Automate System Backup Tasks with PowerShell

Managing server backups can often be a tedious chore, especially when handling multiple systems. Streamlining this process with automation can save time and reduce human error. In this post, we will introduce a PowerShell script that can help you automate your backup tasks efficiently. Our script not only creates a backup of specified directories but also archives them for easier storage and transport.
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Below is the script, which allows you to select directories for backup and compress them into a single archive file. It’s an excellent first step towards establishing a reliable backup strategy.

# Define the directories to backup
$sourceDirectories = @("C:\ImportantData", "D:\Projects")
# Define the backup destination
$backupDestination = "E:\Backups"
# Get the current date to append to the backup file name
$currentDate = Get-Date -Format "yyyyMMdd"
# Loop through each directory and create a compressed backup
foreach ($directory in $sourceDirectories) {
    # Get the name of the directory only
    $directoryName = Split-Path -Leaf -Path $directory
    # Define the path for the output zip file
    $zipFilePath = "$backupDestination\$directoryName-$currentDate.zip"
    # Compress the directory
    Compress-Archive -Path $directory -DestinationPath $zipFilePath -Force
}
Write-Output "Backup completed successfully."