When to use a selection list

Use a selection list to explicitly omit files from or include files in the backup by directory path, file name, and file type. Here are example uses for selection lists:

Important Note for Windows Clients: To perform integrated bare metal recovery or Windows instant recovery, boot and critical system volumes must be included in the backup. Do not use selection lists unless you are sure these volumes will be included. See Using selection lists with WIR and integrated BMR for details.

Selection list type

Example uses

Exclude list - any client

Create a one-time or scheduled full, differential, or incremental backup. Example uses:

     If legal or audit requirements specify a monthly backup for all files and folders except for process documents, set up a full backup to run monthly that excludes process documents.

     If company processes require full backups for all files except for training documentation and videos, create a full backup that excludes the folders and files of those types from the training department.

Include list - any client

Create a one-time or scheduled selective backup. Backup contains only files that meet inclusion criteria. Does not impact backup group chain, since selective backups are stand-alone and not part of a group. Example uses:

     Include only certain volumes or paths that have important data and do not need to run subsequent incremental or differential backups that contain only changes.

     Backup only a few files or a certain type of file during a single instance. For example, your Finance department is changing spreadsheets for a quarterly audit and would like to back up those spreadsheets.

Include list - Windows client

Create a one-time or scheduled full, differential, or incremental backup. Backup contains only files that meet inclusion criteria. Run a new full upon creating or modifying an inclusion list for the client. Example uses:

     Prevent accidental inclusion of unwanted external volumes. For example, if someone adds a USB drive or maps an external file system, this is included in subsequent file-level backups.

     Include only certain volumes or paths that have important data without losing the ability to capture only changes in subsequent incremental or differential or backups. Using a selective backup would not allow for incrementals and differentials of included data.

     Configuring the list of what to include is easier than specifying what to exclude from a backup.

Include list/Exclude list combination - Windows client

Create a one-time or scheduled backup using an include list to select files to include, then select the files to exclude a subset of included files.

     For full, differential, or incremental backups for Windows, agent 7.2 or higher. You can select includes, then excludes at the Enterprise or client level.

     For the selective backup type, you can select includes, then excludes at the Enterprise level.

Example uses:

     Include a training folder that contains training videos, then exclude all Word and PowerPoint files within the folder. For example, the training department is updating all of their training videos due to standards changes, and they want to back up all of their video related files except for companion Word and PowerPoint documents.

     Include a particular volume, then exclude a folder within that file. For example, you want to back up your C:\ drive, but you want to exclude the C:\Status Reports folder.