User Guide

Table Of Contents

3.5.1 Backup locations, their quotas and time limits

Backup server is a networked computer where Acronis Backup Server is installed. A backup

location is an automatically managed storage area for backups on a backup server local hard

disk. An administrator can organize one or more backup locations and set the overall

limitations to size/storage time for every location, i.e. quotas and time limits. An

administrator can move, clear or delete existing backup locations or edit their quotas and

time limits.

3.5.2 Quotas and time limits for computers and users

Individual quotas and time limits determine every computer’s or user’s quota on a backup

server. This include

1) maximum storage space, allocated to a user/computer, in MB

2) maximum number of backups

3) maximum number of incremental backups for each full backup

4) maximum storage period for the user’s/computer’s archives.

These values define how Acronis Backup Server itself will handle the backup archives.

At first backup of the computer/user’s data to the backup server, a full backup will be

created. The next backups will be incremental, until the maximum number of incremental

backups is reached. Then again a full backup and a set of subsequent incremental backups is

created, then again a full backup and so on.

As appears from the above, when backing up to backup server, a user cannot select backup

mode (full, incremental, differential). The backup mode will be set by Acronis Backup Server.

Please be aware, that in fact maximum number of incremental backups includes one initial

full backup. For example, if this parameter is set to 5, Acronis Backup Server will create one

full backup, then four incremental backups, then again a full backup and so on. For this

reason, this parameter is also called “maximum number of backups in an archive”. Archive

here means a set of subsequent increments and the base full backup.

When number of backups or storage space exceeds the preset value, Acronis Backup Server

will combine the first full backup with the next incremental one into one full backup which

will be dated the later backup date. Then, if necessary, this backup will be combined with

the next, until the occupied storage space (or number of backups) decreases to the

limitation. Thus, the archive integrity will not be affected, in spite of the fact that the most

old backups will be deleted. This procedure is called

automatic consolidation

When the storage period expires, Acronis Backup Server will delete the outdated archives

without notification.

An administrator can run a check of meeting the limitations on a schedule (once, daily,

weekly or monthly). All user’s/computers archives on the backup server will be checked and,

if some quotas and time limits are exceeded, the above processing will be executed.

3.5.3 Administrator profiles and User profiles

Profile is a set of parameters, assigned to each computer and user that backs up on the

backup server. Profile includes the backup location and the above limitations. When an

administrator adds a new computer or user to Acronis Backup Server database, they are

assigned the default backup location, quotas and time limits. An administrator then can

change these settings by editing the respective profile.