Maintenance Cleanup Task (Maintenance Plan)
Applies to: 
SQL Server
Use the Maintenance Cleanup Task to remove old files related to maintenance plans, including text reports created by maintenance plans and database backup files.
Note
The Maintenance Cleanup task does not automatically delete files in the subfolders of the specified directory. This feature reduces the possibility of a malicious attack that uses the Maintenance Cleanup task to delete files. If you want to delete files in first-level subfolders, you must select Include first-level subfolders.
Note
The Maintenance Cleanup task removes files locally stored on the server.
Options
Connection
Displays the current connection.
New
Create a new server connection to use when performing this task. The New Connection dialog box is described below.
Backup files
Delete backup files.
Maintenance Plan text reports
Delete text reports of previously run maintenance plans.
Delete specific file
Delete the specific file provided in the File name box.
File name
Path and name of the file to be deleted.
Search folder and delete files based on an extension
Delete all files with the specified extension in the specified folder. Use this to delete multiple files at once, such as all backup files with the .bak extension, in the Tuesday folder.
Folder
Path and name of the folder containing the files to be deleted.
File extension
Provide the file extension of the file to be deleted. Don't include any other characters before or after the extension (for example, use BAK or TRN).
Include first-level subfolders
Delete files with the extension specified for File extension from first-level subfolders under Folder.
Delete files based on the age of the file at task run time
Specify the minimum age of the files that you want to delete by providing a number, and unit of time in the Delete files older than the following box.
Delete files older than the following
Specify the minimum age of the files that you want to delete by providing a number, and unit of time (Day, Week, Month, or Year). Files older than the time frame specified are deleted.
View T-SQL
View the Transact-SQL statements performed against the server for this task, based on the selected options.
Note
When the number of objects affected is large, this display can take a considerable amount of time.
New Connection dialog box
Connection name
Enter a name for the new connection.
Select or enter a server name
Select a server to connect to when performing this task.
...
Select to view the list of available servers.
Enter information to log on to the server
Specify how to authenticate against the server.
Use Windows integrated security
Connect to an instance of the SQL Server Database Engine with Microsoft Windows Authentication.
Use a specific user name and password
Connect to an instance of the SQL Server Database Engine using SQL Server Authentication. This option isn't available.
User name
Provide a SQL Server login to use when authenticating. This option isn't available.
Password
Provide a password to use when authenticating. This option isn't available.