Unable to exclude directories with Linux Backup

[HBSR]

Hello,

We're trying to exclude directory's from an FLR Linux Backup.
Also trying to filter a folders that are too big to backup and contains data-from-logging on our server but I can't exclude it from the process.
These folders are sometimes 1-deep, 2-deep, or 5-deep from root (/).
We have already tried all possible variations and includes an exclude for this folder and it is always backed up.

I run VEEAM Backup on Windows but the backup servers are all Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS (GNU/Linux 5.4.0-104-generic x86_64)

Support Case #05337435 — Unable to exclude directories with Linux Backup

Greet, HBSR

[HannesK]

Hello,
and welcome to the forums.

If I understood the case correctly, then you try to back up "/" with file level backup and you try to exclude some folders on NFS. But the NFS shares are not even backed up because backup of "/" does not back up mounted devices.

So the way would be to include /mnt/nfs... first and then exclude /mnt/nfs/folder1 and so on.

Best regards,
Hannes

[HBSR]

Hello Hannes,
To make the case even simpler and clearer, we tried (and we want to) backup an Linux server (specs: Ubuntu 20.04.4) with either;
Entire Computer/ Volume Level / File Level Backup and tried to exclude one specified directory or file (it is not an NFS share, which specs are known).
None of them doesn't seem to work correctly. Or there are files missing, directory's are missing.
So just how to backup and it doesn't matter which mode, but we want the exclude (directory or File) which is necessary.

Please suggest the best way to do this.

Best regards, Herman

[HannesK]

Hello,
with block-level backup (volume level / entire computer), there is no way to exclude directories. It backs up everything on supported file systems (block devices only).

For file-based backup: I'm not sure how I can help, as it looks like you stopped answering support. Support is available to help fix things. On the forums, we don't do log analysis.

Or there are files missing, directory's are missing.

With the information given, I can only guess the thing I did already before... "/" only backs up the root file system. Anything that is mounted (for example /boot or maybe /home) needs to be included explicitly.

Best regards,
Hannes

[N.Bekke]

Hi Hannes,

I'm a colleague of Herman's. What Herman means is that we don't want to be using includes... Since that's a very tricky way of creating a backup of a system. if during some period of time a new folder is being created on the filesystem and it's not included in the backup automatically, we may go out of sync.

We want to use file level backup and exclude directories. Not include, but only exclude. From the support cases we logged at Veeam i understood that we can include a directory and then exclude a subdirectory of that directory. But that's not what we want.

[HannesK]

Hello,
just to clarify: are the directories mountpoints or normal directories?

Because excluding directories works fine for me. Backup job configuration:




excluded directories are not in the backups


Best regards,
Hannes

[flow]

I would like to take up the question here again: is it also possible to use /folder/folder* to exclude in /folder/folderA and /folder/folderB?

[rovshan.pashayev]

Hello,

If we talk about Linux backup jobs, then /folder/folder* will not exclude /folder/folderA or /folder/folderB folders.

[flow]

Hallo,

yes we talk about Linux and Unix. Is there a way to achieve this?

[rovshan.pashayev]

Hello,

No. Wildcards do not work with directories exclusions for Linux backup job.
Noted as feature request.

[flow]

Thanks, but I'm a bit surprised that it doesn't work. How do others do it when they back up Oracle databases and DB2 servers? You don't create separate exclusions for each server; you create a general list.

[flow]

What about the ? as a placeholder, is it supported?

[rovshan.pashayev]

Hello,

No, it is not.
Linux backup jobs require the full path of directories to be specified for exclusions.