Yes, backup and archive are different. I am familiar with the backup
processes below. Is there a similar written procedure available for
archiving?

PA Bear wrote:
MVP DGuess, author of OE-QuickBackup
(http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx), writes:
QP
Backup and archiving are two separate things that people sometimes
confuse each other with. What it sounds like you are wanting to do is
archive the old message stores for possible later retrieval. Usually
archiving is a way to store the old messages, clear them from the
current setup and basically start over with empty files. Should you have
a need to restore those files, you can simply import them into OE.

Backup is done in case you have a problem and need to restore the data
as it was.

Backing up files should be done in a way that you understand what and
where the files are, how long you want to retain them, etc.

Two different forms of backup (others may have additional plans):

1) Make a backup of the current data. (Backup1)
The next time you backup the data, put it in a separate folder.
(Backup2)
The next time you backup the data, put it in a separate folder again.
(Backup3)
The next time you backup, overwrite Backup1
The next time you backup, overwrite Backup2
The next time you backup, overwrite Backup3
The next time you backup, overwrite Backup1
The next time you backup, overwrite Backup2
The next time you backup, overwrite Backup3
&c.

You always keep the last three backups for that just in case problem.

2) Make a backup to a different folder for each backup, never
overwriting the previous.

One idea: I've got several clients doing now for backing up their
messages is to create a folder within OE and name it the month
(March2004) of the backup. They can easily copy just that one DBX file
and put it on CD then delete it from within OE. When they need it, they
can easily then make a new folder of the same name, open it to create
the dbx file required to get it in the Folders.dbx file), close OE, then
copy the backed up dbx file over the existing one (removing the read
only attribute) then restarting OE. Their messages are there waiting on
them then and when they finish, all they have to do is delete the folder
in OE. They won't be adding messages to that dbx file so it's no big
deal when they delete it.
/QP