configure backups to date/time stamped zip files

[Wim Decorte]

I've put a PDF article up on the downloads section of my website on how I set up backups with FileMaker Server to create date/time stamped zip files.

All with just 3 schedules:

- one hourly schedule using FileMaker Server's normal backup

- one hourly schedule to archive that FMS backup in a date/time stamped zip file

- one hourly schedule to copy that zip file to a network share away from the FMS machine.

Any and all feedback welcome!

Enjoy,

Wim.

Connecting Data

[LaRetta]

Hi Wim,

I can't thank you enough for this backup process. I haven't reviewed it yet (except a quick read-over). But even *I* can do this! And we desperately needed it in our new served environment and I was pulling my hair out trying to come up with something.

I could have used it for my home system this weekend also.

Bless you!!

LaRetta

[Reed]

For those on OS X, here's a simple two-line shell script that you can put into your schedule that will do a similar backup.

#! /bin/bash

zip /Path/To/Backup/Drive/backupName`date +%y%m%d%H%M`.fp7.zip /Path/To/Your/BackedUp/DB/filename.fp7

This assumes you have a normal schedule that does a live backup to a local drive.

You can add a line for each local backup drive or mounted remote share. (/Volumes/ShareName...) I have three local drives, one share in another office, and one in another building.

You could add lines for all databases you wanted to backup (or you could do folders at once) on the same schedule. Or you could make separate files for things on different schedules.

The bit between the backticks is what actually puts the timestamp on the zip archive filename. (You could also make tarballs if you wanted to)

Dana