Backup Software Features

The backup software we use is feature rich. Below we have listed some of the more important features of our backup software.  If you have any questions about the capabilities of our online data backup software please feel free to contact us.

Multiple Backup Sets

A backup set contains all backup settings of a backup operation. Each backup account can have multiple backup sets. Each backup set is an individual and independent entity. For example, if you want one directory to be backed up during the day and another directory to be backed up during the night, you can create two backup sets, each with a different backup schedule and backup source, to serve this need.

Backup Schedule

A "Backup Schedule" defines the frequency and the time that backups should run automatically. A backup set can run daily, weekly, or monthly or can be schedules to run at a custom time. Also you can have more than one schedule within a backup set.

Continuous Data Protection

Continuous Data Protection (CDP) feature enables files to be backed automatically at the time when there are changes to files on local hard disks. The benefits of using CDP are:
1. All intra-day interim changes are backed up automatically. Even if the computer breaks down completely before users had the change to backup their data at the end of the day in logout backup reminder, all changes within the day have been backed up safely by CDP and no data are lost.
2. Sometimes users do not save their data in the folders designated as backup source path and thus results in data not being backed up even when backup runs. Since CDP tracks all changes of files on local hard disk automatically for users, all files changed by the users are automatically backed up no matter whether the files are located in the backup source paths or not. This makes defining a backup set a much easier task for both administrators and users.

Encryption

Before your files are sent to AhsayOBS, all your files are compressed and encrypted using your choice of encryption algorithm, mode and key.

Encryption Algorithm

It defines the encrypting algorithm used to encrypt your backup files. There are three encryption algorithms available: 1 - [AES] Advanced Encryption Standard algorithm 2 - [DESede] Triple DES algorithm 3- [Twofish] Twofish algorithm We recommend the use of AES as it has been chosen as the encryption standard for commercial use. Please refer to references on Cryptography for more information about encryption algorithms.

Encryption Mode

It defines the encrypting mode used to encrypt your backup files. There are two encryption modes available: 1 - [ECB] Electronic Cook Book Mode 2 - [CBC] Cipher Block Chaining Mode We recommend the use of CBC mode as it offers better security. Please refer to references on Cryptography for more information about encryption modes.

Microsoft's Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)
 

The backup software can backup files which are currently opened using VSS. Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) allows you to backup files that are exclusively opened. Without VSS, you will get the error message "The process cannot access the file because another process has locked a portion of the file" if you are trying to backup a file that is exclusively opened (e.g. Outlook PST file).

Retention Policy

During backup, if the backup software finds that you have deleted a file (or updated a file) on your computer, it will put the corresponding deleted (or updated) file already backed up on the backup server into a retention area. The retention policy setting defines how long files inside the retention area will be kept on the backup server before they are deleted automatically from the server.
Retention policy will only affect "retained" file (i.e. files that have already been deleted or updated on your computer and thus are moved to the retention area of the backup server). For those files that have not been updated on your computer, the backup of these files is kept in the data area on the backup server and won't be affected by the setting of retention policy. These backup files of unchanged files will stay on the backup server forever until the original files are removed (or updated) from your computer.

Extra Backup (Off-Line backup, Logout Reminder)

Off-line backup is basically designed for notebook users who are off-line most of the time and cannot rely on the backup schedule to backup regularly. The "Backup Interval" allows notebook users to specify the interval that they would like their data to backup. When the machine is online and this interval has elapsed, backup will run automatically. If Off-Line Backup Alert is enabled, a popup message box will ask the user to confirm starting the backup.
 

The Email Notification setting is the number of days since the last backup that triggers the backup server to send email notification to the client to remind him to run an off-line backup.
When the System Logout Backup Reminder setting is enabled, a popup message box will ask the user to start a backup before logging out / shutting down Windows.

Local Copy

You can save an extra copy of backup data on your local hard disk (in addition to a copy of backup data stored on the backup server) to minimize file-restoring time and/or to provide an extra safety precaution.