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Data Processing
Data Processing and DS-Client Application Is the data held on the DS-Client Application Computer or does it pass straight through it? The DS-Client Application acts as a gateway only, passing data through it after it has been compressed and encrypted, using delta blocking, common file elimination and digital signature. A database showing information on what has been backed up is held on the DS-Client, but no actual data files are retained. There is an optional (added value) process that will allow the latest snapshot of (encrypted) data to be stored on a local drive on the computer that hosts the DS-Client application - this is particularly useful for large recoveries which can then be performed at LAN speeds.
Yes, by default the DS-Client backs its own database up at a default time every day, this time can be changed by a network administrator if desired.
The DS-Client Application only requests data as it can process it and will not pull more data across the network than can be processed. Common file elimination is one of the sophisticated ways that Rapid Recovery reduces the raw data from your network servers to a size that can be transmitted quickly and economically. It ensures that the same data is never transmitted offsite more than twice, thereby saving the bandwidth to transmit only new, unique data. It achieves this simple elimination by generating a Checksum of each file as it is backed up and comparing it against the known details of all previous files. If the Checksum matches a previously backed up file, it must be a duplicate and only a shortcut need be transmitted up the line. Due to the way this technique is applied, it does not matter
if the files are on different servers, or even have different
file names – the DS-Client Application
will still only transmit two copies.
If the backup is stopped, for whatever reason, it will simply continue on to the next backup in its schedule, It will not revisit the failed backup set until the next time it is set to run, e.g., the following night, at which point it will pick up where it left off. If however the problem has been rectified, and the backup window allows, the backup can be started manually, immediately. ebackup has a dedicated team who can assist you when you monitor the progress of backup events each day. If a problem occurs, it can be escalated through our service desk to resolve your problem quickly.
No, the DS-Client will only connect to your servers during the specified backup schedule, therefore will not use valuable connection or internet usage at other times.
By default, 7 versions of each backup are held. Unlike a tape, where the routine is to rotate tapes in a cycle, Rapid Recovery will only backup new versions of individual files in a backup set, when they has changed, guaranteeing that the customer is not wasting space backing up exactly the same version more than once. For example, if a file changes once a month, we will have 7 months worth of that file. The number of versions stored can be configured in an individual backup set basis. Each backup set can be configured down to include just one file if desired, giving you the ability to maximize the efficiency of the storage. Rapid Recovery has full agentless support for a range of network platforms. All Windows platforms from W2K to current are fully supported. Basic workstations and servers can have the registry backed up, where more advanced environments will take advantage of being able to backup MS SQL and Exchange, without the need to stop the service or install and agent. Rapid Recovery can backup workstations operating Windows 95/98 and its registry but the DS-Client application must be installed on a W2K (or newer) OS on the network. Many versions of Linux are covered, please check with our support department for the latest version support information. Solaris and other UNIX operating systems are also able to be protected. Netware 3 facilities include the ability to backup bindery, where Netware 4 and 5 include support for NDS. Can the software backup Permissions on files? Yes, for Windows on NTFS volumes Rapid Recovery can backup both Permissions and Streams. The Permissions and Extended NetWare Attributes can be backed up for NetWare. This is a configurable option in both NetWare and Windows environments.
Most database developers like Microsoft (who developed SQL and Exchange with the backup requirement in mind) allow "hot" backup of their databases. Products can respond to API calls requesting the services to dump their data, whilst online, to an external destination. In rapid recovery’s case the product simply asks (for example) the specified MS SQL or Exchange server to stream the data to the Client application where it is delta blocked and transmitted offsite. This process is a totally supported Microsoft function and guarantees compatibility with your existing MS systems.
Yes, even though Rapid Recovery is an agentless solution, it is still capable of running commands on remote servers, be it NetWare, W2K, 2003, XP etc, For example, shutting down a database or application running on a server to back it up correctly and restart afterwards, or perhaps interact with some overnight batch processing.
Open files are an issue in most backup environments. If a file is open exclusively on a workstation, it is the server’s responsibility to stop anyone else, including a backup package, accessing that file. To help counteract these issues Rapid Recovery has a range of options which attempt to handle open files. These
options, combined with the use of Pre and Post commands should
enable the backup of almost any file. More complex environments
such as Oracle or Sybase can usually be configured to dump their
data into a normal file which will be delta blocked and backed
up without complication.
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processing backup data
