File Backup (new backup format)
The file backup is the most common type of backup and is designed to ensure that your sensitive and important information is regularly backed up and not vulnerable to hardware malfunctions or ransomware attacks. This backup type allows you to back up selected files from your computer to any backup destination (local or cloud storage). The file backup is best for backing up important project files, source code, personal documents, photos, etc.
The new backup format introduces the following features for macOS-based environments:
- Client-Side Deduplication
- Consistency Checks
- Restore on Restore Points
- Optimized operations with storage, resulting in fewer requests, faster synchronization, and faster purge
- Continued data upload in case of network issues
- Object size up to 256 TB to any storage destination
- Optimized performance and storage usage for a large number of small files
- Improved incremental backup performance.
File backups are configured using the backup wizard. To start it, click the backup icon in the horizontal menu bar or press CMD+B.
- Cloud Storage
- Plan Name
- Backup Source
- Advanced Filter
- Compression and Encryption
- Backup Consistency Check
- Schedule
- Full Schedule
- Retention Policy
- Pre / Post Actions
- Notification
- Summary
Backup Plan: Cloud Storage
Select the backup storage or create a new one.
- To add a new backup destination, click +.
To learn more about backup destinations, read the Add Backup Storage chapter.
To delete the existing cloud storage account, click the - icon, then confirm the deletion in the dialog box.
To edit the cloud storage account settings (backup prefix and SSL usage), click the gear icon.
- When ready, click Continue.
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Plan Name
Specify the backup plan name. Choose a name that will help you identify the backup dataset, e.g., "Accounting files backup". This simplifies the plan search among a large number of plans.
In the new backup format, the backup plan configuration is always backed up and kept on storage.
Click Continue.
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Backup Source
Select files and directories to back up.
Specify files and folders to be included in the backup plan.
| Check Box Appearance | Description |
|---|---|
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This folder with all subitems excluded. All new content will NOT be added |
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This folder with all subitems included. All new content will be added |
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Specific items excluded. New content will be added, except for updates for excluded items |
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Only selected items included. New content will NOT be added, except for updates of included items |
To display hidden files and directories, select the Show hidden files and folders check box.
You can configure how Backup for macOS handles symlinks. This can be done in settings.
Once you have finished selecting files and directories to back up, click Continue.
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Advanced Filter
Advanced file filtering allows you to configure file and directory settings that are to be backed up or skipped in the backup plan.
- To back up all files in directories selected on the previous wizard step, select the Back up all files in selected folders option.
- To specify the file types to be backed up, select the Back up files of these types option, then specify the file type extensions in the entry field to the right, separating them with semicolons.
- To exclude the file types from the backup plan, select the Do not back up files of these types option, then specify the file type extensions in the entry field to the right, separating them with semicolons.
- To back up empty directories, select the Back up empty folders check box.
- To back up system and hidden files, clear the Do not back up files used by other processes at the moment of the backup plan run check box.
- To exclude specific directories from the backup plan, select the Skip folders check box, then specify the folders to be excluded in the entry field to the right, separating them with semicolons.
You can use masks to specify files or directories in entry fields. Use * wildcards for masking, e.g.:
- *abcd
- My*
- *My*
Note that masks in wildcards are case-sensitive.
With default settings, Backup for macOS backs up all files in specified folders
Once you have configured file and directory filtering, click Continue.
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Compression and Encryption
Configure compression and encryption. Backup for macOS supports up to 256-bit military-grade encryption by default.
Note that Backup does not store the key anywhere for security purposes. A forgotten password means no access to data. Keep the encryption password in a safe place.
This step may look different depending on the storage destination: there are some specific settings for different storage providers. For example, if you are backing up data to Amazon S3, the range of available options includes:
- Server-Side Encryption. With this option enabled, multi-factor encryption provided by Amazon is applied to backup data.
- Storage Class. Select the S3 storage class to back up data straight to the required data tier. All S3 storage classes are supported.
- S3 Transfer Acceleration. Use this option to accelerate file transfer. Note that the target bucket must have this feature enabled on the Amazon side. Additionally, this feature is offered by Amazon for extra fee.
Once you have configured compression and encryption settings, click Continue.
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Backup Consistency Check
Configure full consistency check.
A full consistency check checks all previous backup plan generations except the current generation, which is mandatorily checked by the regular consistency check. If a full consistency check is successfully completed, a user can be sure that backed-up data is guaranteed to be restored.
Read more about the full consistency check in the Full Consistency Check chapter.
Once you have configured the full consistency check, click Continue.
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Schedule
Schedule the backup plan execution.
On this step, the schedule for incremental backups is configured. The full backup schedule is configured on the next step.
- No schedule. The backup plan will not be executed unless started manually.
- Specific date. The backup plan will only be executed once, on the specified date. This option is used in special cases and not recommended for basic backup purposes.
- Recurring. The most flexible option. Schedule the backup plan to be executed daily, weekly, or monthly.
Once you have configured the incremental backup schedule, click Continue.
It is recommended to schedule a full backup at least once every 3 months for the selected schedule.
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Full Schedule
Schedule full backups. It is recommended to schedule full backups along with incremental ones, since the retention policy (the mechanism for purging old backup data) is never applied to the current generation.
You can also set the maximum duration period for the backup plan. To do that, select the Stop plan if it runs for checkbox and specify the maximum period.
Once you have configured the full backup schedule, click Continue.
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Retention Policy
Configure the retention policy for the backup plan.
In the new backup format, the retention policy is significantly simpler than in the legacy backup format. The retention approach in the new backup format implies that data is always purged by generations (sequence of a full and following incremental backups).
- To keep all backup data, select the Do not purge (Keep backup forever) option.
- To apply the retention policy for previous generations, select the Keep backup for option, then specify the keeping period.
Once you have configured the retention policy, click Continue.
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Backup Plan: Pre/Post Actions
This wizard step is available only in the Ultimate edition.
Specify pre- and post-backup actions.
- To specify the pre-backup action, select the Pre-backup action check box, then specify the path to the pre-backup script.
Note: the path to the script must be enclosed in quotation marks.
* Select the **Exit backup plan if pre-backup action failed** option if you do not want the backup plan to be launched if the pre-backup action fails.
* Select the **Continue backup plan if pre-backup action failed** option if you want the backup plan to be launched regardless of the pre-backup action result.
- To specify the post-backup action, select the Post-backup action check box, then specify the path to the post-backup script.
Note: the path to the script must be enclosed in quotation marks.
* Select the **Execute action only if backup has been successfully completed** option if you want the post-action to be launched only after the successful backup plan termination.
* Select the **Execute action regardless of the backup result** option if you want the post-action to be launched regardless of the backup plan termination results.
- Once you have specified pre- and post-backup settings, click Continue.
Backup Plan: Notification
Specify the email notification settings for backup plan results. If the plan completes or fails, you will receive an email that contains the information regarding the plan status.
Specify your email, user name, and the email subject. The email subject can contain the following macros:
- %COMPUTER_NAME%
- %RESULT%
- %PLAN_NAME%
For example, you could enter the following subject:
Backup Plan: %PLAN_NAME% executed with status: %RESULT%
Backup Plan: Summary
- This Backup Wizard step contains a review of the backup plan.
- To run the backup plan automatically after closing Backup Wizard, select the Run plan now check box.
- Click Done. The backup plan runs automatically
Run Backup Plan
To run the backup plan, click Start on the main toolbar. In the meantime, you can observe the backup process in the progress bar at the bottom of the plan view. | Top |