Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 19-13. On the Folders tab, you tell FileMaker where to store your backup files. By default,
FileMaker Server has auto-entered a path to a folder within the FileMaker Server folder. You can
enter any valid path on your computer or network. Use the Validate button to check your syntax.
Ideally, you'll create backups on a different hard drive than your live databases, in case of hard-
ware failure.
Once you've set the backup location, you're ready to schedule the backup. Like many things
in FileMaker, you can do it the easy way if your needs are basic, or you can peek under the
hood and make numerous configuration choices to get exactly what you want. A backup
schedule runs periodically (you control how often), and backs up certain files (you control
which ones). Each time FileMaker makes a backup, it puts the files in a folder with the date
and time in its name so you can easily tell how old the backup file is. You also configure the
schedule to keep a certain number of copies. For instance, if you choose to keep three copies,
then FileMaker automatically keeps three complete backups. When the schedule runs again,
it deletes the oldest and makes one more new one.
FileMaker Server includes three handy built-in schedules. If you want the most basic backup
(every file, every night, keeping a week's worth of copies), then you don't have to do any-
thing. FileMaker Server comes preconfigured to run just such a backup automatically. (You
can see it in the Admin Console's Schedules section, labeled Daily.)
If you want more frequent backups, turn off Daily, and turn on Hourly instead (you turn on a
schedule by using the checkbox by its name). This version keeps eight copies of your data-
