Creating a backup-to-disk folder

Before you can start using the backup-to-disk feature, you must create at least one backup-to-disk folder.

See Requirements for creating a backup-to-disk folder.

See Requirements for creating a removable backup-to-disk folder.

To create a backup-to-disk folder

  1. On the navigation bar, click Devices.

  2. Under Backup-to-Disk Tasks in the task pane, click New folder or New removable folder.

  3. Enter or change information as follows:

    Name

    Name of the backup-to-disk folder. You can type a new folder name here.

    Backup-to-disk folder names must not exceed 128 characters.

    Path

    Enter the path where the folder is to reside. If this is a removable backup-to-disk folder, enter a drive.

    The backup-to-disk path name, which includes the backup-to-disk folder name, must not exceed 512 characters.

    If you do not know the exact path, click the button next to the Path field to browse to the correct path.

    Pause

    Check Pause to pause the device, and then click OK.

    Enable

    Check Enable in order for Backup Exec to use this device. Clear this check box to disable the device, and allow it to be available for other applications. If the box is clear, the device is disabled, and cannot be used by Backup Exec. After changing the option, click OK.

    Online

    If the device is online, the check box appears dimmed, with a check mark. If the device is offline, the check box is available, with no check mark. To bring the device online, check Online. No operations are allowed on the device until it is online again.

    Maximum size for backup-to-disk files

    Type the maximum size for each backup-to-disk file contained in this folder, and then select either MB or GB as the unit of size. The file size can be from 1 MB to 4096 GB. The default is 4 GB.

    Backup-to-disk folders that were created with earlier versions of Backup Exec continue to use the default file size of 1 GB.

    If you create smaller but more numerous backup-to-disk files, performance may be slower. If large backup-to-disk files are created, file system limitations could cause memory allocation problems or network issues, especially if the backup-to-disk files are stored across a network.

    This option works with the option Maximum number of backup sets per backup-to-disk file.

    Allocate the maximum size for backup-to-disk files

    This option is not available for a removable backup-to-disk folder.

    Check Allocate the maximum size for backup-to-disk files to create the backup-to-disk file at the maximum size to reduce disk fragmentation.

    You may want to increase the append period. However, increased append periods can cause an increase in the overall overwrite protection period since the overwrite protection period starts at the end of the last append job. This can result in fewer backup jobs being targeted to this backup-to-disk folder. To avoid this, set the maximum size for backup-to-disk files to an appropriate size.

    When the backup-to-disk file is initially created at the maximum size, the backup job may be delayed while Backup Exec creates the file. The backup job remains in a running state until the backup-to-disk file is created and data can be written to it.

    When you select this option, Backup Exec hides the option Maximum number of backup sets per backup-to-disk file. As a result, all of the space that is allocated to the backup-to-disk file is used.

    Maximum number of backup sets per backup-to-disk file

    Type the maximum number of backup sets to be written to each backup-to-disk file in this folder. The maximum number can range from 1 to 8192. The default is 100.

    Fewer backup sets in a backup-to-disk file may allow the overwrite protection period to expire sooner, and disk space to be reclaimed faster.

    Allow x concurrent jobs for this backup-to-disk folder

    This option is not available for a removable backup-to-disk folder.

    Type the number of concurrent operations that you want to allow to this folder. This number can range from 1 to 16.

  4. Click the Advanced tab to configure settings for the amount of disk space to reserve for the backup-to-disk folder, and to configure device settings; otherwise, click OK.

    The folder appears in the Devices view under the Backup-to-Disk Folders or Removable Backup-to-Disk Folders icon, depending on which type you created. It also appears in Windows Explorer as a folder. You can back up data to this folder now.

More Information

About backup-to-disk folders and files

Configuring advanced options for a backup-to-disk folder

Setting defaults for new backup-to-disk folders

Changing the path of a backup-to-disk folder