Manage Disk Safes

Server Backup Manager creates backups using the [Virtual Full Backup|TP:Backup Method - Virtual Full Backup] method. First, SBM creates the initial full backup or *initial replica*. After that, each time a replication executes, SBM stores only the differences or block-level deltas since the last replication. The following image illustrates the size of data for each replication.


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Each replication creates a point-in-time image of the [device|Manage devices]. This image is called a [recovery point|Manage recovery points]. Server Backup Manager users the block deltas database to map the block versions and recovery points. This database is a called a *disk safe*. the following image illustrates the information within a disk safe.


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SBM uses a disk safe to keep and arrange the pieces of replicated information. You can define a disk safe as a container for the data necessary for a restore. You can restore from any available recovery point in any disk safe.

Disk safes have one or more assigned *devices* selected for backup. Note that you can assign one device to multiple disk safes.
{note:title=Notice}You cannot start backing up a device until there is a disk safe to which you can back up this device.
{note}
To run a replication, you need to associate a *data protection policy* with your disk safe. The policy backs up devices associated with the disk safe. If there are items you do not want to include in the replication, you can exclude selected files and folders from the replication when defining the policy properties.

On a physical level, a disk safe is a directory containing the following files and folders:
* {{.db}} file
* {{.db-journal}} file
* {{.ebs}} file
* {{metadata}} folder

h5. Properties of a disk safe

Disk safes have the following properties, which you define when creating the disk safe:
* *Identification*. A unique name that distinguishes this specific disk safe in a list and while defining policies.
* *Disk Safe Location*. The physical location where the disk safe is saved.
* *Devices*. A list of devices associated with this disk safe. Server Backup Manager automatically identifies and adds all devices during disk safe creation. You can also manually add one or more hard disks, partitions, and other volumes of a server where file systems are mounted as devices.

The following additional properties are available for existing disk safes:
* *State*
* *Recovery Points*
* *Archive Points*
* *On Disk Size*

h5. States of a disk safe

Disk safes exist in one of the following states:
* *Opened*. An *Opened* disk safe allows you to associate tasks including *Backup with opened Disk Safes*, and browse the recovery points of a task.
* *Closed*. A *Closed* disk safe prevents any tasks associated with it from running. You also cannot browse the recovery points contained within the disk safe.

h5. Available disk safe tasks

The following actions are available with any disk safe:


* [Create a new disk safe|ServerBackup:Create disk safes]
* [Edit an existing disk safe|ServerBackup:Edit disk safes]
* [Attach (open) an existing disk safe in the system|ServerBackup:Attach disk safes]
* [Close (disable) a disk safe|ServerBackup:Close disk safes]
* [Detach a disk safe|ServerBackup:Detach disk safes]
* [Delete a disk safe and all its data|ServerBackup:Delete disk safes]
* [Vacuum a disk safe|ServerBackup:Vacuum disk safes]
* [Browse recovery points contained within disk safes|ServerBackup:Browse recovery points]
* [Move a disk safe from one location to another|ServerBackup:Copy or move disk safes]
* [Copy a disk safe from one Backup Manager to another|ServerBackup:Copy or move disk safes]
* [Copy a disk safe across Windows/Linux platforms|ServerBackup:Copy or move disk safes]
{info:title=Tip}You can move a disk safe using a tool like Windows Explorer drag-and-drop, {{scp}}, {{xcopy}}, {{ftp}}, etc.
{info}

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{excerpt:hidden=true}Instructions on how to manage your disk safes in Server Backup Manager.{excerpt}