Backup Exec 20.2 Administrator's Guide

To configure file and folder options for backup jobs

1. Do one of the following:

   To configure default file and folder options for all backup jobs	Complete the following steps: Click the Backup Exec button, and then select Configuration and Settings. Select Job Defaults, and then select the type of backup for which you want to configure default file and folder settings.
   To configure file and folder settings for specific backup jobs	Complete the following steps: Create a new backup definition or edit an existing backup definition. In the Backup box, click Edit.

2. In the left pane, click Files and Folders.
3. Complete the following options:

   Backup method for files	Select one of the following backup methods: By modified time When Backup Exec runs a full backup job or an incremental backup job, the time that the backup job starts is recorded in the Backup Exec Database. Backup Exec adds the time of the backup job to the Backup Exec Database only if the full backup job completes successfully. The next time that you run an incremental backup job or a differential backup job, Backup Exec compares the file system time to the backup time. If the file system time is later than the time that is recorded in the database, the file is backed up. If the file's modified time is older than the previous backup's modified time, that file is not backed up. If the job does not complete successfully, subsequent differential or incremental backup jobs back up all of the data instead of only the data that has changed. Note: A file's last modified date and timestamp do not change when the file is copied or moved. To ensure that the files are protected, run a full backup after you copy or move files. When you run an incremental backup job, Backup Exec records a new time in the Backup Exec Database. The database time is not updated for differential backup jobs. When you select the modified time method, Backup Exec uses the Windows change journal to determine if a file has changed since the last time it was backed up. If the change journal is not available, Backup Exec compares the file information to the previous backup time to determine if the file has changed. Using modified time lets Backup Exec run more accurate incremental backups or differential backups even if other processes have modified files' archive bits. Using archive bit Backup Exec uses the archive bit from the file system to determine if a file has changed since the last time it was backed up. When you use the archive bit, Backup Exec turns the archive bit off when a file is backed up. Turning off the archive bit indicates to Backup Exec that the file has been backed up. If the file changes again before the next backup job, the bit is turned on again. Backup Exec backs up the file in the next backup. If the next backup job is a full backup job or an incremental backup job, the bit is turned off when the backup job completes. If the next backup job is a differential backup job, the archive bit is left intact. Using catalogs Backup Exec compares path names, modified time, deleted and renamed files and folders, and other attributes. When you select the catalog method, Backup Exec uses the Windows change journal to determine if a file has changed since the last time it was backed up. If the change journal is not available, Backup Exec compares the file information to previous catalogs to determine if it has changed. Note: You cannot use Backup Exec catalogs to determine if files were backed up for any differential backups. The catalog method is only available if the Advanced Disk-based Backup feature (ADBO) is installed. Note: The off-host backup feature of ADBO does not support the catalog method. See How Backup Exec determines if a file has been backed up.
   Enable single instance backup for NTFS volumes	Select this option if you want Backup Exec to check the NTFS volume for identical files. If Backup Exec finds multiple copies of a file, it backs up only one instance of that file. Single instance backup can considerably reduce the storage space that is required for your backups. Many applications automatically generate some files that have identical content. The actual amount of space that you save depends on the number of duplicate files on the volume. This option displays only if you use the Microsoft Windows Single Instance Store (SIS) feature. This option is not applicable if the data targeted for backup is on a Windows Server 2016 and later because Microsoft no longer supports the Single Instance Store (SIS) feature. Warning: If the backup job does not run to completion, the file data may not be included in the backup set. Rerun the backup job until it is successfully completed. If it was an incremental backup, running the job again does not back up the same files. You must run a full or duplicate backup job to ensure that all files are backed up completely.
   Back up files and directories by following junction points and mount points	Select this option to back up the information for the junction points and the files and directories to which they are linked. If this check box is not selected, then only the information for the junction points is backed up. The files and directories to which the junction points are linked are not backed up. Backup Exec does not follow junction points that are automatically created by Microsoft Windows because it can cause the data to be backed up repeatedly. You cannot select any mounted drives that do not have a drive letter assigned to them. The files and directories to which they are linked are backed up regardless of whether this option is selected. If the files and directories to which the junction points are linked are also included in the backup selections, then they are backed up twice. They are backed up once during the full file and directory backup job, and again by the junction point. Warning: If a junction point is linked to a location that encompasses it, then recursion (a situation where data is backed up repeatedly) occurs. Recursion results in an error and a job failure. For example, if c:\junctionpoint is linked to c:\, recursion occurs when Backup Exec attempts to back up c:\junctionpoint, and the backup job fails.
   Back up files and directories by following symbolic links	Select this option to back up the information for any symbolic links and the files and directories to which they are linked. If you do not select this option, only the information for the symbolic links is backed up. The files and directories to which they are linked are not backed up. If the symbolic link points to files and directories on a remote computer, the files and directories on the remote computer are not backed up.
   Back up data in Remote Storage	Select this option to back up any data that has been migrated from primary storage to secondary storage. The data is not recalled to its original location. It is backed up directly to the backup media. If this option is selected, you should not run a backup of your entire system. Backup Exec has to load the data that has been migrated to secondary storage and additional time is required for migrated data. If this check box is cleared, only the placeholder that stores the location of the data on secondary storage is backed up, not the data itself. This option should not be selected if the device used for secondary storage and backups contains only one drive. If there is only one drive, Remote Storage and Backup Exec compete for use of the drive.
   Back up open files	Select one of the following options to determine how Backup Exec processes any open files for the backup job. The options are as follows: Never Backup Exec skips any open files that are encountered during the backup job. A list of any files that were skipped appears in the job log. If closed within X seconds Backup Exec waits the specified time interval for files to close before it skips them and continues the backup job. If the file does not close during the specified interval, it is skipped. A list of skipped files appears in the job log. If multiple files are open, Backup Exec waits the specified time interval for each file. Depending on the number of open files, the wait may significantly increase the backup time. With a lock Backup Exec attempts to open any files that are in use. If Backup Exec is able to open a file, the file is locked while it is backed up. Locking the file prevents other processes from writing to it. Backing up open files is not as effective as closing applications and allowing the files to be backed up in a consistent state. Without a lock Backup Exec attempts to open any files that are in use. If Backup Exec is able to open the file, the file is not locked while it is backed up. Other applications can write data to the file during the backup operation. Warning: This option allows some files that contain inconsistent data and possibly corrupt data to be backed up.
   Backup method	Select the backup method that you want to use to back up files and folders for each backup job in the backup definition. See Backup methods in Backup Exec.
   Delete selected files and folders after successful backup	Select this option if you want Backup Exec to delete the data you selected to back up after the backup job completes successfully. Backup Exec backs up the selected data, verifies the backup sets, and then deletes the data from the server. The logon account credentials that you use to run the job must also have the rights to delete a file. Otherwise, the data is backed up, but it is not deleted. Note: This option is only available when you configure backup jobs. You cannot configure it as a default setting for all backup jobs. See Configuring Backup Exec to automatically delete files after a backup.
   Preserve tree on back up and delete	Select this option to retain the file system's directory structure for the files that are backed up in a full backup job. This option is available only when you select the Delete selected files and folders after successful backup option.

4. Click OK.