Guide to configuring Acronis Backup Plans on a VPS with Plesk

Once you install the Acronis Backup Extension in Plesk and connect it with your Acronis account, you can create and manage Backup Plans directly from the Plesk environment. This ensures that your VPS, domains, and data are protected in the way you prefer. 

Creating a New Backup Plan 

1. Log in to Plesk with your admin credentials. 
2. From the left menu, click Acronis Backup. 
3. You will be redirected to the Acronis Backup dashboard, where you will see all available options for creating and managing backup plans. 
4. On the main page, click Create Backup Plan. 
5. Enter a name for the Backup Plan (e.g., Full_Backup_01 or Weekly_DB_Backup). 
6. Select what the backup should include:
   1. Entire server (full image backup with OS, configs, and Plesk settings). 
   2. Per-subscription backup (specific accounts/domains). 
   3. Databases only (MySQL/MariaDB/MSSQL). 
   4. Files & directories (specific folders). 
   5. Mailboxes (content of specific accounts). 

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Scheduling Backups 

1. In the Schedule section, choose how often you want the backup to run:
   1. Daily (every day at a specific time). 
   2. Weekly (specific days of the week). 
   3. Monthly (e.g., the 1st of each month). 
   4. Hourly (every X hours). 

2. Set a start time — ideally during low-traffic hours. 

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Retention Rules 

1. In the Retention Rules section, define how many backups you want to keep. 

Example: Keep last 7 daily backups or Keep last 3 weekly backups. 

2. This prevents your storage from filling up with old backups. 

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Advanced Options 

• Encryption: Enable this if you want backups to be encrypted for extra security. 
• Compression: Reduce the backup file size to save storage space. 
• Notifications: Set up email notifications for successful or failed backups. 
• Pre/Post Commands: Run specific commands before or after the backup process. 

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Saving and Activating 

1. Once you finish configuring, click Save. 
2. The Backup Plan will appear in your list, and you can enable or disable it anytime. 
3. Click Run Now to execute the backup immediately and verify that everything works correctly. 

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

Can I have more than one Backup Plan? 
Yes, you can create multiple plans for different purposes (e.g., daily full backups and weekly database-only backups). 

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How much storage space do I need? 
It depends on the size of your files and databases. Enabling compression helps save space. 

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Can I restore only specific data? 
Yes, you can restore individual: 

• Files or folders 
• Databases 
• Mailboxes 

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What happens if a backup fails? 
You will receive a notification (if notifications are enabled), and you can review the logs directly in Plesk to troubleshoot.