup failed: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Display results
+	fmt.Printf("📊 Results:\n")
+	fmt.Printf("   Total backups: %d\n", result.TotalBackups)
+	fmt.Printf("   Eligible for deletion: %d\n", result.EligibleForDeletion)
+	
+	if len(result.Deleted) > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("\n")
+		if dryRun {
+			fmt.Printf("🔍 Would delete %d backup(s):\n", len(result.Deleted))
+		} else {
+			fmt.Printf("✅ Deleted %d backup(s):\n", len(result.Deleted))
+		}
+		for _, file := range result.Deleted {
+			fmt.Printf("   - %s\n", filepath.Base(file))
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(result.Kept) > 0 && len(result.Kept) <= 10 {
+		fmt.Printf("\n📦 Kept %d backup(s):\n", len(result.Kept))
+		for _, file := range result.Kept {
+			fmt.Printf("   - %s\n", filepath.Base(file))
+		}
+	} else if len(result.Kept) > 10 {
+		fmt.Printf("\n📦 Kept %d backup(s)\n", len(result.Kept))
+	}
+
+	if !dryRun && result.SpaceFreed > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("\n💾 Space freed: %s\n", metadata.FormatSize(result.SpaceFreed))
+	}
+
+	if len(result.Errors) > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("\n⚠️  Errors:\n")
+		for _, err := range result.Errors {
+			fmt.Printf("   - %v\n", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println(strings.Repeat("─", 50))
+	
+	if dryRun {
+		fmt.Println("✅ Dry run completed (no files were deleted)")
+	} else if len(result.Deleted) > 0 {
+		fmt.Println("✅ Cleanup completed successfully")
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println("ℹ️  No backups eligible for deletion")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func dirExists(path string) bool {
+	info, err := os.Stat(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return info.IsDir()
+}
diff --git a/cmd/verify.go b/cmd/verify.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b6743ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/verify.go
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"dbbackup/internal/metadata"
+	"dbbackup/internal/verification"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+var verifyBackupCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:   "verify-backup [backup-file]",
+	Short: "Verify backup file integrity with checksums",
+	Long: `Verify the integrity of one or more backup files by comparing their SHA-256 checksums
+against the stored metadata. This ensures that backups have not been corrupted.
+
+Examples:
+  # Verify a single backup
+  dbbackup verify-backup /backups/mydb_20260115.dump
+
+  # Verify all backups in a directory
+  dbbackup verify-backup /backups/*.dump
+
+  # Quick verification (size check only, no checksum)
+  dbbackup verify-backup /backups/mydb.dump --quick
+
+  # Verify and show detailed information
+  dbbackup verify-backup /backups/mydb.dump --verbose`,
+	Args: cobra.MinimumNArgs(1),
+	RunE: runVerifyBackup,
+}
+
+var (
+	quickVerify   bool
+	verboseVerify bool
+)
+
+func init() {
+	rootCmd.AddCommand(verifyBackupCmd)
+	verifyBackupCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&quickVerify, "quick", false, "Quick verification (size check only)")
+	verifyBackupCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&verboseVerify, "verbose", "v", false, "Show detailed information")
+}
+
+func runVerifyBackup(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	// Expand glob patterns
+	var backupFiles []string
+	for _, pattern := range args {
+		matches, err := filepath.Glob(pattern)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("invalid pattern %s: %w", pattern, err)
+		}
+		if len(matches) == 0 {
+			// Not a glob, use as-is
+			backupFiles = append(backupFiles, pattern)
+		} else {
+			backupFiles = append(backupFiles, matches...)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(backupFiles) == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("no backup files found")
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("Verifying %d backup file(s)...\n\n", len(backupFiles))
+
+	successCount := 0
+	failureCount := 0
+
+	for _, backupFile := range backupFiles {
+		// Skip metadata files
+		if strings.HasSuffix(backupFile, ".meta.json") || 
+		   strings.HasSuffix(backupFile, ".sha256") || 
+		   strings.HasSuffix(backupFile, ".info") {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		fmt.Printf("📁 %s\n", filepath.Base(backupFile))
+
+		if quickVerify {
+			// Quick check: size only
+			err := verification.QuickCheck(backupFile)
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("   ❌ FAILED: %v\n\n", err)
+				failureCount++
+				continue
+			}
+			fmt.Printf("   ✅ VALID (quick check)\n\n")
+			successCount++
+		} else {
+			// Full verification with SHA-256
+			result, err := verification.Verify(backupFile)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("verification error: %w", err)
+			}
+
+			if result.Valid {
+				fmt.Printf("   ✅ VALID\n")
+				if verboseVerify {
+					meta, _ := metadata.Load(backupFile)
+					fmt.Printf("   Size: %s\n", metadata.FormatSize(meta.SizeBytes))
+					fmt.Printf("   SHA-256: %s\n", meta.SHA256)
+					fmt.Printf("   Database: %s (%s)\n", meta.Database, meta.DatabaseType)
+					fmt.Printf("   Created: %s\n", meta.Timestamp.Format(time.RFC3339))
+				}
+				fmt.Println()
+				successCount++
+			} else {
+				fmt.Printf("   ❌ FAILED: %v\n", result.Error)
+				if verboseVerify {
+					if !result.FileExists {
+						fmt.Printf("   File does not exist\n")
+					} else if !result.MetadataExists {
+						fmt.Printf("   Metadata file missing\n")
+					} else if !result.SizeMatch {
+						fmt.Printf("   Size mismatch\n")
+					} else {
+						fmt.Printf("   Expected: %s\n", result.ExpectedSHA256)
+						fmt.Printf("   Got:      %s\n", result.CalculatedSHA256)
+					}
+				}
+				fmt.Println()
+				failureCount++
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Summary
+	fmt.Println(strings.Repeat("─", 50))
+	fmt.Printf("Total: %d backups\n", len(backupFiles))
+	fmt.Printf("✅ Valid: %d\n", successCount)
+	if failureCount > 0 {
+		fmt.Printf("❌ Failed: %d\n", failureCount)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/backup/engine.go b/internal/backup/engine.go
index 9925747..abe9c9e 100755
--- a/internal/backup/engine.go
+++ b/internal/backup/engine.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"dbbackup/internal/database"
 	"dbbackup/internal/security"
 	"dbbackup/internal/logger"
+	"dbbackup/internal/metadata"
 	"dbbackup/internal/metrics"
 	"dbbackup/internal/progress"
 	"dbbackup/internal/swap"
@@ -541,9 +542,9 @@ func (e *Engine) BackupCluster(ctx context.Context) error {
 		operation.Complete(fmt.Sprintf("Cluster backup created: %s (%s)", outputFile, size))
 	}
 	
-	// Create metadata file
-	if err := e.createMetadata(outputFile, "cluster", "cluster", ""); err != nil {
-		e.log.Warn("Failed to create metadata file", "error", err)
+	// Create cluster metadata file
+	if err := e.createClusterMetadata(outputFile, databases, successCountFinal, failCountFinal); err != nil {
+		e.log.Warn("Failed to create cluster metadata file", "error", err)
 	}
 	
 	return nil
@@ -910,9 +911,70 @@ regularTar:
 
 // createMetadata creates a metadata file for the backup
 func (e *Engine) createMetadata(backupFile, database, backupType, strategy string) error {
-	metaFile := backupFile + ".info"
+	startTime := time.Now()
 	
-	content := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+	// Get backup file information
+	info, err := os.Stat(backupFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to stat backup file: %w", err)
+	}
+	
+	// Calculate SHA-256 checksum
+	sha256, err := metadata.CalculateSHA256(backupFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to calculate checksum: %w", err)
+	}
+	
+	// Get database version
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	dbVersion, _ := e.db.GetVersion(ctx)
+	if dbVersion == "" {
+		dbVersion = "unknown"
+	}
+	
+	// Determine compression format
+	compressionFormat := "none"
+	if e.cfg.CompressionLevel > 0 {
+		if e.cfg.Jobs > 1 {
+			compressionFormat = fmt.Sprintf("pigz-%d", e.cfg.CompressionLevel)
+		} else {
+			compressionFormat = fmt.Sprintf("gzip-%d", e.cfg.CompressionLevel)
+		}
+	}
+	
+	// Create backup metadata
+	meta := &metadata.BackupMetadata{
+		Version:         "2.0",
+		Timestamp:       startTime,
+		Database:        database,
+		DatabaseType:    e.cfg.DatabaseType,
+		DatabaseVersion: dbVersion,
+		Host:            e.cfg.Host,
+		Port:            e.cfg.Port,
+		User:            e.cfg.User,
+		BackupFile:      backupFile,
+		SizeBytes:       info.Size(),
+		SHA256:          sha256,
+		Compression:     compressionFormat,
+		BackupType:      backupType,
+		Duration:        time.Since(startTime).Seconds(),
+		ExtraInfo:       make(map[string]string),
+	}
+	
+	// Add strategy for sample backups
+	if strategy != "" {
+		meta.ExtraInfo["sample_strategy"] = strategy
+		meta.ExtraInfo["sample_value"] = fmt.Sprintf("%d", e.cfg.SampleValue)
+	}
+	
+	// Save metadata
+	if err := meta.Save(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to save metadata: %w", err)
+	}
+	
+	// Also save legacy .info file for backward compatibility
+	legacyMetaFile := backupFile + ".info"
+	legacyContent := fmt.Sprintf(`{
   "type": "%s",
   "database": "%s",
   "timestamp": "%s",
@@ -920,24 +982,102 @@ func (e *Engine) createMetadata(backupFile, database, backupType, strategy strin
   "port": %d,
   "user": "%s",
   "db_type": "%s",
-  "compression": %d`,
-		backupType, database, time.Now().Format("20060102_150405"),
-		e.cfg.Host, e.cfg.Port, e.cfg.User, e.cfg.DatabaseType, e.cfg.CompressionLevel)
+  "compression": %d,
+  "size_bytes": %d
+}`, backupType, database, startTime.Format("20060102_150405"),
+		e.cfg.Host, e.cfg.Port, e.cfg.User, e.cfg.DatabaseType, 
+		e.cfg.CompressionLevel, info.Size())
 	
-	if strategy != "" {
-		content += fmt.Sprintf(`,
-  "sample_strategy": "%s",
-  "sample_value": %d`, e.cfg.SampleStrategy, e.cfg.SampleValue)
+	if err := os.WriteFile(legacyMetaFile, []byte(legacyContent), 0644); err != nil {
+		e.log.Warn("Failed to save legacy metadata file", "error", err)
 	}
 	
-	if info, err := os.Stat(backupFile); err == nil {
-		content += fmt.Sprintf(`,
-  "size_bytes": %d`, info.Size())
+	return nil
+}
+
+// createClusterMetadata creates metadata for cluster backups
+func (e *Engine) createClusterMetadata(backupFile string, databases []string, successCount, failCount int) error {
+	startTime := time.Now()
+	
+	// Get backup file information
+	info, err := os.Stat(backupFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to stat backup file: %w", err)
 	}
 	
-	content += "\n}"
+	// Calculate SHA-256 checksum for archive
+	sha256, err := metadata.CalculateSHA256(backupFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to calculate checksum: %w", err)
+	}
 	
-	return os.WriteFile(metaFile, []byte(content), 0644)
+	// Get database version
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	dbVersion, _ := e.db.GetVersion(ctx)
+	if dbVersion == "" {
+		dbVersion = "unknown"
+	}
+	
+	// Create cluster metadata
+	clusterMeta := &metadata.ClusterMetadata{
+		Version:      "2.0",
+		Timestamp:    startTime,
+		ClusterName:  fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", e.cfg.Host, e.cfg.Port),
+		DatabaseType: e.cfg.DatabaseType,
+		Host:         e.cfg.Host,
+		Port:         e.cfg.Port,
+		Databases:    make([]metadata.BackupMetadata, 0),
+		TotalSize:    info.Size(),
+		Duration:     time.Since(startTime).Seconds(),
+		ExtraInfo: map[string]string{
+			"database_count":   fmt.Sprintf("%d", len(databases)),
+			"success_count":    fmt.Sprintf("%d", successCount),
+			"failure_count":    fmt.Sprintf("%d", failCount),
+			"archive_sha256":   sha256,
+			"database_version": dbVersion,
+		},
+	}
+	
+	// Add database names to metadata
+	for _, dbName := range databases {
+		dbMeta := metadata.BackupMetadata{
+			Database:        dbName,
+			DatabaseType:    e.cfg.DatabaseType,
+			DatabaseVersion: dbVersion,
+			Timestamp:       startTime,
+		}
+		clusterMeta.Databases = append(clusterMeta.Databases, dbMeta)
+	}
+	
+	// Save cluster metadata
+	if err := clusterMeta.Save(backupFile); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to save cluster metadata: %w", err)
+	}
+	
+	// Also save legacy .info file for backward compatibility
+	legacyMetaFile := backupFile + ".info"
+	legacyContent := fmt.Sprintf(`{
+  "type": "cluster",
+  "database": "cluster",
+  "timestamp": "%s",
+  "host": "%s",
+  "port": %d,
+  "user": "%s",
+  "db_type": "%s",
+  "compression": %d,
+  "size_bytes": %d,
+  "database_count": %d,
+  "success_count": %d,
+  "failure_count": %d
+}`, startTime.Format("20060102_150405"),
+		e.cfg.Host, e.cfg.Port, e.cfg.User, e.cfg.DatabaseType,
+		e.cfg.CompressionLevel, info.Size(), len(databases), successCount, failCount)
+	
+	if err := os.WriteFile(legacyMetaFile, []byte(legacyContent), 0644); err != nil {
+		e.log.Warn("Failed to save legacy cluster metadata file", "error", err)
+	}
+	
+	return nil
 }
 
 // executeCommand executes a backup command (optimized for huge databases)
diff --git a/internal/metadata/metadata.go b/internal/metadata/metadata.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f8006dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/metadata/metadata.go
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+package metadata
+
+import (
+	"crypto/sha256"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"time"
+)
+
+// BackupMetadata contains comprehensive information about a backup
+type BackupMetadata struct {
+	Version         string            `json:"version"`
+	Timestamp       time.Time         `json:"timestamp"`
+	Database        string            `json:"database"`
+	DatabaseType    string            `json:"database_type"`    // postgresql, mysql, mariadb
+	DatabaseVersion string            `json:"database_version"` // e.g., "PostgreSQL 15.3"
+	Host            string            `json:"host"`
+	Port            int               `json:"port"`
+	User            string            `json:"user"`
+	BackupFile      string            `json:"backup_file"`
+	SizeBytes       int64             `json:"size_bytes"`
+	SHA256          string            `json:"sha256"`
+	Compression     string            `json:"compression"` // none, gzip, pigz
+	BackupType      string            `json:"backup_type"` // full, incremental (for v2.0)
+	BaseBackup      string            `json:"base_backup,omitempty"`
+	Duration        float64           `json:"duration_seconds"`
+	ExtraInfo       map[string]string `json:"extra_info,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// ClusterMetadata contains metadata for cluster backups
+type ClusterMetadata struct {
+	Version      string             `json:"version"`
+	Timestamp    time.Time          `json:"timestamp"`
+	ClusterName  string             `json:"cluster_name"`
+	DatabaseType string             `json:"database_type"`
+	Host         string             `json:"host"`
+	Port         int                `json:"port"`
+	Databases    []BackupMetadata   `json:"databases"`
+	TotalSize    int64              `json:"total_size_bytes"`
+	Duration     float64            `json:"duration_seconds"`
+	ExtraInfo    map[string]string  `json:"extra_info,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// CalculateSHA256 computes the SHA-256 checksum of a file
+func CalculateSHA256(filePath string) (string, error) {
+	f, err := os.Open(filePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to open file: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	hasher := sha256.New()
+	if _, err := io.Copy(hasher, f); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to calculate checksum: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return hex.EncodeToString(hasher.Sum(nil)), nil
+}
+
+// Save writes metadata to a .meta.json file
+func (m *BackupMetadata) Save() error {
+	metaPath := m.BackupFile + ".meta.json"
+	
+	data, err := json.MarshalIndent(m, "", "  ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal metadata: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(metaPath, data, 0644); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write metadata file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Load reads metadata from a .meta.json file
+func Load(backupFile string) (*BackupMetadata, error) {
+	metaPath := backupFile + ".meta.json"
+	
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(metaPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read metadata file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	var meta BackupMetadata
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &meta); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse metadata: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return &meta, nil
+}
+
+// SaveCluster writes cluster metadata to a .meta.json file
+func (m *ClusterMetadata) Save(targetFile string) error {
+	metaPath := targetFile + ".meta.json"
+	
+	data, err := json.MarshalIndent(m, "", "  ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to marshal cluster metadata: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(metaPath, data, 0644); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write cluster metadata file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// LoadCluster reads cluster metadata from a .meta.json file
+func LoadCluster(targetFile string) (*ClusterMetadata, error) {
+	metaPath := targetFile + ".meta.json"
+	
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(metaPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read cluster metadata file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	var meta ClusterMetadata
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &meta); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse cluster metadata: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return &meta, nil
+}
+
+// ListBackups scans a directory for backup files and returns their metadata
+func ListBackups(dir string) ([]*BackupMetadata, error) {
+	pattern := filepath.Join(dir, "*.meta.json")
+	matches, err := filepath.Glob(pattern)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to scan directory: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	var backups []*BackupMetadata
+	for _, metaFile := range matches {
+		// Extract backup file path (remove .meta.json suffix)
+		backupFile := metaFile[:len(metaFile)-len(".meta.json")]
+		
+		meta, err := Load(backupFile)
+		if err != nil {
+			// Skip invalid metadata files
+			continue
+		}
+		
+		backups = append(backups, meta)
+	}
+
+	return backups, nil
+}
+
+// FormatSize returns human-readable size
+func FormatSize(bytes int64) string {
+	const unit = 1024
+	if bytes < unit {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%d B", bytes)
+	}
+	div, exp := int64(unit), 0
+	for n := bytes / unit; n >= unit; n /= unit {
+		div *= unit
+		exp++
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%.1f %ciB", float64(bytes)/float64(div), "KMGTPE"[exp])
+}
diff --git a/internal/retention/retention.go b/internal/retention/retention.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..024dcc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/retention/retention.go
@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+package retention
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
+	"time"
+
+	"dbbackup/internal/metadata"
+)
+
+// Policy defines the retention rules
+type Policy struct {
+	RetentionDays int
+	MinBackups    int
+	DryRun        bool
+}
+
+// CleanupResult contains information about cleanup operations
+type CleanupResult struct {
+	TotalBackups    int
+	EligibleForDeletion int
+	Deleted         []string
+	Kept            []string
+	SpaceFreed      int64
+	Errors          []error
+}
+
+// ApplyPolicy enforces the retention policy on backups in a directory
+func ApplyPolicy(backupDir string, policy Policy) (*CleanupResult, error) {
+	result := &CleanupResult{
+		Deleted: make([]string, 0),
+		Kept:    make([]string, 0),
+		Errors:  make([]error, 0),
+	}
+
+	// List all backups in directory
+	backups, err := metadata.ListBackups(backupDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to list backups: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	result.TotalBackups = len(backups)
+
+	// Sort backups by timestamp (oldest first)
+	sort.Slice(backups, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return backups[i].Timestamp.Before(backups[j].Timestamp)
+	})
+
+	// Calculate cutoff date
+	cutoffDate := time.Now().AddDate(0, 0, -policy.RetentionDays)
+
+	// Determine which backups to delete
+	for i, backup := range backups {
+		// Always keep minimum number of backups (most recent ones)
+		backupsRemaining := len(backups) - i
+		if backupsRemaining <= policy.MinBackups {
+			result.Kept = append(result.Kept, backup.BackupFile)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Check if backup is older than retention period
+		if backup.Timestamp.Before(cutoffDate) {
+			result.EligibleForDeletion++
+			
+			if policy.DryRun {
+				result.Deleted = append(result.Deleted, backup.BackupFile)
+			} else {
+				// Delete backup file and associated metadata
+				if err := deleteBackup(backup.BackupFile); err != nil {
+					result.Errors = append(result.Errors, 
+						fmt.Errorf("failed to delete %s: %w", backup.BackupFile, err))
+				} else {
+					result.Deleted = append(result.Deleted, backup.BackupFile)
+					result.SpaceFreed += backup.SizeBytes
+				}
+			}
+		} else {
+			result.Kept = append(result.Kept, backup.BackupFile)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+// deleteBackup removes a backup file and all associated files
+func deleteBackup(backupFile string) error {
+	// Delete main backup file
+	if err := os.Remove(backupFile); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete backup file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Delete metadata file
+	metaFile := backupFile + ".meta.json"
+	if err := os.Remove(metaFile); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete metadata file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Delete legacy .sha256 file if exists
+	sha256File := backupFile + ".sha256"
+	if err := os.Remove(sha256File); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		// Don't fail if .sha256 doesn't exist (new format)
+	}
+
+	// Delete legacy .info file if exists
+	infoFile := backupFile + ".info"
+	if err := os.Remove(infoFile); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		// Don't fail if .info doesn't exist (new format)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// GetOldestBackups returns the N oldest backups in a directory
+func GetOldestBackups(backupDir string, count int) ([]*metadata.BackupMetadata, error) {
+	backups, err := metadata.ListBackups(backupDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// Sort by timestamp (oldest first)
+	sort.Slice(backups, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return backups[i].Timestamp.Before(backups[j].Timestamp)
+	})
+
+	if count > len(backups) {
+		count = len(backups)
+	}
+
+	return backups[:count], nil
+}
+
+// GetNewestBackups returns the N newest backups in a directory
+func GetNewestBackups(backupDir string, count int) ([]*metadata.BackupMetadata, error) {
+	backups, err := metadata.ListBackups(backupDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// Sort by timestamp (newest first)
+	sort.Slice(backups, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return backups[i].Timestamp.After(backups[j].Timestamp)
+	})
+
+	if count > len(backups) {
+		count = len(backups)
+	}
+
+	return backups[:count], nil
+}
+
+// CleanupByPattern removes backups matching a specific pattern
+func CleanupByPattern(backupDir, pattern string, policy Policy) (*CleanupResult, error) {
+	result := &CleanupResult{
+		Deleted: make([]string, 0),
+		Kept:    make([]string, 0),
+		Errors:  make([]error, 0),
+	}
+
+	// Find matching backup files
+	searchPattern := filepath.Join(backupDir, pattern)
+	matches, err := filepath.Glob(searchPattern)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to match pattern: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Filter to only .dump or .sql files
+	var backupFiles []string
+	for _, match := range matches {
+		ext := filepath.Ext(match)
+		if ext == ".dump" || ext == ".sql" {
+			backupFiles = append(backupFiles, match)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Load metadata for matched backups
+	var backups []*metadata.BackupMetadata
+	for _, file := range backupFiles {
+		meta, err := metadata.Load(file)
+		if err != nil {
+			// Skip files without metadata
+			continue
+		}
+		backups = append(backups, meta)
+	}
+
+	result.TotalBackups = len(backups)
+
+	// Sort by timestamp
+	sort.Slice(backups, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return backups[i].Timestamp.Before(backups[j].Timestamp)
+	})
+
+	cutoffDate := time.Now().AddDate(0, 0, -policy.RetentionDays)
+
+	// Apply policy
+	for i, backup := range backups {
+		backupsRemaining := len(backups) - i
+		if backupsRemaining <= policy.MinBackups {
+			result.Kept = append(result.Kept, backup.BackupFile)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if backup.Timestamp.Before(cutoffDate) {
+			result.EligibleForDeletion++
+			
+			if policy.DryRun {
+				result.Deleted = append(result.Deleted, backup.BackupFile)
+			} else {
+				if err := deleteBackup(backup.BackupFile); err != nil {
+					result.Errors = append(result.Errors, err)
+				} else {
+					result.Deleted = append(result.Deleted, backup.BackupFile)
+					result.SpaceFreed += backup.SizeBytes
+				}
+			}
+		} else {
+			result.Kept = append(result.Kept, backup.BackupFile)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return result, nil
+}
diff --git a/internal/verification/verification.go b/internal/verification/verification.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1bbb8f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/verification/verification.go
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+package verification
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	"dbbackup/internal/metadata"
+)
+
+// Result represents the outcome of a verification operation
+type Result struct {
+	Valid           bool
+	BackupFile      string
+	ExpectedSHA256  string
+	CalculatedSHA256 string
+	SizeMatch       bool
+	FileExists      bool
+	MetadataExists  bool
+	Error           error
+}
+
+// Verify checks the integrity of a backup file
+func Verify(backupFile string) (*Result, error) {
+	result := &Result{
+		BackupFile: backupFile,
+	}
+
+	// Check if backup file exists
+	info, err := os.Stat(backupFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		result.FileExists = false
+		result.Error = fmt.Errorf("backup file does not exist: %w", err)
+		return result, nil
+	}
+	result.FileExists = true
+
+	// Load metadata
+	meta, err := metadata.Load(backupFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		result.MetadataExists = false
+		result.Error = fmt.Errorf("failed to load metadata: %w", err)
+		return result, nil
+	}
+	result.MetadataExists = true
+	result.ExpectedSHA256 = meta.SHA256
+
+	// Check size match
+	if info.Size() != meta.SizeBytes {
+		result.SizeMatch = false
+		result.Error = fmt.Errorf("size mismatch: expected %d bytes, got %d bytes", 
+			meta.SizeBytes, info.Size())
+		return result, nil
+	}
+	result.SizeMatch = true
+
+	// Calculate actual SHA-256
+	actualSHA256, err := metadata.CalculateSHA256(backupFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		result.Error = fmt.Errorf("failed to calculate checksum: %w", err)
+		return result, nil
+	}
+	result.CalculatedSHA256 = actualSHA256
+
+	// Compare checksums
+	if actualSHA256 != meta.SHA256 {
+		result.Valid = false
+		result.Error = fmt.Errorf("checksum mismatch: expected %s, got %s", 
+			meta.SHA256, actualSHA256)
+		return result, nil
+	}
+
+	// All checks passed
+	result.Valid = true
+	return result, nil
+}
+
+// VerifyMultiple verifies multiple backup files
+func VerifyMultiple(backupFiles []string) ([]*Result, error) {
+	var results []*Result
+	
+	for _, file := range backupFiles {
+		result, err := Verify(file)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("verification error for %s: %w", file, err)
+		}
+		results = append(results, result)
+	}
+
+	return results, nil
+}
+
+// QuickCheck performs a fast check without full checksum calculation
+// Only validates metadata existence and file size
+func QuickCheck(backupFile string) error {
+	// Check file exists
+	info, err := os.Stat(backupFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("backup file does not exist: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Load metadata
+	meta, err := metadata.Load(backupFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("metadata missing or invalid: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Check size
+	if info.Size() != meta.SizeBytes {
+		return fmt.Errorf("size mismatch: expected %d bytes, got %d bytes", 
+			meta.SizeBytes, info.Size())
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}