NovaBACKUP PC/Server/BE client (20.1 and older legacy versions)

NOTE: This guide was originally written for NovaBACKUP versions prior to 21.x. There are differences starting in version 21.x in regards to retention and setting the backup target in backup jobs (non-image backup jobs), as compared to how that is described in this KB article (that was written with versions prior to 21.x in mind). If running 21.x versions in order to backup (via the backup tab) to a legacy backup device, as this KB article describes how to do, can be done only after enabling "Legacy Storage Devices" support in NovaBACKUP 21.x first, see that guide here: How to Enable Legacy Storage Devices in NovaBACKUP in version 21 and higher. The Image Backup functions would however be the same in version 21.x, without enabling the "Legacy Storage Devices" support in NovaBACKUP 21.x.

A simplified guide to create, schedule, and implement File-level backups with a retention for:
A weekly Full file backup, a daily Differential file backup, &
a monthly System Image.

Note: Steps will be included below their respective screenshots. You can click on any image to make it full-size. 

Contents:

1. User Interface
2. Create and Schedule your Full File Backup Job (weekly)
3. Create and Schedule your (Diff)erential File Backup Job (daily)
4. Configure Retention for File Backups
5. Create and Schedule the System Image (monthly)
6. Review Scheduled Jobs

1. User Interface

The Home Tab

Only NovaBACKUP Business Essentials will have the Virtual Dashboard.

The Tab bar

The Home Tab

The Backup Tab

The Schedule Tab

The Main Menu

 
This is located in the Top Left Corner

2. Create and Schedule your Full File Backup job (weekly)

 Open the Backup Tab by clicking on it.

1. Select your Files you wish to backup.

2. Assign a Backup Name "Full"

3. Click [Backup to...]

   
   
   1. Assign a Media name (output filename) "Full" to match the Backup Name above
   2. Select the Output Storage Device
   3. Click [OK]

4. Adjust Backup Job [Settings]

   
   1. Change the Write Mode to "Append to media"
   2. Click [OK]
   3. Save backup job with click on small disk symbol at top:
      

5. Schedule the Full backup
   
   Click [Schedule...]
   

   1. Save the Full job when prompted, click [Yes]
      
      1. Confirm the Script File name "Full"
      2. Click [Save]

   2. Adjust Schedule Options:

      
   3. Type of Schedule "Daily"
   4. First Run Date
      
      
   5. Time this backup will run
   6. Run only on Friday
   7. Enter your Windows Log On Credentials, (User Name & Password)
   8. Check Credentials to confirm they are valid
   9. Click [OK] to schedule the job

3. Create and Schedule your (Diff)erential File Backup (Daily)

 This backup will contain the files that have changed since the last Full ran.

• Adjust settings from your Full job:

  
  

  1. Change the Backup Name to "Diff"

  2. Change the Output Filename to [Backup to...]

     
     1. Change the Output Filename (Media name) to Diff
     2. Select the Output Storage Device (it can sometimes change back to "C:")
     3. Click [OK]

  3. Change the job [Settings]

     
     1. Change the Backup Mode to "Differential"
     2. Click [OK]

  4. Open the Main Menu to Save As

     
     
     1. Choose "Save Full As..."
        
        1. Confirm the File name matches your Backup Name to save the Script as
        2. Click [Save]

  5. Schedule the Diff File Backup
     
     
     Click [Schedule...]

     
     1. Select Type of Schedule "Daily"
     2. Adjust the First Run Date
     3. Pick the Time you wish the backup to run
     4. Select the days of the week you wish the Diff File Backup to run (Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs)
     5. Enter your Windows Log On Credentials, (User Name & Password)
     6. Check Credentials to confirm they are valid
     7. Click [OK] to schedule the job

4. Configure Retention for File Backups

NOTE: This guide will set your Retention job to maintain the most recent two weeks of backups, adjust as needed. This means the most recent Image Backup (monthly), Full file backups within the last two weeks, and any partial (Differential) file backups after the first Full file backup, and up to the latest Full file backup will be kept when retention runs.

1. Open the Schedule Tab
2. Select [Backup Retention...]
   
   1. Choose "Age"
   2. To keep the last (2) weeks worth of File backups
   3. Choose "Weeks"
   4. Only allow Normal (File) Backups to be processed
   5. Save...] the Retention Job
      
      
      1. Give the job a script name (the default is fine)
      2. Click [Save]
3. You will be returned to the Schedule Tab
   
   
   1. Click [Add...] to schedule the retention job
      
      
      1. Select the job to schedule (click in the bar or the down arrow)
         
         1. Open the "Utility" folder
            
            
            1. Select the Retention Job you just created "My Backup Retention.nbk"
            2. Click [Open]
   2. Select Type of Schedule "Daily"
   3. Adjust the First Run Date
   4. Pick the Time you wish for the Retention to run (10 min before the Full is good!)
   5. Run only on Friday
   6. Enter your Windows Log On Credentials, (User Name & Password)
   7. Check Credentials to confirm they are valid
   8. Click [OK] to schedule the job

5. Create and Schedule the System Image Backup (monthly)

1. Open the Home Tab
2. Select Image Backup to Start the Image Backup Wizard
   
   
   1. Select Image Backup Schedule
   2. Click [Next]
      
      
      1. Confirm the Backup Type is "Full", click [Next]
         
         
         1. Select your "Disk 0:" (or whichever disk contains your "C:" partition)
         2. Click [Next]
            
            
            1. Specify a Backup Name "System Image"
            2. Click [Backup to...]
               
               
               1. Select the destination storage device
               2. Click [OK]
            3. Uncheck the "Overwrite previous image backup" option.  That would only be useful if you wanted to always overwrite your existing image backup on the backup destination each time it runs (only useful for if you are very space limited and can only fit one image at the storage destination or if you swap removable media in and out and can only support overwriting the existing image that is stored there each time the job runs).
            4. Click [Next]
               
               
               1. Select Type of Schedule "Daily"
               2. Adjust the First Run Date & Time you wish the backup to run
               3. Repeat every 4 occurrences of the Day (chosen next)
               4. Select the day of the week you wish the Image Backup to run (Fri)
               5. Enter your Windows Log On Credentials, (User Name & Password)
               6. Check Credentials to confirm they are valid
               7. Click [Finish] to schedule the job

6. Review Scheduled Jobs

Your Schedule Tab should now look similar (if not identical) to this: