About keeping multiple backups in a backup schedule

In the backup schedule, use the Number of Backups to Keep option to specify how many backups of the selected databases to keep. The maximum is 99; however, your machine may run out of disk space before reaching that amount.

For example, create a backup schedule that runs once a day at 6:00 PM and keep a maximum of seven backups, which is a daily backup for one week. On the eighth day that the backup schedule runs, FileMaker Server automatically deletes the oldest backup—the one created on the first day—and replaces it with a new backup.

Each time a backup schedule runs, FileMaker Server creates a new sub-folder within the backup folder you specified. The name of the new sub-folder is a combination of the schedule name and the local server date and time when the backup schedule runs (for example, DailyBackup_2021-07-25_1800). When the total number of backups reaches the maximum number you specify, FileMaker Server deletes the oldest backup sub-folder in the backup folder.

Notes 

  • If there is insufficient disk space on the destination disk for a new backup, FileMaker Server deletes one or more of the oldest backup sub-folders to create the free disk space required for the newest backup.

  • If you change the name of a backup schedule, FileMaker Server renames all existing backup sub-folders to match the new name.

  • If you change the backup folder of a backup schedule, FileMaker Server cannot automatically move the existing backup sub-folders. You must manually move them to the new backup folder to have FileMaker Server count them toward the maximum backups to keep.

  • If you decrease the value for Number of Backups to Keep, FileMaker Server deletes the extra backup sub-folders, starting with the oldest.

  • If you set Number of Backups to Keep to 0, FileMaker Server places the backup file directly in the specified destination folder without creating a timestamped sub-folder.

  • If you remove a database from a backup schedule or if the database is no longer hosted, FileMaker Server eventually deletes that database from all backup sub-folders as it reaches the maximum number of backups.