Moving from Another Online Backup Solution to RBackup

 

The first public release of RBackup Online Backup was in February 1987. The product has been in constant development and fully supported since, and is the most mature Online Backup product in the world, containing most (if not all) of the features of your current solution, and more.

RBackup is hybrid backup software. It can do online backups, sending data to its own Server and it can optionally do local backups. It can send backups to cloud services like Google Drive, Amazon S3, and DropBox.

RBackup’s web interface has three portals – one for Admin, one for Group Managers, and one for end users.

Its endpoint agent backs up all Microsoft files and databases including open and locked files, and all versions of Windows since Windows XP including all servers. It backs up and restores all versions of Exchange, MS SQL, Active Directory, System State, Full Drive Images, VMWare, Hyper-V, and other special databases.

RBackup fully supports MS VSS, Volume Shadow Copy Service.

Moving from another online backup solution requires re-seeding the first backup, which can be done online over a period of several days or weeks, and it can be done using a portable USB drive.

The first backup is always a full backup – backing up all the data selected. Subsequent backups are incremental, backing up only changed files or optionally just parts of changed files. The switch from Full to Incremental is automatic.

RBackup can synthesize a full restore from a series of Incremental and Full backups, so it is usually never necessary to do another full backup.

Here’s the procedure:

RBS will install the RBS Server software in your data center or office. The minimum hardware requirements are at this link. The RBS Server has a web interface that will default to port 80. It will use Microsoft’s IIS as the web server, and it will install it for you if it is not already installed.

The installation procedure for the RBS Server takes about 20 minutes. After installation an RBS consultant will spend 45 minutes to an hour with you on the phone in a shared screen session answering questions, doing training, and helping you set up your server to support your business model.

The RBS Server will run well in a VM. It will install on the same server as your other solution as long as ports do not conflict. The RBS Server uses ports 80, 2773, 2774, and a user-definable range of ports that defaults to 29001 – 29100. Open these ports through firewalls and route them to the server.

Set the RBS Server’s default data drive to the drive array that you want to use for customer data.

Use the built in utility to customize and brand your Endpoint software.

There are five ways to deploy endpoint software. Here is a link to a short six minute video that demonstrates them. With RBackup version 11.11 (released March 2015) there is a sixth method.

Here are the steps for the most common deployment method:

• Log in remotely to the end user’s computer using your remote management software.
• Bring up a web browser and point it to your RBackup Server.
• Log in as Admin or Group Manager.
• Select options to add a new Endpoint.
• Enter a new username and password, assign the new Endpoint to an Endpoint Group and a Plan.
• The RBackup Server will then build an installer specifically for this Endpoint and present a download link.
• Click the link, download the software, and run the .EXE file.
• Select data to be backed up, set a backup schedule.
• The Endpoint software is now ready to do regular scheduled backups.

Differences between your current solution and RBackup

• RBS has quicker support and more support resources.
• RBS’ head office is in Memphis, Tennessee USA.
• RBackup’s Endpoint software requires no local server. It performs the functions of a local server internally.
• RBS provides a free automatic failover hotsite to our data centers in Memphis and Virginia. If your Server goes offline you can log into the Partner’s Portal and activate it. Your Endpoints will back up to RBS data centers until your Server comes back online.
• RBackup is probably cheaper than your current solution in the long run, and maybe in the short run.
• RBackup’s most popular licensing model is Permanent Licensing.
• RBackup’s annual maintenance fees are probably cheaper than your current solution. In the case of Ahsay, MUCH cheaper.
• Your current solution may install an apache web server inside your clients’ networks. This is true of Ahsay and Vembu Storegrid. This gives you direct access and full remote control of your endpoint’s software, while introducing SERIOUS security risks, exposing your end users to widely published hacks. With RBackup you have a degree of remote control, but probably not as much as you are used to. More info here.
• Because RBackup is probably far more secure than your current solution, it may seem slower, and in some cases much slower.
• RBackup runs on Windows, but it can back up Mac and Linux as long as those drives are accessible from Windows, or the RBackup Endpoint is run in a VM that has access to the host’s files.