Setting up remote backup

If you have FileMaker Server Remote Backup, you can set it up to back up the databases in the hosting folder (the secure database folder, default database folder, or both) to a remote drive. You can create remote drives in Claris Customer Console and allocate the storage for each drive. After you create a drive, you need to assign and connect the drive to a server.

After you set up remote backup, databases that have changes are automatically backed up to the remote drive every 20 minutes.

When using both FileMaker Server Remote Backup and Standby Server:

You can configure them in any order.
Remote backup is disabled if the server role is set to Standby or Standby Snapshot.
You can't change the server role to Standby or Standby Snapshot while the remote backup drive is connected to the server. To change the role, you need to first disconnect the drive.
Before you promote the standby server to primary, you can select the Reconnect remote backup drive checkbox in the Switchover dialog to automatically reconnect the remote drive after the switchover.

For information about using a standby server, see Configuring a standby server.

Notes

You can assign and approve up to five drives, but only one drive can be connected to a server at a time.
With remote backup, only the files in the hosting folder are backed up to the remote drive.
During connecting or disconnecting a remote drive, the hosted files will be paused.

Step 1: Create a new drive

In FileMaker Server Admin Console, click the Remote Backups > Remote Backup Drives tab.
Click Manage Storage in Claris Customer Console, then sign in to Claris Customer Console. See Signing in to Claris Customer Console in Claris Customer Console Help.
In Claris Customer Console, on the Remote Backup page, click Create New Drive.
Enter the name and size for the drive, then click Create Drive.

The minimum required size for a drive is 5 GB.

The drive is added to the Remote Backup page. You need to use the Drive ID and Drive key listed on this page for the next step.

Step 2: Assign the drive to a server

You can assign up to five drives, but only one drive can be connected to a server at a time. For example, you can use different drives to transfer files between servers.

In FileMaker Server Admin Console, click the Remote Backups > Remote Backup Drives tab.
Click Assign Drive.
Paste the Drive ID and Drive Key provided in Claris Customer Console, then click Assign Drive.

The assigned drive is added to the list of drives on the Remote Backup Drives section.

Step 3: Approve the assigned server

In FileMaker Server Admin Console, click the Remote Backups > Remote Backup Drives tab.
Click Manage Storage in Claris Customer Console
In Claris Customer Console, find the drive on the Remote Backup page.
If you don't see the list of assigned servers for the drive, click Assigned Servers.
Click Approve Server for the assigned server for the drive.

Step 4: Connect the drive to the server

Note Only one drive can be connected to a server at a time.

In FileMaker Server Admin Console, click the Remote Backups > Remote Backup Drives tab.
Select the drive to connect, then click Connect Drive.
Do one of the following:

To back up your local hosting folder to an empty remote drive, select Start with new backups. To choose this option, the remote drive needs to be empty.
To copy backups from an existing remote drive to an empty local hosting folder, select Start by copying an existing remote backup. To choose this option, the local hosting folder needs to be empty. If the folder is not empty, you need to remove the hosted files. See Removing hosted files.
To back up your local hosting folder to an existing remote drive, select Start with new backups to an existing remote drive. Use this option after a standby server switchover only. For information about using a standby server, see Configuring a standby server.

Click Connect Drive.