diff --git a/deployment/.env.dist b/deployment/.env.dist
index c0225d70e..38adc9027 100644
--- a/deployment/.env.dist
+++ b/deployment/.env.dist
@@ -2,4 +2,6 @@
 CONFIGURATION=stage.ocelot.social
 
 # used in "scripts/clusters.cron-backups.sh"
-BACKUP_CONFIGURATIONS="stage.ocelot.social stage.yunite.me"
\ No newline at end of file
+BACKUP_CONFIGURATIONS="stage.ocelot.social stage.wir.social"
+# if '<= 0' no backups will be deleted
+BACKUP_SAVED_BACKUPS_NUMBER=7
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/deployment/scripts/clusters.cron-backups.sh b/deployment/scripts/clusters.cron-backups.sh
index 560647f21..71e9e65f7 100755
--- a/deployment/scripts/clusters.cron-backups.sh
+++ b/deployment/scripts/clusters.cron-backups.sh
@@ -1,43 +1,77 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# time stamp
+printf "\nMultiple backups started at:\n  "
+date
+
 # base setup
 SCRIPT_PATH=$(realpath $0)
 SCRIPT_DIR=$(dirname $SCRIPT_PATH)
 
+# save old CONFIGURATION for later reset
+SAVE_CONFIGURATION=$CONFIGURATION
+
 # export all variables in "../.env"
 set -a            
 source ${SCRIPT_DIR}/../.env
 set +a
 
 # check BACKUP_CONFIGURATIONS
-if [ -z ${BACKUP_CONFIGURATIONS} ]; then
+if [[ -z ${BACKUP_CONFIGURATIONS} ]]; then
   echo "You must provide a `BACKUP_CONFIGURATIONS` via environment variable"
   exit 1
 fi
 
 # convert configurations to array
-CONFIGURATIONS_ARRAY=($BACKUP_CONFIGURATIONS)
+IFS=' ' read -a CONFIGURATIONS_ARRAY <<< "$BACKUP_CONFIGURATIONS"
 
 # display the clusters
-echo "Backup the clusters:"
+printf "Backup the clusters:\n"
 for i in "${CONFIGURATIONS_ARRAY[@]}"
 do
-  echo $i
+  echo "  $i"
 done
-echo "Cancel by ^C. You have 20 seconds"
+echo "Cancel by ^C. You have 15 seconds"
 # wait for the admin to react
-sleep 20
+sleep 15
 
-# save old CONFIGURATION for later reset
-SAVE_CONFIGURATION=$CONFIGURATION
+printf "\n"
 
 for i in "${CONFIGURATIONS_ARRAY[@]}"
 do
   CONFIGURATION=$i
   # individual cluster backup
   ${SCRIPT_DIR}/cluster.backup.sh
+
+  # deleting backups?
+  if (( BACKUP_SAVED_BACKUPS_NUMBER >= 1 )); then
+    # delete all oldest backups, but leave the last BACKUP_SAVED_BACKUPS_NUMBER
+
+    keep=$BACKUP_SAVED_BACKUPS_NUMBER
+    path="$SCRIPT_DIR/../configurations/$CONFIGURATION/backup/"
+
+    cd $path
+
+    printf "In\n  '$path'\n  remove:\n"
+    # TODO: replace 'ls' by 'find . -type d -maxdepth 1'? description: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/28939/how-to-delete-the-oldest-directory-in-a-given-directory
+    while [ `ls -1 | wc -l` -gt $keep ]; do
+      oldest=`ls -c1 | head -1`
+      echo "  $oldest"
+      rm -rf $oldest
+    done
+
+    printf "Keep the last %d backups:\n  " $BACKUP_SAVED_BACKUPS_NUMBER
+    ls
+
+    cd $SCRIPT_DIR
+  else
+    echo "!!! ATTENTION: No backups are deleted !!!"
+  fi
+
+  printf "\n"
 done
 
 # reset CONFIGURATION to old
+# TODO: clearily if this is the same as: $ export CONFIGURATION=${SAVE_CONFIGURATION}"
 CONFIGURATION=$SAVE_CONFIGURATION
-echo "Reset to CONFIGURATION=${CONFIGURATION}"
+echo "Reset to CONFIGURATION=$CONFIGURATION"