Similar to all client types, exclusion lists can be created for full, differential, and incremental backups of Windows clients. For more information, see Using selection lists.
By default, certain directories and files are excluded from file-level backups of Windows severs. These exclusions are in addition to any exclusions you have applied to the Windows server’s backups.
Directories and files excluded from file-level backups of Windows servers
By default, the following are excluded from file-level backups of Windows servers:
• /RECYCLER
• /$Recycle.Bin
• %TMP%
• %TEMP%
• *.tmp
• *.temp
• %AllUsersProfile%\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\Cache
• %WINDIR%\System32\Config
• %WINDIR%\System32\Catroot2
• %WINDIR%\win386.swp
• Contents of the server’s DataDirectory as specified by the registry key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows
• Contents of the server’s DefaultDataDirectory as specified by the registry key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows
• Files specified by the registry key HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToBackup
• Additionally, the following profile directories specified by the registry key HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList\*\ProfileImagePath\ are also excluded:
– \AppData\Local\Temp
– \Local Settings\Temp
– \Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files
Application files excluded from file-level backups of Windows servers
If your Windows server is hosting applications, the following default exclusions also apply to file-level backups of the server:
• Files in Exchange and SQL database/log directories are excluded.
• Any files owned by Exchange, Hyper-V, or SQL applications are excluded.
• SQL files with extensions .mdf, ldf., and *.ndf are excluded only if the SQL VSS component is running on the Windows server.
To protect applications hosted by a Windows server, run application backups, as described in the chapters Microsoft Exchange Server Protection, Protecting Hyper-V Environments, and Microsoft SQL Server Protection.