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FAQ
- What if we already have a tape backup system?
- Why Are Remote Backups Considered More Beneficial?
- What is file encryption?
- How Secure Are Remote Backups?
- I need to backup a large amount of data over the internet and its taking too much time. Is there a better way?
- What happens if I forget my backup encryption password?
- How long will a remote backup take?
- How does ACC Data Vault do Open File Backups?
- How does ACC Data Vault do incremental backups?
- Why does ACC Data Vault restart automatically even after I shut it down?
- If I shut down and restart ACC Data Vault after a period of time, will ACC Data Vault automatically detect modified files and newly created files and back them up?
- I had backed up my data from my laptop to a server. But now I don't have my laptop (original machine) anymore. How do I restore my old data to my new machine?
- What are 'additional full backups' and why do I need them?
- How do I delete files & folders that I've backed up but no longer need. I've deleted them on my machine - but they're still taking up space on my ACC Data Vault server?
- The menu bar is missing from the ACC Data Vault Web Console?
1. What if we already have a tape backup system?
Using a tape backup system and a remote backup system offers the best of both worlds. Critical files, like billing, customer contact files and databases can be kept on the remote backup system. While, the tape system can be used to create a full backup of the entire system once or twice a month, instead of on a daily basis. The tapes and drive will last longer and require less maintenance. The remote backup system can provide a quick and easy way to retrieve critical files and databases without the hassle of searching through tapes.
2. Why Are Remote Backups Considered More Beneficial?
The data is immediately stored off-site using an automated backup system. Also, only an Internet connection is needed meaning the need for expensive backup equipment and media is completely eliminated. And, since the system is automated, no manual labor is required.
3. What is file encryption?
Encryption is the process of encoding information (the files on your computer) in such a way that only the person or computer with the “private key” can decode it. This means that no one except for the person or computer that created the key can decrypt your data. ACC Data Vault encrypts your data BEFORE it leaves your computer to ensure the privacy of your data.
4. How Secure Are Remote Backups?
All remote backups are very secure. All files are encrypted using Blowfish or DES encryption, which is selected by the user with their own personal encryption code that is only known by the user of the system. Blowfish encryption has never been broken by a hacker. DES is used by the federal banking system.
5. I need to backup a large amount of data over the internet and its taking too much time. Is there a better way?
Yes there is! Typically, your first backup takes the longest time/bandwidth. Thereafter, if you've enabled incremental backups (which you should be doing if you're backing up online), only changes in files/folders are backed up. These incremental backups consume lot less time & bandwidth! ACC Data Vault has a feature that allows you to take the first 'heavy' backup locally to say, a USB Disk, physically move the data to a remote server, and thereafter seamlessly continue with incremental backups directly to the remote server. Details on using this feature are covered under the section 'Local to Remote Data Migration' in the Help Documentation.
6. What happens if I forget my backup encryption password?
Whoops! If you forget the backup encryption password, then there is no known way to decrypt your backed up data. So it is recommended that you write down the backup encryption password in a safe and secure place.
7. How long will a remote backup take?
Offices with high-speed Internet connections should find this service comparable with tape drives. Dial up users will be able to do incremental backups in thirty to sixty minutes. The initial backup can take several nights to complete (depending upon the number of files specified for backup). We recommend backing up the most important files first and then selecting other files as the backup progresses. Or, if it's more convenient, the initial backup can be run over the weekend. Additionally, one of our technicians can come to your office and make the initial backup of your system.
8. How does ACC Data Vault do Open File Backups?
When ACC Data Vault backs up a file, it can detect automatically if the file has been changed. Hence ACC Data Vault can ensure that no file is backed up incorrectly. For files that change during a backup, ACC Data Vault does a best effort attempt continuously (in the background) until the backup for the file succeeds. In a desktop/laptop environment this strategy almost never fails. However, it is important that ACC Data Vault be allowed the requisite permission to access the file(s) that are to be backed up. For example, Microsoft Outlook cannot be backed up if it is open as ACC Data Vault cannot access the requisite files (Please click here to understand how ACC Data Vault works around this problem) The best way to handle open file backups is to use ACC Data Vault’s Open File Plugin.
9. How does ACC Data Vault do incremental backups?
Our Intelli-Delta technology, based on the powerful & proven RSYNC algorithm, ensures that after the first 'seed' backup, only 'optimized byte level' changes in individual files & folders are backed up thereafter. Most backup software implement incremental backups in fixed block sizes (eg. 4K blocks). In effect, they divide files into blocks of a pre decided size, examine CHECKSUMS of blocks that are detected to have changed and retransmit the changed blocks!
ACC Data Vault's Intelli-Delta technology goes one, actually, two steps further. ACC Data Vault does not implement pre decided block sizes as this is often sub-optimal. For a small file, the block size may be too large and hence translate to a larger amount of data being sent than what's required. For very large files, a small block size translates to performance degradation. ACC Data Vault decides on individually optimal block sizes for every single file after taking into account the original file size. This ensures that for each file, changes are examined at an 'optimized byte level'.
Additionally, ACC Data Vault also leverages RSYNC's powerful ROLLING CHECKSUM feature - going one more step ahead of conventional approaches to incremental backups.
For more on the RSYNC algorithm, please visit http://samba.anu.edu.au/rsync/
10. Why does ACC Data Vault restart automatically even after I shut it down?
During installation, ACC Data Vault also installs a separate application called ACC Data Vault Tray. This application appears as an icon in your Windows Tray. If you want to stop the ACC Data Vault application, you need to stop it through the menu that pops up while right clicking the ACC Data Vault Tray. If you stop the ACC Data Vault application in any other way, ACC Data Vault Tray will automatically restart the ACC Data Vault application. This feature is to ensure that ACC Data Vault application is always running to protect your data even if it exits unexpectedly because of any bugs or other reasons.
11. If I shut down and restart ACC Data Vault after a period of time, will ACC Data Vault automatically detect modified files and newly created files and back them up?
It depends on the settings you've selected when creating the backup schedule. ACC Data Vault will automatically detect all the modified and newly created files and back them up after a restart if:
You selected the continuous backup option
You selected the ‘run every __ hours __minutes” option. In this case, ACC Data Vault will run this schedule whenever it restarts, and thereafter schedule the next backup after the period you’ve selected.
You’ve selected the “Run this Backup each time ACC Data Vault restarts” option in Advanced Options
12. I had backed up my data from my laptop to a server. But now I don't have my laptop (original machine) anymore. How do I restore my old data to my new machine?
If you want to restore your data from a new machine (new laptop), you can install ACC Data Vault on the new machine with the same ACC Data Vault ID you used before. And you will first need to restore your 'client configurations' from the backup server before you restore your data from them (the backup servers). You can do this in ACC Data Vault's menu by going to 'Administration --> Advanced Options'. Thereafter, click on the 'Restore Configurations' icon in the menu on the left, and follow the instructions. Once your configurations are restored, you can restore your data from the Restore menu. Note that you will have to authenticate your new ACC Data Vault with the server before the server will allow you to connect.
13. What are 'additional full backups' and why do I need them?
Typically, you would take a first full backup and incremental backups thereafter. This way, only changes in files/folders are backed up during future backups. However, in some cases, you may prefer to take a full backup every once in a while for various reasons. ACC Data Vault supports this as well. Once you've decided your incremental backup schedule, select the"Configure additional full backups" option and configure your full backups as required. This option is a part of the 'Advanced Options' that can be configured by clicking the 'Advanced Options' button under Step 5 (Scheduling) in the 'Backup-->Add Backup Schedule' menu.
14. How do I delete files & folders that I've backed up but no longer need. I've deleted them on my machine - but they're still taking up space on my ACC Data Vault server?
ACC Data Vault does not delete backed up files automatically when they are deleted in the client machine. Instead ACC Data Vault will backup the fact that the files are deleted and the backup server will tag the files with that information. But ACC Data Vault WebConsole UI provides a way to delete files permanently from the server. Please check the "Backup->Permanently Delete Files From Server" section in the ACC Data Vault help documentation to learn more about how to delete backed up files permanently from the server. Future releases of ACC Data Vault will have a feature to automatically delete files permanently from the server after a configurable time period.
15. The menu bar is missing from the ACC Data Vault Web Console?
This problem comes when javascript is disabled in the browser. To solve this enable javascript in your browser and try using the ACC Data Vault webconsole.
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