Backup plan cheat sheet

The following table summarizes the available backup plan parameters. Use the table to create a backup plan that best fits your needs.

WHAT TO BACK UP	ITEMS TO BACK UP Selection methods	WHERE TO BACK UP	SCHEDULE Backup schemes (not for Cloud)	HOW LONG TO KEEP
Disks/volumes (physical machines)	Direct selection Policy rules File filters	Cloud Local folder Network folder SFTP server* NFS* Secure Zone* Managed location* Tape device*	Always incremental (Single-file)* Always full Weekly full, Daily incremental Monthly full, Weekly differential, Daily incremental (GFS) Custom (F-D-I)	By backup age (single rule/per backup set) By number of backups By total size of backups* Keep indefinitely
Disks/volumes (virtual machines)	Policy rules File filters	Cloud Local folder Network folder SFTP server* NFS* Managed location* Tape device*
Files (physical machines only)	Direct selection Policy rules File filters	Cloud Local folder* Network folder* SFTP server* NFS* Secure Zone* Managed location* Tape device*	Always full Weekly full, Daily incremental Monthly full, Weekly differential, Daily incremental (GFS) Always incremental (Single-file)* Custom (F-D-I)
ESXi configuration	Direct selection	Local folder Network folder SFTP server NFS*
System state (in cloud deployments only)	Direct selection	Cloud Local folder Network folder	Always full Weekly full, daily incremental Custom (F-I)
SQL databases	Direct selection	Cloud Local folder Network folder Managed location* Tape device
Exchange databases	Direct selection
Exchange mailboxes	Direct selection	Cloud Local folder Network folder Managed location*	Always incremental (Single-file)
Office 365 mailboxes	Direct selection			By backup age (single rule/per backup set) By number of backups Keep indefinitely

* See the limitations below.

Limitations

SFTP server and tape device

• These locations cannot be a destination for backups of machines running macOS.
• These locations cannot be a destination for application-aware backups.
• The Always incremental (single-file) backup scheme is not available when backing up to these locations.
• The By total size of backups retention rule is not available for these locations.

NFS

• Backup to NFS shares is not available in Windows.
• The Always incremental (single-file) backup scheme for Files (physical machines) is not available when backing up to NFS shares.

Secure Zone

• Secure Zone cannot be created on a Mac.
• The Always incremental (single-file) backup scheme for Files (physical machines) is not available when backing up to Secure Zone.

CD/DVD

• Catalog is not supported for backup on CD/DVD/BD.
• CD/DVD supported only during recovery using bootable media.
• CD/DVD is not supported by Windows 11.
• Blu-ray is not supported.
• No replication to and from CD/DVD.
• Recovery via media only.
• Archive version 11 support only.

Managed location

• A managed location with enabled deduplication or encryption cannot be selected as the destination:

  • If the backup scheme is set to Always incremental (single-file)
  • If the backup format is set to Version 12
  • For disk-level backups of machines running macOS
  • For backups of Exchange mailboxes and Office 365 mailboxes.
• The By total size of backups retention rule is not available for a managed location with enabled deduplication.

Always incremental (single-file)

• The Always incremental (single-file) backup scheme is not available when backing up to an SFTP server or a tape device.
• The Always incremental (single-file) backup scheme for Files (physical machines) is available only when the primary backup location is Acronis Cloud.

By total size of backups

• The By total size of backups retention rule is not available:

  • If the backup scheme is set to Always incremental (single-file)
  • When backing up to an SFTP server, a tape device, or a managed location with enabled deduplication.