Virtualization, Servers and Storage : How-to exclude directories or paths for the UTORrecover Networker backup with local directives

Created by JM Lopez, last modified on Jul 10, 2025

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Local directives are text files located on the client's file system. These directives are applicable solely to the data directly within the path where the directive file is placed

(blue star) Instructions for Linux

  1. Log in to the Linux client where the NetWorker backup client is installed.

  2. Create a file named .nsr in the directory you want to skip: 

    sudo sh -c 'echo "+skip: *" > /path/to/exclude/.nsr'

    • The filename .nsr (no extension) tells the NetWorker client to treat it as a directive file.

    • The line +skip: * tells NetWorker to skip every file and subdirectory under /path/to/exclude (the leading +makes it recurse).

  3. Set appropriate ownership and permissions so the backup process can read it but ordinary users cannot modify it:

    sudo chown root:root /path/to/exclude/.nsr
sudo chmod 644       /path/to/exclude/.nsr

  4. On the next backup, NetWorker will see that nsr.dir and omit everything under C:\TEMP.

(blue star) Instructions for Windows

  1. Open an elevated Command Prompt (Run as Administrator).

  2. Create the skip file inside C:\TEMP:

    echo +skip: * > C:\TEMP\nsr.dir

    1. The filename .nsr.dir tells the NetWorker client to treat it as a directive file.

    2. The line +skip: * tells NetWorker to skip every file and subdirectory under C:\TEMP (the leading + makes it recurse).

  3. Lock down permissions so only Administrators can edit it:

    icacls C:\TEMP\nsr.dir /inheritance:r /grant:r Administrators:R

  4. On the next backup, NetWorker will see that nsr.dir and omit everything under C:\TEMP.