FileMaker Database Backups

It's highly recommended that you maintain at least hourly scheduled local backups, a progressive backup, and a cloud-based backup of your FileMaker backup. (As with any database system, a cloud-based or Time Machine backup cannot completely backup an active live database. Having a cloud-based and/or Time Machine backup in place is a great idea -- but you will be relying on those systems backing up the backup of your database.)

Scheduled Backups are made intermittently, at various times of day that you've set, but it’s highly recommended to activate the Progressive Backup as well. The Progressive Backup is a continuous backup -- the Database Server only copies the changes from the hosted file. Progressive Backups can run more quickly than a Scheduled Backup, with less impact on server performance.)

You can enable this by going to the FileMaker server console (via Safari) and choosing the "Backups" tab, and on the left side down towards the middle you will see “Progressive Backup” -- click "Change" to Enable it.  This will take you to another section in order to click on the "Enable" switch and to provide a folder path.

Note: You will have to use an external drive for this backup, and the Progressive Backup Path needs to start with: filemac:/FileMaker Backup SSD/ (with the name of your external drive in place of "FileMaker backup SSD"). Note the single backslash following filemac: for macOS. Do not begin the file path with Volumes/, as you'll see an error that the path is not valid.

If you are unable to change the path for a Progressive Backup, go to System Preferences >  Security & Privacy > Privacy > Full Disk Access, and from the list of applications on the right, make sure that FileMaker Pro and fmserver_helperd are both checked.  If this is not present please add it via this path: 

Mac HD/Library/FileMaker Server/Database Server/bin