FileMaker Server Backup Strategy

Intermediate

Design a comprehensive backup strategy for FileMaker Server: schedules, retention, off-site storage, and testing.

What you'll learn

  • Configuring FileMaker Server backup schedules in Admin Console
  • Progressive backups vs. full backups
  • Off-site backup strategy for FileMaker files
  • Testing backup restoration as a regular practice

Data loss is a business emergency. FileMaker Server's built-in backup functionality handles most scenarios, but a backup strategy requires deliberate design: what to back up, how often, where to store backups, how long to keep them, and how to verify they work. This lesson covers the full strategy.

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Backup schedule types

FileMaker Server supports two backup types: **Full backup**: a complete copy of the .fmp12 file at a point in time. Larger, slower, but fully self-contained. **Progressive backup**: FileMaker's continuous backup that saves changes incrementally -- very fast, very frequent (every 5 minutes), but requires a full backup as the base. Use both: frequent progressive backups for recent changes, periodic full backups for durable point-in-time snapshots.

TEXT
// Recommended backup schedule:
// Progressive: every 5 minutes (Admin Console default)
// Full backup: daily at 1:00 AM -> retain 7 days
// Full backup: weekly at Sunday 3:00 AM -> retain 4 weeks
// Full backup: monthly (1st of month) -> retain 12 months
Scheduled Scripts on FileMaker ServerFileMaker Server Log Management

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