# Create an Instance Backup

## About this task

To create Instance backup:

## Procedure

1. Navigate to Backups > Backups
2. Click + ADD
3. From the Create Backup Wizard select the radio button for Instance, then click NEXT
4. Input the following: 

   Instance
   :   Select an Instance to backup from the typeahead menu

   Name
   :   Enter a name for the backup job being created
5. Click NEXT
6. Depending on the Instance Type selected in the previous step, enter additional details. These can include a specific container, backup type, database name, username and password, or a number of other things depending on the Instance Type
7. Configure the storage bucket and retention details: 

   Storage
   :   Select a configured storage bucket as the backup target

   Backup Job Type
   :   Create a new backup job, add this backup to an existing job, or clone an existing job to handle this backup

   Job Name
   :   If creating a new job, enter a name for the job

   Retention Count
   :   If creating a new job, enter the number of backups which should be simultaneously retained

   Schedule
   :   If creating a new job, select an execution schedule of which to run the backup

   Synthetic Full
   :   When the backup is targeting an HVM Instance, check this box to schedule synthetic full backups in addition to the normal full and incremental backups

   Synthetic Full Schedule
   :   If synthetic full backups are enabled, select an execution schedule on which to run the synthetic full backups
8. Click COMPLETE.

## Results

NOTE

On VMware Cloud types, VM Essentials will merge and consolidate the snapshots held against a VM before exporting the OVF to the storage location or share. This is so VM Essentials has a full and consistent copy of the VM state.

TIP

To edit an existing backup, click on the hyperlinked name of the backup job from the list of backups at Backups > Backups.
