# Defining How the Backup Process Is Performed

You can specify the following options for the backup operation:

1. Do not perform the backup if your server does not have specified free disk space.

2. Do not perform the backup if your server does not have enough free disk space to store the backup content.

3. Temporarily suspend websites during backup.

4. Configure the backup utility to include more details in backup reports.

## Specifying disk space requirements for the backup

You can prevent the start of the backup operation if your server has not enough disk space to complete it. To set the free disk space requirements, change the parameters in the file `%plesk_dir%admin\share\pmmcli\pmmcli-rc`.

There are two ways to prevent the start of the backup operation:

- Specify minimal free disk space on your server. If the server does not have the specified disk space, Plesk will not start the backup operation. Set the minimal free disk space in MB by changing the value of the `FREE_DISK_SPACE` parameter. Say, to prevent the backup if free disk space on the server is less than 100 MB, edit the line in the following way:

    FREE_DISK_SPACE 100

- Restrict the backup if your server does not have enough free disk space to store the backup content. If this option is turned on, Plesk calculates the future backup size and compares it with the free disk space on the server. If there is not enough disk space, Plesk will not start the backup operation. Note that this option can significantly increase the backup time. To turn this option on, set the `CHECK_BACKUP_DISK_SPACE` to `1`. To turn this option off, set the parameter to `0`. Say:

    CHECK_BACKUP_DISK_SPACE 0

## Suspending websites

If your backup will include websites, we recommend that you suspend them during the backup process by using the `--suspend` option of the backup utility. This will help you avoid possible errors that may be caused by changes done to the site configuration or content during the backup.

The suspension is made up to be as short as possible: each site is suspended only for the time it is being backed up: The site is started automatically as soon as its data are processed.

## Defining level of backup verbosity

Verbose mode of backup process is defined by the `-v` option:

1. No -v option used. The minimum level, only general errors are displayed, like, for example, syntax errors (no or wrong command specified, invalid input parameters), runtime errors and unhandled exceptions, low disk space for backup, and so on.

2. The -v option used. Sets up the maximum verbosity level: additionally includes debugging information and response/request messages to the internal backup utility.

Note

`pleskbackup` outputs information on its execution to `stdout` only. If you want to have the backup log saved, redirect the utility output to a file with standard command line means.

To run a task on creating a complete server backup with maximum level of verbosity:

    pleskbackup --server -v