Backups can be automated with Scheduled Jobs that you can find at the bottom of the left-side tree structure in M-Files Admin. Backups can be restored later if necessary (see Restoring a vault).
Creating a new scheduled job
Complete the following steps to define a new scheduled backup job:
-
In the task area, click New Scheduled Backup
Job.
Result:The Scheduled Job Properties dialog is opened.
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To define a schedule for this task:
-
Select Schedule.
Result:The Define Schedule dialog is opened.
-
Select Schedule.
-
Click Backup to open the Backup
tab.
Result:The Backup tab is opened.
Scheduled backup jobs
The Backup tab of the Scheduled Job Properties dialog enables you to define what needs to be backed up and to which location. You can also specify whether to divide the backup into multiple files and whether to overwrite existing backup files.
For step-by-step instructions on how to create a vault backup, see Backing up a vault.
The Backup tab of the Scheduled Job Properties dialog.
Backup types
Two kinds of backups can be made of document vaults: full backups and differential backups. Only full backups can be made of the master database.
A full backup is the most complete copy that can be produced with M-Files. It contains, for example, the history information of all documents. You cannot make a differential backup if you have not made a full backup first.
To save disk space, full backups should be scheduled to occur less frequently, for instance once a week, and differential backups for example once a day. Be sure to specify backups separately for both the document vault and the master database.
The differential backup contains all data that has been changed after the last full backup. When restoring a differential backup, you will need the full backup and the files from the last differential backup.
Backup recommendations
The M-Files server is used to save important data, so it is very important to take care of backup procedures. It is important to make a regular backup of each document vault and master database on the server. Backups are easy to set up with the scheduled jobs in M-Files Admin. We recommend setting M-Files to run backups every night.
Each backup produces files that must be moved to a safe place.
Example
Your organization has a separate disk server. The master database and document vault backups are run on the M-Files server every night with the scheduled jobs. The jobs are set up so that each produces a single file that replaces the older one. Backup files are set to be moved to the disk server and from there to a tape drive. If there are problems, like hardware failure, the backups make it possible to quickly restore M-Files.
