Filter (Exclude)

Key:

Field Description
Name The name of the filter.
Match folder names by It defines the filtering rules of the filter. A filtering rule can be by simple comparison, by regular expression (UNIX-style) or by standard folder in Mailbox.
Existing patterns to match The pattern of the filter.
Apply this filter to all folders in You can select the filter to apply on all the folders in Microsoft 365.

Backup Filter is a set of user defined criteria to exclude folders as backup source of a backup set.

To set up a backup filter:

  1. Slide the switch to the right hand side to turn on the filter.
  2. Click on [Add] to add a new filter, or click on a filter to modify the filter setting.

To configure a filter:

  1. Enter name of the filter.
  2. Select if folder names will be matched by simple comparison, by regular expression or by standard folder in Mailbox.
  3. Enter the pattern to be used for the filter. If multiple patterns will be used, keep on clicking [Add] until all the patterns are added.
  4. Select where the filter will be applied to in the Microsoft 365 node.
  5. Click [OK] if you want to save the setting.

To modify a filter:

  1. Select the filter.
  2. Modify the settings according to your requirement.
  3. Click [OK] to save the changes.

To delete a filter:

  1. Select the filter.
  2. On the bottom left, click 'Delete this backup filter'.
  3. Click [Yes] to confirm deletion.

Background information

Pattern Matching

It defines the filtering rules of a filter. A filtering rule can be one of the following types:

[Starts With]
Exclude all folders with name starting with a certain pattern.

Example:
You can use A to match all folders with name starting with an A character.

[Contains]
Exclude all folders with name containing a certain pattern.

Example:
You can use B to match all folders with name containing a B character.

[Ends With]
Exclude all folders with name ending with a certain pattern.

Example:
You can use C to match all folders with name ending with a C character.

Regular Expression

Exclude all folders with name matching a regular expression.

To add a new pattern, press the [Add] button in the [Pattern Matching] area.

Note: Backup filter is case sensitive.

Here is a list of examples with different filter settings.

Example 1:
To exclude from the backup folders starting with the letter b in OneDrive, setup the backup filter as follows:

Matching Type = starts with
Matching Patterns = b
Apply to folder = OneDrive

Example 2:
To include everything, except the Restore folder, in Users, setup the backup filter as follows.

Matching Type = Regular Expression
Matching Patterns = ^Restore$
Apply to folder = Users

Example 3:
To exclude all the contents of the Junk Email, Calendar and Deleted Items in Users, the filter backup can be setup as follows.

Matching Type = Standard Folder in Mailbox
Folder = Junk Email, Calendar and Deleted Items
Apply to folder = Users