Obviously with the first backup, the machine does not have a cache, therefore ALL selected files are Added to the first backup.

Backup Snapshot Procedure

The Software will automatically calculate the size of your backup selection, and advise as per below. (You are also able to exclude files from this window, in the event that you have inadvertently selected the wrong file)

The first backup is always the most important, as it lays the foundation for your subsequent backups. If your selections are incorrect, then your backup may not be useful to you. We encourage users to take care when selecting files for backup for the first time.

Please ensure all business critical data has been included into the backup selection. This is the client’s responsibility as IronTree DOES NOT know your environment and we do not know what is critical to your business.

The first backup is also the largest. The software creates a local cache (or store) on your machine when you do your first backup. It is this cache that determines whether a file is new or has been modified, and whether the file should be “Added” or “Patched” for backup.

Obviously with the first backup, the machine does not have a cache, therefore ALL selected files are “Added” to the first backup.

Given the limited Bandwidth-Cap most of us are subjected to in South Africa, we have a method of doing that first “all-important” backup to save on your Bandwidth. This is called the “Snapshot”. The Snapshot allows you to send your first big backup or larger backups to either:

1) A folder on your local drive (to be written to CD or DVD) 2) An External USB Hard Drive

3) A Flash Drive or Memory Stick 4) Another computer on your network

Because we are concerned about the security of your data, the Snapshot procedure encrypts the data for the Snapshot before it leaves your machine, therefore it is stored in an encrypted format when it eventually resides on the Snapshot device.

The Snapshot also disables your backup account on the Storage Platform when it has completed. This is to ensure that you don’t try to send an inadvertent or scheduled backup to the Storage Platform after the Snapshot process, which would compromise the synchronicity of your data. Once the data is “Snapshotted”, you may send the data media to IronTree, and we will upload the “Snapshot” directly onto the Storage Platform into your IronTree account. Once the data has been uploaded successfully, we will re-enable your account and notify you.

At your next Manual or Scheduled backup, your software will detect your Snapshot on our Server and import the data accordingly.

Any work done on your machine in-between the time the Snapshot completes to when the data is loaded onto the Storage Platform, will be Patched or Added, and sent via the Internet connection to the Storage Platform. But for the most part, the bulk of your data would have been

“Snapshotted” to the Storage Server and NOT sent over your Internet connection. Just another way IronTree is looking after your Remote Storage requirements!

To run a Snapshot for large or first-time backups (typically for backups greater than 10 Gb), follow the next procedure…

(Make sure the external device is connected and available) Check the “Export Backup Snapshot” option:

After selecting the “export Backup Snapshot” option, you will see the below window:

Select the “next backup must be a snapshot backup” checkbox.

Click on the “Browse” button, to specify destination path where the “Snapshot” will be written.

Try to avoid writing directly to the external USB drive due to possible poor USB

connections and possible USB interface issues. We have also had issues with permissions and security rights when writing directly to USB externals.

Rather write the Snapshot to the local hard drive and once complete, COPY it to the external USB. This step eliminates faulty USB’s, and allows us to always re-copy from the original hard drive if there are anomalies with the Snapshot.

After clicking the “Browse” button, Please specify the location (Example... Root of the C Drive), and then right click and create a new folder within the “Select Folder” window…rename the “Snapshot Destination Folder” using the following naming convention

Now you may click on the ok button, to confirm the Snapshot Destination folder… Then click the backup button as per below, This will initiate the “Snapshot” process:

 The backup will now start, but instead of compressing and encrypting to the Storage Platform over the Internet, it will send the data to the local device you have selected.

 There must however be a connection to the Internet for the backup session to update the Index file on the Storage Platform.

 Once the backup/snapshot is complete, the User’s account will be automatically disabled. This is to prevent scheduled or inadvertent backups from running before the Snapshot data can be loaded directly onto the Storage Platform.

 You may now copy the Snapshot Folder (C:\ACCOUNTNAME0001_DATE) in its entirety from your selected Destination Folder to your CD/DVD/External Hard Drive and send it to IronTree.

 Should a backup try and run BEFORE we can copy the Snapshot data onto our Storage Platform, you will receive the message “Account disabled” Don’t worry, we will re-enable the account at the appropriate time once all data has been imported accordingly.

SNAPSHOT VERIFY

Once the “Snapshot” backup has run and completed, We need to verify the “Snapshot”. Download the verifier http://www.irontree.co.za/snapshotverifyv6.zip

1. Extract the .zip to a folder 2. Launch A5SnapshotVerify.exe 3. Browse to the snapshot folder.

4. Highlight the date and time stamp folder (without drilling into the TimeDate Stamp folder.)

5. Click ok.

6. Click the “Verify Data” Button.

7. You will then get prompt for your Account Encryption key. 8. Click ok and the verify will start running.

9. Verify duration is dependent on disk speed and size of backup.

 Once the verify step has completed with NO ERRORS on the USB external, you can ship the external drive to the JHB IronTree office.

 It will undergo another verify there, as we are in the habit of running the verification every time the Snapshot Data changes media. The reason for this is that because the Snapshot is a delicate operation, file headers, contents and footers are scrutinised and checked, ensuring the data is 100% correct with no anomalies.

 If there are critical errors or large amounts of skipped files in the verification, the backup will be rejected, and another snapshot may be run BEFORE the Snapshot leaves for the IronTree offices.

Note The Backup Account will be disabled at this point to ensure that the Snapshot data is the most recent. Once the data has been successfully uploaded to the Storage Platform, the Account will be enabled automatically and backups can proceed as usual.

NB!! In practice this might take a few days so it is IMPERATIVE for the client to have an alternate temporary backup system.

Please Note:

Should you require any technical assistance, Please do not hesitate to make contact via email:

techsupport@irontree.co.za or call the IronTree Support Desk on 086 002 1093 and an IronTree