Please note that only one macro should be created for the backup of your files and directories. This macro then contains all the periods. The system of differential and full-backups does not work if one macro is used for daily backups and another one for weekly backups. Several macros might be used to backup different data, but not for the same directories or databases.
The new backups always overwrite the old ones. Otherwise, storage would quickly be filled, and regular backup impossible. On the other hand it is dangerous to overwrite the latest backup by the new one. If the PC crashes during backup, there is no more backup around: The actual backup was overwritten and the new one is not finished. Therefore there is a rotation of 2-12 backups, until the first backup is overwritten. For backups to fixed disks, minimum rotation can be set to 1. In this case, backups are not overwritten, but the previous backup is deleted, when new backup completes. If your PC crashes during backup, last backup will still be available, even if you set rotation to 1.
For backups on tapes and removable disks, Stratesave follows the GFS (Grandfather Father Son)-strategy. Multiple backups can be stored on a single tape or disk, but only for the same period. There will be a set of at least two tapes for every period, to avoid loss of data. The last backup in the rotation plan must be stored on a different tape than the first one. The reason for this restriction is that backups on tape always overwrite the backup already stored there, and all backups further behind on tape. For backups on fixed disks, the backups of a period can all be made on the same disk. Even backups of several periods or several PCs can go to same disk. For security-reason, it is advisable not to store all backups at the same location. If the critical disk gets defective, all the backups will be lost.
For example, it is decided to store weekly and monthly backups on tape. The rotation is 4 for weekly backups and 12 for monthly backups, as all weekly backups should be kept for one month and all monthly backups for one year. If the backup tape has enough space for 4 full backups, this backup plan requires 2 tapes for weekly backups (at least 2 tapes are required for every period) and 3 tapes for monthly backups (12 backups / 4 backups per tape = 3 tapes). The total number of tapes required will be 2 + 3 = 5.
If there is a lot of backup data, one tape may be not enough for a full backup. Certainly this depends on the storage capacity of the tapes used. Stratesave allows one backup to extend over several tapes or removable disks. In the dialogs where a volume name is required, you can always enter a set with several tape- or disknames. If a tape or removable disk is filled during backup, backup will continue on the next in set. The tapes and removable disks must be named and initialized before use. The name of a tape consists of maximum 6 capital letters or digits. This conforms to ANSI tape-standard. The name of a removable disk has up to 12 letters or digits.
Network directories on remote computers are preferably selected through their Administrative shares (\\Server\C$, \\Server\D$\.. etc.). Don't select other system defined shares for backup. Also don't select virtual drive defined by Exchange server (usually M:). This virtual drive is built by Exchange server automatically and does not need to be backed up.
A full backup of a computer typically includes all administrative shares if remote (\\Computer\C$, \\Computer\D$ etc.), all disk drives if local (C:, D:, etc. but not the virtual drive M: from Exchange Server), System State, SQL server database (if installed), Exchange Server database (if installed).
All files in a directory are backed up, also hidden files (files, which are normaly not shown in Windows Explorer or with DIR-command). System swap-files and other temporary files are automatically excluded. The files and directories defined in registry under 'FilesNotToBackup' are also automatically excluded. Files of certain types can also be excluded from backup within Stratesave (under Settings->Exclude Files).
The time plan of Stratesave can be overruled, if necessary. For instance, when time plan signals that a weekly backup should be made, a daily backup can be executed anyway.
Databases which support differential backups (SQL Server, Exchange Server) are backed up either differentially (only changes) or fully in a differential backup. Databases which support only full backups (e.g. System State databases) are backed up fully in a differential backup. Purely incremental backups can be defined for SQL Server and Exchange Server.