When the agent is installed on a protected system, you can create schedules and apply these schedules to protected systems. 

All appliance schedules are created and maintained within the appliance.

Backup types

When you create a schedule, you define two types of backups: ·   

• The initial backup (also called a full backup) which copies all sectors of the image.
• Incremental backups (also called snapshots) which only back up changes. This saves time and disk space. Note that you can't schedule an incremental backup unless you have first completed the initial backup (full backup). Because x360Recover is chain-free, snapshots are not dependent on previous snapshots.

Best practices

Consider the following best practices:

• Perform a search for files greater than 50MB created within the last seven days. 

If you notice ongoing, large data dumps performed on the server that might balloon the size of incremental backup images, consider disabling the source of the file creation. Alternatively, re-target the file storage to a separate disk volume and then disable backups on that volume.

For example, we recommend avoiding SQL Database backups, Quickbooks company file backups, PST File exports or copies, Windows Server Backup images, and so forth. SQL backups performed by a SQL Maintenance Task are a likely source of redundant data that could cause excessively large incremental backups.

• From an elevated command prompt, run the vssadmin list shadowstorage command to ensure the volume shadow copy size column is not set to UNBOUNDED. We recommend setting the default storage size to 10% of the total space. If less than 15% of the disk volume is free, we recommend that you redirect shadowstorage to another volume with sufficient free space.
• We recommend avoiding disk defragment operations on the target protected system. Prior to installing the agent, we recommended performing a thorough disk defragment operation of both regular files and the Master File Table. This process will help ensure that the initial base image for the protected system is in a healthy state.
• On protected systems running Microsoft Exchange, set the Exchange VSS service to Automatic Startup to ensure consistent Exchange backups and log file cleanup.
• On protected systems running SQL Server, set the Microsoft SQL VSS Writer service to Automatic Startup to ensure consistent backups of Microsoft SQL databases.
• We recommend performing  backups on a 24/7 basis and not limiting backup windows strictly to expected business hours for the customer.  Backups taken outside of working hours where no changes to data have been made will be extremely small; it is always better to have the option to restore from additional recovery points in the event of an unexpected disaster.

Create schedules 

Within the appliance, you can use the Schedules page to define initial backup schedules and ongoing incremental snapshot schedules. 

• You can create schedules and assign them to different machines according to special requirements or technical limitations. 
• You can adjust the initial backup schedule to run during certain hours of the day and pause at other hours of the day to limit user impact during office hours.
• After a schedule is created, you must assign the schedule to a protected system from the Protected Systems page.

To create a schedule:

1. Log in to the Appliance Web interface.

2. In the left-hand navigation menu, click the Schedules tab.

3. In the Schedules page, click the Create Schedule button.

4. In the Create Schedule page, enter information about the new Schedule:

a. In the Name field, enter a descriptive name for the schedule. For example, you might create a scheduled titled, Critical, for servers that require 15-minute incremental backups; and Non-Critical for servers that only require incremental backups every hour.

b. Ensure the Enabled checkbox is selected to activate this new Schedule. If the Schedule is not enabled but later assigned to a Protected System, backups for the Protected System will be disabled.

c. Optionally, click the Default checkbox to assign this Schedule as the default schedule for all Protected Systems.

d. In the Initial Backup section, define a Start Time and End Time for the first, full initial backup. This timeframe allows you to limit the impact of the initial backup on the user experience.

e. In the Incremental Backup section, you can optionally use the drop-down menu to change the Incremental Backup type from Internal to Manual. The Manual setting allows you to create Snapshots at specific times instead of intervals.

f. If you selected Interval in the drop-down menu, define a Start Time, End Time, and Interval for all future incremental backups.

g. Click the Save button when you are finished. The schedule is now created and will be listed in the Schedules page. You can manage and edit schedules in the Schedules page.

4. After the schedule is created, you can assign the schedule to a Protected System.

a. In the left-hand navigation menu, click the Protected Systems tab.

b. Find the Protected System and use the Schedule drop-down menu to select the appropriate Schedule. The schedule is now assigned to the Protected System.

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• Contact Axcient Support at https://partner.axcient.com/login or call 800-352-0248
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