Backup EnginebackupEngine
Docs/Desktop Agent/Scheduling

Scheduling

Configure backup schedules with daily, weekly, continuous, and custom timing options.

Schedule Types

BackupEngine supports four scheduling modes, each suited to different use cases. You can assign a different schedule to each backup set. For scheduled backups to run when the app is closed, install the Windows Background Service — see Background Service for details.

  • •Manual: Backups run only when you click Run Now or trigger them via CLI. Best for infrequent or ad-hoc backups.
  • •Daily: Runs once per day at a time you specify. Ideal for most workstations and personal machines.
  • •Weekly: Runs on selected days of the week at a specified time. Useful for large datasets that do not change daily.
  • •Continuous (CDP): Monitors file changes in real time and backs up modified files within minutes. Best for critical data that changes frequently.

Configuring a Schedule

Schedule edits are GUI-only today — the CLI is read-only for schedules and surfaces the configured times via backupengine schedule list. Use the desktop wizard to define or change schedule type, time of day, days-of-week, and CDP stabilization settings.

  • •Open the Backup tab and select a backup set.
  • •Click Edit and switch to the Schedule step.
  • •Pick Manual, Daily, Weekly, or Continuous.
  • •Set the time of day (Daily/Weekly), the active days (Weekly), or the stabilization window (Continuous).
  • •Save. The next scheduled run reflects the new settings immediately.

ℹ Note

This is GUI-only — schedule create/edit is not on the CLI in v1.11.0. To audit configured schedules from a script, use backupengine schedule list --json.

Backup Windows

A backup window defines the hours during which backups are allowed to run. Outside this window, scheduled and continuous backups are paused automatically and resume when the window reopens.

  • •Set a start time and end time (e.g., 20:00 to 06:00 for overnight backups).
  • •Choose which days the window applies to (weekdays, weekends, or specific days).
  • •Combine windows with bandwidth throttling for full control over network impact.
  • •If a backup is in progress when the window closes, you can choose to let it finish or pause it.

ℹ Note

Backup-window edits are GUI-only. Configure them in the same Schedule step as schedule type and time.

Continuous Data Protection (CDP)

CDP mode uses the operating system's file-change notification APIs to detect modifications as they happen. When a file is saved, BackupEngine waits for a brief stabilization period (default: 30 seconds), then processes and uploads the changed chunks.

ℹ Note

CDP is available on all plans but is most effective when combined with bandwidth throttling to avoid saturating your connection during work hours. On Windows, CDP uses ReadDirectoryChangesW; on macOS, it uses FSEvents; on Linux, it uses inotify. Enable CDP per backup set in the GUI's Schedule step.

Inspecting Schedules

Both the GUI and the CLI can show the configured schedule for every backup set, the next planned run, and the timestamp of the last successful run.

  • •Open the Backup tab.
  • •Each set card shows schedule type, time, and last-run status at a glance.
  • •Click a set to see full schedule + window + CDP settings.

Bandwidth Throttling During Schedules

You can attach time-based bandwidth limits to any schedule so that backups use full speed at night but throttle during business hours. See the Bandwidth Throttling page for detailed configuration.

  • •Set a global throttle (e.g., 10 Mbps) that applies during active hours.
  • •Set unlimited bandwidth during off-hours to maximize backup throughput.
  • •Override throttle settings per backup set if needed.
  • •The agent dynamically adjusts upload speed without restarting the backup.

💡 Tip

For the best experience, combine a daily schedule at midnight with unlimited bandwidth to back up large changes overnight, and enable CDP with a 5 Mbps throttle during work hours for real-time protection.
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