Question about how the backup system works

[Kent Brockman]

Hello guys, I'm puzzled since I noticed that a couple small VPS of mine are triggering low disk space alarms every time the backup is run. Here's the point: the backup is not set to retain more than 1 backup. So, in the /backup folder I have only one folder named after the date the backup was made, as expected. The disk things are like this:
Amount of data to backup: 12 GB
Free disk space: 14 GB

Every time the backup is run, looks like the old backup folder is not fully deleted until the current backup process is finished complete and successfully. So, every day just happens that system is running on less than 2 GB free disk space. And this is odd, because there are still lots of small VPS out there, and because every time one account is backed up successfully, it should delete the old file to reclaim that disk space. Such way, system would never have low disk space.

Any reason to keep things working like that? any possibility to add a switch to backup configuration to allow reclaim space from the oldest backup that will be pending delete? Am I too mad? Should I open a feature request?

Hope to hear soon from you.
All the best

 

[cPanelPeter]

Hello,

This is expected and normal behavior. Old backups are NOT removed until the new backup is completed. This prevents the possibility of not having any backups in the event that a new backup fails for any reason. In this way, you still have a good backup in case it is needed.

You should always have at minimum, double your disk space for /backup partitions.

Your idea to add a switch (allow reclaim disk space) is a good idea and you should add a Feature Request for it.

 

[Kent Brockman]

Thanks Peter, I'll submit a feature request.