How to use backup schedule

How to use backup schedule#

Typically, backups are triggered by a job scheduler. Running them on a scheduled schedule is useful for a number of reasons. Bacula provides integrated scheduler that can be configured to run backups.

The configuration resource responsible for running scheduled Bacula backups is named Schedule. This is the Bacula Director resource because initiating all Bacula jobs (Backup, Copy, Migrate, Verify, Admin…) is the Director task.

In the Schedule resource you can plan when a job should start, at what time interval (hourly, daily, weekly, montly, yearly…) and also you can specify configuration directives that will override the job directives. For example, if the backup job level is Full, then in the Schedule you can change the level to Incremental or Differential for specific runs at specific time or interval. This advantage enables to configure almost any backup strategy (Grandfather-Father-Son, Tower of Hanoi…).

One Schedule can be used in many jobs. It means that Schedule is independent resource and it isn’t statically connected to one specific job.

What is required?#

  • Any version of the Bacularis web interface

How to do it?#

In Bacularis creating schedule can be done in two places:

  • On the Bacula Director configuration page

  • In new backup job wizard while the new backup is creating

In this section of the documentation we describe the first method of configuring Schedule on the Bacula Director configuration page. This is more universal method that can be used to all types of jobs (not only for backups).

Please go to the Director page in the main menu. On the Configure director tab you can find the Schedule sub-tab and there is the Add Schedule button. Please click it.

First you need to type the Schedule name and optional description.

The next part of the Schedule consists of configuration blocks named Run blocks. In each Run block you can define:

  • Time interval in which jobs should be started

  • Configuration directives that can overwrite job directives

../_images/bacularis_create_schedule_add_new_schedule_window.png

Time intervals#

You can choose one of the following intervals:

  • Hourly to run the job on an hourly basis, for example every hour at quarter past the hour (XX:15).

  • Daily to run the job every day, for example every day at the selected time (14:20).

  • Weekly to run the job weekly on selected days of the week, for example every Tuesday at 15:10.

  • Monthly to run the job monthly on selected weeks and selected days of the week, for example every second Monday of the month at 7:40.

  • Custom to run the job on a mixed time interval allowing you to mix all the above intervals. Additionally you can select the month (January, February…) and week of the year (first week of the year, fortieth week of the year…).

Configuration job directives#

In each Run block it is possible to override the following job directives:

  • Level - job level (Incremental, Differential, Full…).

  • Pool - volume pool for logical grouping storage volumes.

  • Storage - Bacula storage to write backup data.

  • Messages - configuration resource with the log types (info, warning, error, fatal, debug…).

  • NextPool - next volume pool directive used in some job types (Copy, Migrate…).

  • FullPool - volume pool for storing full level backups.

  • DifferentialPool - volume pool for storing differential level backups.

  • IncrementalPool - volume pool for storing incremental level backups.

  • Accurate - accurate mode to track moved or deleted files.

  • Priority - backup priority.

  • SpoolData - enable data spooling before writing them on volumes.

  • MaxRunSchedTime - maximum allowed time that a job may run, counted from when the job was scheduled.

Add run block#

By default in the add schedule window is one Run block ready to configure. You can add more blocks by clicking the Add button. Please add as many block as are needed to cover the required job start time and intervals.

After saving the new Schedule resource, it can be assigned to every desired Job or JobDefs. You can do it for example here:

[Main menu] => [Page: Director] => [Tab: Configure director] => [SubTab: Job] => [Button: Edit - for select job] => [Directive: Schedule]

Video guide#

Here you can watch the video guide that presents creating the Bacula Schedule by the Bacularis web interface.