View items pending backup

The Pending tab of the Agent's Backup Status dialog box lists files and folders that require backup. To help you better understand your pending file set, this tab uses icons to indicate items with specific backup-related characteristics and statuses, such as items the Agent is backing up or those it failed to back up.

The first three columns of the Pending tab use icons to denote certain characteristics of pending files:

  • Column 1 (asset locked by policy icon). Uses the following icons to indicate items that policy prevents or might prevent you from removing from your backup set:

    • asset locked by policy icon  A file you cannot remove due to locked administrative policy.
    • asset unknown excludability icon  A folder that administrative policy does not prevent you from removing but which might contain items governed by a locked policy that prevents their removal.

  • Column 2 (asset backup eligibility icon). Uses the following icons to indicate backup status:

    • asset backup in progress icon  A file or folder the Agent is currently backing up.

    • asset ineligible for next backup icon  A file or folder not eligible for the next backup. To see when it will be eligible, point to the asset ineligible for next backup icon icon.

      The Agent automatically initiates the backup of most items under Connected protection every 15 minutes. However, there are two exceptions:

      • Outlook .pst and IBM Notes .nsf files. These mail-related files change frequently so the Agent backs them up only once every 24 hours.
      • Items with backup errors that should resolve themselves. The Agent tries to back up these items several times, increasing the time period between each attempt.

    Items without an icon in this column are eligible for the current backup or, if one is not in progress, the next backup.

  • Column 3 (asset failed backup icon). Uses the asset failed backup icon icon to indicate a file or folder the Agent failed to back up but will attempt to back up again. On macOS-based Agents, to see information about the error, point to the icon.

    To account for a backup issue that might resolve itself, the Agent attempts to back up the item multiple times. Examples of resolvable issues include temporary network interruptions and files that are locked while open in another application. The Agent waits an increasingly longer amount of time between each attempt until the backup either succeeds or reaches its maximum number of retries. If the retry limit is reached, the Agent moves the item to the Errors tab and marks it with the asset exceeded maximum retries icon icon.

This tab lists up to the first 10,000 pending items based on the current sort criteria. By default, the tab sorts items by Last Backed Up value, in descending order. From the Pending tab, you can view individual items awaiting backup or remove specific ones from your backup set if administrative policy allows.

TIP: If you keep Backup Status open during a backup, to see the most recent status values, click Refresh.

To view items pending backup

  1. On the Backup Status dialog box, click the Pending tab.

    Right-click the Connected icon (green square with the white letters "CMX") in the Windows notification area (or click the icon in the macOS menu bar), and then click Show Backup Status.

  2. To further explore or manage items in the list, you can do the following:

    • View an item in Windows Explorer or the macOS Finder.

      To open the folder that contains a particular item, right-click the item, and then click Show in Explorer (on Windows) or Show in Finder (on macOS).

    • Remove an item from your backup set, if policy allows.

      You can remove an item unless a locked administrative policy prevents it. The following icons on this tab indicate items that are, or might be, governed by such a policy:

      • asset locked by policy icon  A file or folder you cannot remove due to locked administrative policy.
      • asset unknown excludability icon  A folder that administrative policy does not prevent you from removing but might contain items governed by a locked policy that prevents their removal. If this is the case and you remove the folder from backup, it reappears in the list after the next backup if the error still exists.

      To remove an item, right-click it, and then click Remove from Backup. In the confirmation prompt, click Remove.

      Although the Agent no longer backs up the item you remove, Connected retains its most recent copy so you can access or restore it, if necessary.

    NOTE: If you select multiple items, only menu options that apply to all selected items are available.