This article explains the recommended essential files and folders you should select when configuring your Backup Sets.
Recommended Backup Set
By default, we configure the Backup Client to backup every file on your server nightly. This can easily add up over time, putting you over your backup size limit. It is unnecessary to backup some files on the server every night if they are never changed or not needed to be backed up.
We recommend you back up the following essential Folders on your server. In the event of disaster recovery, having the folders listed below backed up will make the recovery process much easier and more efficient.
Please note that these are the default locations of these folders and may be different if you have made any custom arrangements
C:\SmarterLogs - SmarterStats
C:\SmarterMail - SmarterMail
C:\Inetpub - Websites
C:\backup - HELM & Local SQL Installation Database Backups, SSL Certificate PFX Backups
C:\Program Files\SmarterTools - SmarterMail & SmarterStats configuration settings and license information
C:\WINDOWS\system32\inetsrv - IIS Metabase Configuration Settings
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dns - DNS Zone Files
If you are using ASP.NET Framework and you make configuration changes to the web.config file then you may also want to include the following folders in the backup set:
C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.1.4322\CONFIG
C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\CONFIG
In addition to the above list, you may also want to backup your C:\Documents and Settings folder to save any files on your Desktop or My Documents folder.
Please see this article explaining How to Customize your Backup Sets