[Guide] Active Backup for Business Delete Old Backup

Why need to delete old backups?

Active Backup for Business is a comprehensive backup solution for businesses to protect their data across various platforms. Users can use Active Backup for Business to backup Hyper-V, VMware VM, physical servers, PC/Mac, and file server.

If you have been using Active Backup for Business for a long time, there can be some redundant backup versions running out of backup storage, so you will want to delete these old backups in Active Backup for Business to free up storage space.

Just keep reading, we will guide you on how to delete old Active Backup for Business jobs and backups in the next part.

How to delete Active Backup for Business old backups and tasks

In the Active Backup for Business interface, you have the option to delete backup tasks along with the backup files. Also, you can set up retention policies and it will delete old backup versions automatically.

Warning: It is not recommended to directly manually delete backup files created by Active Backup for Business from Files Station. This may result in invalidating other backup files.

Delete backup from the task list

Step 1. Choose the data type on the left side of the Active Backup for Business interface.

Step 2. Choose the backup you want to delete from the backup list. Then click the Delete button.

Step 3. It will prompt a message saying, are you sure you want to delete this task? Your backed-up data will not be preserved after the deletion. Click the Delete button to confirm.

Wait for the deleting process to get finished. Then the task and associated data will be removed from Active Backup for Business.

Delete backup by setting up a retention policy

Creating a new backup task using Active Backup for Business allows you to set up a retention policy to remove outdated or redundant backup files.

Step 1. Choose a data type from the Active Backup for Business interface. Click Create Task.

Step 2. Configure your backup target, content, schedule, and other information. 

Step 3. You will see the "Select Retention Policy" screen. Here it allows you to have basic backup retention rules such as keeping the last several versions. And there are advanced policies to meet your specific needs.  

Step 4. Click the Next button and complete the backup.

Further reading: Manage backups in Active Backup for Business

Managing backup tasks, including Synology delete backups, is a critical aspect of effective data management. Here is Active Backup for Business guide to help you efficiently manage your backup tasks and safely perform Active Backup for Business delete old backup:

To manage a backup task:

1. Choose the backup task you want to modify and click Edit.

2. On the General tab, you can perform the following:

• Review Microsoft 365 endpoint, domain administrator email, and SharePoint domain.
• Change the task name.
• Enable or disable Active Backup for Microsoft 365 Portal.
• Administer the Azure AD application associated with the task.

3. Navigate to the Auto-Discovery Service tab to specify account types or adjust target services.

4. Go to the Policy tab to configure backup and retention policies.

To edit users to back up:

1. Select a backup task and click Edit > User.

2. You can click Update Microsoft 365 User List for the latest information.

3. Use the magnifying glass icon in the search bar to define target account types, or click Reset to clear criteria.

4. Check the boxes for users or services you want to back up.

To edit groups to back up:

1. Select a backup task and click Edit > Group.

2. You can click Update Group List for the most recent information.

3. Filter different group types using the drop-down menu.

4. Check the boxes for groups or services to be backed up.

Note: Private groups without owners and members cannot be backed up.

To edit sites to back up:

1. Select a backup task and click Edit > SharePoint.

2. You can click Update Site List to load the latest list.

3. Choose Site or Personal Site from the drop-down menu.

4. Check the checkboxes of the sites to back up.

To edit teams to back up:

Note: Backup of team data requires additional validation, and initial backup may require permission from Microsoft Teams.

1. Select a backup task and click Edit > Teams.

2. You can click Update Team List to load the latest list.

3. Check the checkboxes of the teams you want to back up.

To free up space using Storage Management:

1. Select a backup task and click More > Storage Management.

2. Switch to the corresponding tabs. Select the target users, groups, sites, or teams and click Delete.

3. Depending on the object type:

• For Users: Specify service types to delete.
• For Microsoft 365 Groups: Specify service types to delete and decide whether to delete member data.
• For Security/Distribution List/Mail-enabled Security Groups: Confirm group member data deletion, checking notes before confirmation.
• For Sites: Confirm the sites to delete.
• For Teams: Confirm the teams to delete.

4. Click Delete to initiate the deletion. Deleted data will be removed from the backup list.

Better way to protect business flexibly - easy, automated, comprehensive

Active Backup for Business is a good way to backup data to Synology. However sometimes, it may encounter problems such as can't delete old backups. If you are looking for a better way to backup business data on different platform, you can turn to AOMEI Cyber Backup.

AOMEI Cyber Backup offers you the freedom to effortlessly manage your backup tasks with its innovative auto-delete feature. Say goodbye to the hassle of manually sifting through old backups—automates the process, intelligently identifying and deleting obsolete files, optimizing storage resources, and enhancing data security.

With features that prioritize flexibility, automation, and security, AOMEI Cyber Backup empowers organizations to navigate the complexities of VM backup effortlessly, ensuring the resilience of the virtualized environments in the face of evolving IT challenges.

✦User-Friendly Interface: It boasts an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it accessible for both IT professionals and those with limited technical expertise.
✦Flexible Backup Options: It provides a range of flexible backup options, including full, incremental, and differential backups, allowing you to tailor your backup strategy based on your specific needs.
✦Automated Scheduling: It enables businesses to automate the VM backup process with scheduled backups. This ensures regular and consistent data protection without manual intervention.
✦Quick Recovery: In the event of data loss or system failures, AOMEI Cyber Backup facilitates swift and efficient VM restoration. Quick recovery times contribute to minimizing downtime and maintaining business productivity.

AOMEI Cyber Backup supports Hyper-V(in Windows 8/8.1/10/11, Windows Server/Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 and later versions), VMware ESXi(6.0 and above), and Microsoft SQL(2005-2022) from a centralized console and click the button below to try the 30-day free trial:

*You can choose to install this VM backup software on either Windows or Linux system.

Simple steps to manage your virtual machine backups

Step 1. Bind Devices: Access to AOMEI Cyber Backup web client, navigate to Source Device >> VMware >> + Add VMware Device >> Add vCenter or Standalone ESXi host as the source device. And then click& … >> Confirm.

Step 2. Create Backup Task: Navigate to Backup Task >> + Create New Task, and then specify Task Name, Backup Type, Device, Target, and Schedule. With its concise interface, any operation can be done via several simple steps. Not only VMware backup and Hyper-V backup, it also supports SQL Server.

• Device: Cover multiple VMs on the host in one backup task.
• Target: Select to back up to a local path, or to a network path. Used paths will be saved in Favorite Storage for handy selection.
• Schedule: Choose to perform full, differential or incremental backup, and automate execution daily, weekly or monthly according to the frequency you specified.
• Cleanup: Configure a retention policy to auto-delete old backup files and save storage space.
• Archive: If you have AWS S3 storage, AOMEI Cyber Backup support archiving your backups to Amazon S3. Just check the option and add your S3 storage.

Step 3. Start Backup: You can select Add the schedule and start backup now, or Add the schedule only.

Step 4. The tasks you create for backups will be listed and monitored separately so you can check the progress, change the schedules, and restore them. Navigate to Start Restore >> Restore to, you can change restore location here.

• Restore to original location: Restore a VM to original host without any complicated reinstallation and configuration.
• Restore to new location: Create a new VM in the same or another datastore/host directly from the backup to perform out-of-spacre recovery, saves the trouble of re-configuring the new VM.

Conclusion

In conclusion, active backup plays a pivotal role in enhancing business data security by mitigating the risks associated with retaining old backups. Understanding the nuances of active backup versus traditional methods is crucial for businesses aiming to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats. Effective backup task management, including Synology Active Backup for Business delete, is essential for optimizing storage resources and maintaining data integrity.

With solutions like AOMEI Cyber Backup, you can take proactive steps towards a secure and streamlined backup strategy, ensuring the resilience of your data in an ever-changing digital landscape.