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This post will show you how to filter out specific files, file types, and sub-folders from a back selection when using the Azure Backup MARS agent to protect files and folders on a Windows PC or server.
The MARS agent is typically being used in a few scenarios:
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An administrator or a user might configure a backup selection, but there’s nothing that you can do to prevent users in these liberal environments from dumping their movie or music collection into the backup selection.
The last few versions of Windows Server have included file type filtering to prevent storage of unwanted files, but few are aware that this role feature even exists. It also won’t prevent a situation where the files are allowed but we do not want to back them up.
Another scenario that I encountered was an application that ingested terabytes of temporary files into the data folders; in this case, the temp files were large and scattered throughout the folder structure and existed for hours or days, making it impossible to deselect them.
In both cases, the increased storage impacts costs: the instance charge ($10 for 500GB, RRP) and the amount of blob storage that will be required in Azure to accommodate the backup. We need a means to filter out those files, file types, and folders that are unwanted by the business.
You can control which files, file types, and folders are not backed up:
This is done in a dialog box that you can access by clicking the Exclusion Settings button in the Select Items To Backup screen.
Azure Backup’s Select Items To Backup screen [Image Credit: Aidan Finn]
Un-configured Exclusion Settings in Azure Backup [Image Credit: Aidan Finn]
Excluding a folder from Azure Backup [Image Credit: Aidan Finn]
Preventing a folder from being backed up by Azure Backup [Image Credit: Aidan Finn]
Excluding a specific file from Azure Backup [Image Credit: Aidan Finn]
Preventing Azure Backup from protecting certain file types [Image Credit: Aidan Finn]
More from Aidan Finn
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