Incremental

You can back up all new or changed files or directories in the default client domain or from file systems, directories, or files.

To incrementally back up selected files or directories, enter a file specification in the command. If you do not enter a file specification, the default is to back up files or directories in the default domain.

AIX® only: You can enable snapshot-based incremental backup by using the option snapshotproviderfs=JFS2.

The following attributes in the management class that is assigned to the file or directory affect whether the data is backed up:

Frequency

The number of days that must elapse between successive backups of the object. The frequency attribute applies only to a full incremental backup.

This management class attribute is ignored during a journal-based backup.

This management class attribute is ignored during a journal-based backup.

Mode

Specifies whether changes since the last backup operation affect the processing. If mode=modified, only objects that changed since the last backup operation are processed. If mode=absolute, every object is processed, regardless of whether the object changed since the last backup operation.

If the copy group mode is set to modified, it can be overridden by using the client absolute option. For more information about the absolute option, see Absolute.

Serialization

Permits or denies backup of files or directories according to the following values:

• static: To be backed up, data must not be modified during backup or archive.
• shared static: If data in the file or directory changes during each of the allowed attempts to back up or archive it, it is not backed up or archived. The value of the changingretries option determines how many attempts are made. The default is 4.
• dynamic: The object is backed up or archived on the first attempt whether or not data changes during the process.
• shared dynamic: The object is backed up or archived on the last attempt, even if data changes during the process.

Using the include option in an include-exclude list, you can override the default management class for a file or group of files.

You can perform either a full incremental backup or an incremental-by-date backup. The default is a full incremental backup.

If you are journaling a file system and the journal is valid, the full incremental backup performs a journal-based backup. More than one journal-based backup session can be started, but only one journal-based backup session can proceed. All other journal-based backup sessions that need access to the same file space must wait until the current journal-based backup session completes before the next session can proceed. You can perform a full incremental backup without the journal by using the nojournal option.

You can also use the selective command to perform a backup that backs up only the files, directories, or empty directories that you specify regardless of whether they were changed.

A full incremental backs up all files and directories that are new or were changed since the last incremental backup. During a full incremental backup, the client queries the server. IBM Spectrum Protect™ uses this information when it performs the following actions:

A full incremental backs up all files and directories that are new or were changed since the last incremental backup. During a full incremental backup, the client queries the server or the journal database. IBM Spectrum Protect uses this information when it performs the following actions:

• Backing up new files or directories.
• Backing up files or directories whose contents were changed since the previous backup.
• Marking inactive backup versions on the server for files or directories that are deleted from the workstation.
• Rebinding backup versions to management classes if the management class assignments change.

Supported Clients

This command is valid for all clients.

                                .-------------------.   
                                V                   |   
>>-Incremental--+------------+----+---------------+-+----------><
                '- --options-'    +- --filespec---+     
                                  '- --"filespec"-'     

>>-Incremental--+------------+--+-----------------+------------><
                '- --options-'  | .-------------. |   
                                | V             | |   
                                '--- --filespec-+-'   

Parameters

filespec

Specifies the path and file name that you want to back up. Use wildcard characters to select a group of files or all the files in a directory. If you do not specify a file specification, the domain option determine what to back up.

If you specify a file system, all new and changed files are backed up. In addition, the last incremental date for the file space is updated on the server. If you specify a file or directory, the last incremental date is not updated. This means that the file or directory might be backed up again if a later backup is performed by using the incrbydate option. If you specify a file system, specify the file system without a trailing slash.

filespec

Specifies the path and file name that you want to back up. Use wildcards to select a group of files or all the files in a directory. You can specify as many file specifications as available resources or other operating system limits permit. Separate file specifications with a space. You can also use the filelist option to process a list of files. The backup-archive client opens the file that you specify with this option and processes the list of files within according to the specific command. If you do not specify a file specification, the domain option determines what to backup.

If you specify a file system, all new and changed files are backed up. In addition, the last incremental date for the file space is updated on the server. If you specify a file or directory, the last incremental date is not updated. This means that the file or directory might be backed up again if a later backup is performed by using the incrbydate option. If you specify a file system, specify the file system without a trailing slash.