does a scheduled back-up all files append?

[jmedley]

I am attempting to make a bootable backup of a small mail server (OS 10.4.9). I am currently doing the first backup to another computer connected to the server in target mode. I have scheduled daily backups and was wondering, does it erase all files and do a complete backup each time or merely backup newer files (in this case mailbox files)? Thanks, Jim

[dnanian]

That depends entirely on what copy method you use. In general you'd use "Smart Update", which would only do what is necessary to make the destination equivalent to the selections on the source.

Note, though: backing up a 'mail server' is not going to be hugely reliable if you're doing so while the server is active...

[jmedley]

Thanks Dave, I didn't see the Smart Update setting before. Hurricane Ike knocked our mail server out and it would have been easier to tell someone to plugin the other computer than waiting for me to return and get another computer going using our retrospect backup. I will run a few test to see how the backups go while the server is active. Like I said, it is a small server with only about a dozen clients.

Thanks,
Jim