Scheduling Backup Task

To back up certain Containers at a certain time, you can schedule a backup with the parameters to be entered on the New Task: Back Up Containers screen.

In the Task Configuration section, enter the name and the description of the task and indicate if the task is enabled. If you are just drafting a possible task, clear the Enabled checkbox.

In the First Run (or Next Run) section, specify:

• the time when the task will be launched first;
• the date when the task will be launched first selected form the Select date window: to set the task to be run the very day you make these settings, press Today at the bottom of the Select date pop-up window.

In the Recurrence Pattern section, you may set the task to be performed once, or on a daily or weekly basis by selecting the corresponding radio button:

• if you select the Run once radio button, the task will be performed at the time and date set in the First Run section;
• if you select the Daily radio button, this opens the Repeat Daily section below where you can set the task to be run:
  • either once in a certain number of days to be entered into the corresponding field (the Every radio button);
  • or on working days only (the Every weekday radio button);
  • or on weekends only (the Every weekend day radio button).
• if you select the Weekly radio button, this opens the Repeat Weekly section to set over what number of weeks (the Recur every field) and what day of week the task will be run;

The End Date section is displayed only if the task is to be launched more than once. In this section choose if the task will be:

• repeatedly performed until it is manually disabled, removed or edited (the No end date radio button);
• or launched for the first time on the date set in the Task Details section and for the last time on the date selected from the Select date window next to the End Date radio button.

The Containers the task is addressed to can be selected in the Back up Containers section. Click the Add Containers button and select the Containers you want to perform the task on from the pop-up window. To take a Container out of the list, select it and click the Remove Selected button.

In the Backup Options section, define the level of compression and the type of the backup:

• On the Backup Type drop-down menu, select one of the following types of backup:
  • Full backup. This type is recommended when doing a backup job for the first time and contains all the data selected for the backup. A full backup storage space and completion time requirements are the highest.
  • Incremental backup affects only those files and data which have changed since the last backup and takes less storage space and creation time.
  • Differential backup includes only the data modified since the last full backup. (Whereas a differential backup will save the data changed after any last backup, be it a full, incremental, or differential, this is only a full backup a differential backup considers to be the last one.)

  You can also leave here the default Use Hardware Node Settings value. In this case, every Container will be backed up with the default backup parameters of its Hardware Node. To view or set the Hardware Node default backup parameters, select a Hardware Node and click Configure -> Container Backup Settings on the top toolbar.

• On the Compression Level drop-down menu, choose one of the possible levels:
  • None. This level suggests no compression at all and is recommended if you need to perform a fast backup but do not need to save disk space necessary for backups storage;
  • The normal level of compression takes a little more time and allows for some disk space saving;
  • While extending the backup creation time, the high level of compression saves you even more disk space;
  • The maximum compression level means the longest backup creation time and the best backup compression.

    Note: It is recommended to choose the backup compression level according to the type of the data the Container stores. The Virtuozzo Containers software will try to compress the backup regardless of the data type, but some data are worth spending time for compression (such as text files and data bases) and some, such as already compressed archives are not. Therefore, select the None checkbox when the Container you are backing up stores no data that suggest or need compressing.

  You can also leave here the default Use Hardware Node Settings value. In this case, every Container will be backed up with the default backup parameters of its Hardware Node. To view or set the Hardware Node default backup parameters, select a Hardware Node and click Configure -> Container Backup Settings on the top toolbar.

• On the Backup Node drop-down menu, select the Hardware Node that will be used for storing the created backups.

  You can also leave here the default Use Hardware Node Settings value. In this case, every Container will be backed up with the default backup parameters of its Hardware Node. To view or set the Hardware Node default backup parameters, select a Hardware Node and click Configure -> Container Backup Settings on the top toolbar.

The Exclude section allows you to keep certain files and directories from backing up:

• Hidden files;
• System files;
• Single files or directories. If you do not want to back up a whole directory, type it into the corresponding field; to add more directories to be excluded from the backup, click the plus sign.

  Warning! If you exclude one or more system or hidden files/folders from the Container backup (e.g. either the Hidden files or System files checkbox is selected), you'll be able to restore only separate files from this backup, but not the Container as a whole.

The Include section allows you to limit the backup process with a number of selected files or directories inside the Container. In the field provided, type the absolute path to the file or directory you wish to back up. To include additional files or directories, click the plus icon to the right of an existing path and enter a new path.

The backup will contain only those files and directories that you have indicated in the Include section. To back up the whole Container, leave the Include section empty.

To save the task configuration, click Save, otherwise click Cancel.

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