Step 1: Schedule Name
Enter Backup Schedule Name: Give a name for the backup schedule. StoreGrid supports creating multiple backup schedules each with its own configuration. The backup schedule name uniquely identifies the backup. You can restore the data using the backup schedule name.
Step 2: Select Backup Source
On the left side of the "Add Microsoft Outlook plugin backup" page, Outlook configuration check box will be provided. Select the checkbox and proceed with the configuration.
Step 3: Set Basic Configuration
Backup Type
two purposes:
1. When large amount of data has to be backed up, it might take significant amount of time to transfer all the data to a remote backup server over WAN/Internet. You can take the backup to a local external drive connected to the client machine and then physically move the external drive to the backup server location to migrate the data into the backup server. In such cases, you can select the backup type to be 'Same Machine'. Once the data is migrated to the backup server using the Server Side Seed Backup Migration, you will have to perform Seed Backup Migration (under Backup -> Seed Backup Migration) in the client machine to make it to run its backups to the remote server directly thereafter.
Local Backup location: Enter the location/directory path where the backup is to be stored in the same machine. This location should be accessible to StoreGrid process and should have enough free disk space for the backup data. You can copy data from this location to the backup server as seed backup data. Or, you can leave the backups in the local drive if you want to maintain a local copy of the backup that you can quickly restore.
NOTE: Deleted File Retention policies and Time Based version file Retention policy will not apply for a local backup. Only Version-Based Retention is supported for a local backup schedule. The Retention policies configured for this backup schedule will work only if the backup data is migrated from the local backup server/external drive into a remote backup server (seed backup).
Remote Server - Select this option if you want the backup data to be transferred to a backup server directly when the backup schedule runs.
Select Backup Server :
This is the list of peers/backup servers in which the backup data can be stored. Once the backup server is selected, you cannot change the server name. In case the backup server name or IP address is to be changed in future, you can change it from the Seed Backup Migration page. The client will run the backup to the selected backup server.
Test connectivity - Before you select the backup server for this backup schedule, you can check the connectivity to backup server. It also checks the different settings configured in the backup server for this client and confirms if this client can backup to the chosen backup server or not.
Add Backup Server- If you don't see a particular backup server listed, you need to first add it by following this link before you can select it for this backup schedule.
Temporary location for backup dumps
Enter the location/directory path to which the Outlook dumps has to be stored temporarily before uploading to the backup server. Please ensure that you have enough disk space in the configured temporary location (where the backup dump has to be saved). Please note that, backup dumps stored in the temporary location will be deleted once backup dumps are transferred successfully to the remote backup server.
Encryption
Password Protect this Backup
This option is to enable or disable encryption of the data that is being backed up. StoreGrid uses a well known encryption algorithm, Blow fish. If enabled, a password has to be specified which will be used for generating the encryption key. Encrypting data ensures that it cannot be read in the destination machine (backup server) where your backup is stored, and is especially relevant for sensitive information.
Password Protection
This option is to enable System Generated Encryption Key or use a Customized Encryption key for encrypting the backup data.
System Generated: The selected files and folders will be encrypted using Blow fish algorithm with a 448 bit encryption key automatically generated by StoreGrid before been backed up. No password will be required while restoring the data. Make sure you use this option only when the backup server is setup such that the backup server requires the client machines to authenticate before accepting the backup from the client.
Custom: This will enable the user to select the custom Encryption Technique, Encryption Key Size and the Encryption Key that needs to be used for encrypting the selected files and folders. Please don't lose the customized encryption key, as the backed up data cannot be restored without this key. Default Encryption Password: The selected files and folders will be encrypted with the Default Encryption Password as provided in the "Settings -> Advanced Options -> Default Encryption Password" page. Default Encryption Password is a convenient way to use the same password for all the backup schedules created in this client machine. It saves you from having to remember a different password for each backup set.
Encryption Technique
StoreGrid supports encryption using Blow fish or Triple DES. The Blow fish is a commonly used open source encryption technique which provides encryption based on the size of the encryption key length (from 64 bits to 448 bits). Higher the number of bits stronger is the encryption. Triple DES is a block cipher formed from the Data Encryption Standard (DES) cipher by using it three times, this technique is also supported by StoreGrid for encrypting the backup data. By default, Triple DES encryption technique is chosen. Encryption Key Size
StoreGrid supports encryption using variable length (64 to 448 bits for Blow fish and 192 bits for Triple DES) keys. The key is generated using the password you provide. Basically the longer the key size you give the more difficult it is for someone to decrypt the encrypted files. For normal backup purposes the default 64 bit encryption should be good enough.
Type Password
Provide a password here to generate the encryption key. If the password is forgotten the data can never be recovered as the data cannot be decrypted without this password. So, please ensure that you keep your password in a safe place.
Step 4: Full Backup Scheduling (Decide When To Do Full Backup)
This step allows you to configure the frequency at which a full backup of the Microsoft Outlook has to be done. A full backup is a complete backup of the Microsoft Outlook folders. Since full backups take more time to complete than an incremental backup, a full backup is typically configured to run weekly or monthly or much less frequently than the incremental backup. Configuring a full backup schedule is mandatory, i.e. this step cannot be skipped. StoreGrid will do a full backup dump of the Microsoft Outlook whenever the full backup is scheduled and back it up. This step has the following options from which any one can be chosen.
Run Monthly At - Choose the time and day of the month the backup should run. StoreGrid will run the backup every month on the particular day and time chosen. StoreGrid will run at the stipulated time/day only.
Run Weekly - Choose the time and the day of the week the backup should run. StoreGrid will execute the backup every week on the particular day and time chosen. Note that you can select multiple days of the week if you wish to run the backup on multiple days of the week. StoreGrid will run at the stipulated time/day only.
Run Daily - Choose the time at which the backup should run daily. This will execute the backup everyday at a time you have provided. StoreGrid will run at the stipulated time only.
Run Every Few Hours - Choose the hours/minutes interval between each time StoreGrid must run. If StoreGrid is restarted in the interim, the backup will run once the StoreGrid starts. Thereafter, StoreGrid automatically
reschedules the next backup after the period you’ve set. For example, if you created a backup schedule at 10 am and set it to run every 1 hour, StoreGrid will first run the schedule at 10am and the next scheduled time will be 11am. However, if at 10.15am, StoreGrid is restarted, then the schedule will run once at 10.15am and the next scheduled time will now be set to 11.15am.
Additionally, you can also select the days in which this schedule should run. For example, if you do not want to run this backup schedule on Saturdays and Sundays, uncheck the checkbox against these days.
Run Once Only - Choosing this option will do the backup only once at the stipulated time.
StoreGrid will do a Incremental backup dump of the Outlook user folders with respect to the previous full or incremental backup; whenever the Incremental log backup is scheduled.
This step has the following options to choose from:
Run Weekly - Choose the time and the day of the week when the backup should run. StoreGrid will execute the backup every week on the particular day and time chosen. Note that you can select multiple days of the week if you wish to run the backup on multiple days of a week. StoreGrid will run at the stipulated time/day only.
Run Daily - Choose the time at which the backup should run daily. This will execute the backup everyday at the time you have provided. StoreGrid will run at the stipulated time only.
Run Every Few Hours - Choose the hours/minutes interval between each time StoreGrid must run. If StoreGrid is restarted in the interim, the backup will run once StoreGrid starts. Thereafter, StoreGrid automatically reschedules the next backup after the period you’ve set. For example, if you created a backup schedule at 10 am and set it to run every 1 hour, StoreGrid will first run the schedule at 10am and the next scheduled time will be 11am. However, if at 10.15am, StoreGrid is restarted, then the schedule will run once at 10.15am and the next scheduled time will now be set to 11.15am.
Additionally, you can also select the days in which this schedule should run. For example, if you do not want to run this backup schedule on Saturdays and Sundays, uncheck the checkbox against these days.
Advanced Settings (Optional)
If you want to configure some additional advanced options - like, CPU utilization, Compression settings, etc. click on the Advanced Options button.
Advanced Backup Schedule Settings
There are some options here on how the backup should be scheduled.
Maximum Number Of Full Backups : You can specify the maximum number of full backups that need to be stored in the server. For example if you have configured a monthly full backup, then StoreGrid will take a full backup every month. After 6 months you will have 6 separate full backups in the backup server along with incremental backups under each of these 6 full backups. If your policy is to retain only backup data for 6 months, then you can configure "Store maximum of 6 full
backups" here. In the 7th month, StoreGrid after finishing the 7th full backup, will delete the first full backup along with its incremental backups and retain the last 6 full backups.
Run this backup immediately after saving this configuration (thereafter, Backups will be scheduled as per the schedule stipulated) : If you enable this option, then the backup will be executed once immediately after you save the backup schedule – even if it is not the scheduled time. For example, if you configure a daily backup at 10.00 AM but you have configured the backup at 8.00 AM, then the backup schedule will be run once immediately at 8.00 AM and then as per the daily schedule at 10.00 AM).
Attempt to run this backup every 5 minutes in case of non completion because of a problem (Network error etc.) : If enabled, the user can choose to reschedule this backup every 5/10/15/20/25/30 minutes, whenever an attempted backup is incomplete because of a network error, server crash etc. The number of times the backup will be rescheduled (due to an error) can be configured to be in between 1-5 or unlimited, with the default setting as 5. This is to ensure that an incomplete backup is completed as soon as possible without waiting for the next actual schedule time. Note that this option is enabled by default.
Data Integrity Check : StoreGrid supports data integrity check where the data sent from the client machine is verified for integrity at the backup server. When a file's integrity check fails, StoreGrid flags that file as skipped and the file is then again backed up during the next backup schedule.
Other Backup Settings
For each backup schedule, you can also specify the CPU utilization level as Low, Medium or High. When you set the CPU Utilization to high, the backup will be really fast - but the backup process may affect the speed of other active applications. If CPU utilization is set to Low, the backup will take longer but will be done in a non-intrusive manner allowing you to comfortably work on the computer as the backup continues in the background. In general for a continuous backup, it is best to set the CPU utilization to Medium or Low. For backups which are done every day or every week in ‘off-hours’, the CPU utilization can be set to High. Actual performance is obviously a function of your individual machine and your network. We encourage you to experiment with different settings to figure what works best for you.
Set Compression
If compression is enabled, data will be compressed in the client before it is uploaded into the backup server.
Enable - Compresses the data before backing it up. It might reduce the rate at which the client can send data to the backup server but it might save significant bandwidth and time when the data is backed up to a remote server over a WAN/Internet with limited bandwidth speed. Also, this saves disk space in the backup server.
No Compression - This option is suitable (fastest) for backing up data within a local network where bandwidth is not the limitation, but occupies more space on destination machine as no compression is being done.
Saving the configured backup
Once all the Outlook user account folders and/or sub-folders that are to be backed up are selected and the configuration options are set, you simply need to click on the "Configure/Save Backup” button to activate the backup.
Troubleshooting Tips
In "Step 2", instead of Outlook selection checkbox, the following message is shown : "MS- Outlook is not installed in this system".
Cause 1: If Microsoft Outlook was installed after installing StoreGrid in the machine. Solution : Re-install StoreGrid, with the upgrade option, on top of the existing installation.
Cause 2 : If Microsoft Outlook service running in the local machine is not detected while installing StoreGrid.
Solution : Check if the file "MSOutlook.sgpl" is existing in "< StoreGrid_Home>\ Vembu\StoreGrid\plugins" folder. If this file does not exist in this location, try installing StoreGrid on top of the existing installation and check if you were able to create Outlook Backup schedule without errors.
Dump location does not have enough space to export the PST file.
Cause : The dump location configured for this backup schedule doesn't have enough free space to store the *.PST files.
Solution : Increase the free space or cleanup the used space for the drive which is configured as dump location for this backup schedule. Location configured for dump process can be viewed from the view backup configuration of that backup schedule.
There is no PST files available for backup.
Solution : Please change the logon account for StoreGrid and restart. The logon account must be the user which have the Outlook profile to backup.
Error while creating the dump location <Dump_Location>
Cause : The configured dump location for that particular backup schedule is not accessible or StoreGrid does not have enough permission to access the directory.
Solution : - Make sure that the dump location drive exists in your StoreGrid client. If that drive exists, provide write permissions to the user under which StoreGrid is installed.
Limitations
1. Till the dump process of the Outlook is completed, newly configured PST (temporary) will be shown in Outlook console.
2. Performing more than one Outlook backup parallelly is not permitted
3. In Windows Server OS, If Outlook is opened, then the dump process will be carried out in application mode. In service mode it fails to dump (some times it starts the dump process after 15 min of Outlook starts).
4. For password protected PST file, we need to save the password in the system itself, else error message will be thrown.
5. Local temporary dump location configured for Outlook backup should not contain special characters like single quote('), double quote("), forward slash(/), backward slash(\), question(?), colon(:), asterisk(*), lesser than(<), greater than(>), pipe(|) and plus(+).
6. Ensure that the dump location configured for the backup schedule has enough space and has valid read & write permissions to accommodate the Outlook's dump data. Also, the dump location's full path should be less than 256 characters.
7. During the dump process if we open the Outlook, then current dump file may be skipped (because Outlook will not release the current dump file handle ).