Backup

Backup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Backup From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For other uses of "Backup", see Backup (disambiguation). In Information Technology, a backup or the process of backing up refers to making copies of data so that these additional copies may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb is back up in two words, whereas the noun is backup (often used like an adjective in compound nouns).[1] Backups are useful primarily for two purposes. The first is to restore a state following a disaster (called disaster recovery). The second is to restore small numbers of files after they have been accidentally deleted or corrupted. Data loss is also very common. 67% of internet users have suffered from serious data loss.[2] Since a backup system contains at least one copy of all data worth saving, the data storage requirements are considerable. Organizing this storage space and managing the backup process is a complicated undertaking. A data repository model can be used to provide structure to the storage. In the modern era of computing there are many different types of data storage devices that are useful for making backups. There are also many different ways in which these devices can be arranged to provide geographic redundancy, data security, and portability. Before data is sent to its storage location, it is selected, extracted, and manipulated. Many different techniques have been developed to optimize the backup procedure. These include optimizations for dealing with open files and live data sources as well as compression, encryption, and de-duplication, among others. Many organizations and individuals try to have confidence that the process is working as expected and work to define measurements and validation techniques. It is also important to recognize the limitations and human factors involved in any backup scheme. Contents 1 Storage, the base of a backup system 1.1 Data repository models 1.2 Storage media 1.3 Managing the data repository 2 Selection and extraction of data 2.1 Files 2.2 Filesystems 2.3 Metadata 3 Manipulation of data and dataset optimisation 4 Managing the backup process 4.1 Objectives 4.2 Limitations 4.3 Implementation 4.4 Measuring the process 5 Lore 5.1 Confusion 5.2 Advice 5.3 Events 6 See also 7 References [edit] Storage, the base of a backup system [edit] Data repository models Any backup strategy starts with a concept of a data repository. The backup data needs to be stored somehow and probably should be organized to a degree. It can be as simple as a sheet of paper with a list of all backup tapes and the dates they were written or a more sophisticated setup with a computerized index, catalog, or relational database. Different repository models have different advantages. This is closely related to choosing a backup rotation scheme. Unstructured  An unstructured repository may simply be a stack of floppy disks or CD-R/DVD-R media with minimal information about what was backed up and when. This is the easiest to implement, but probably the least likely to achieve a high level of recoverability. Full + incrementals  A full + incremental repository aims to make it more feasible to store several copies of the source data. At first, a full backup (of all files) is made. After that, any number of incremental backups can be made. There are many different types of incremental backups, but they all attempt to only back up a small amount of data (when compared to the size of a full backup). An incremental backup copies everything that changed after the last backup (full, differential or incremental). Restoring a whole system to a certain point in time would require locating the last full backup taken previous to that time and all the incremental backups that cover the period of time between the full backup and the particular point in time to which the system is supposed to be restored.[3] The scope of an incremental backup is typically defined as a range of time relative to other full or incremental backups. Different implementations of backup systems frequently use specialized or conflicting definitions of these terms. Differential backup  A differential backup copies files that have been created or changed since the last full backup. It does not mark files as having been backed up (in other words, the archive attribute is not cleared). If you are performing a combination of full and differential backups, restoring files and folders requires that you have the last full as well as the last differential backup. Reverse delta  A reverse delta system stores the differences between current versions of a system and previous versions. A reverse delta backup will start with a normal full backup. After the full backup is performed, the system will periodically synchronize the full backup with the live copy, while storing the data necessary to reconstruct older versions. This can either be done using hard links, or using binary diffs. This system works particularly well for large, slowly changing, data sets. Examples of programs that use this method are rdiff-backup and Time Machine Continuous data protection  Instead of scheduling periodic backups, the system immediately logs every change on the host system. This is generally done by saving byte or block-level differences rather than file-level differences.[4] It differs from simple disk mirroring in that it enables a roll-back of the log and thus restoration of old image of data. Full system backup  This type of backup is designed to allow an entire PC to be recovered to "bare metal" without any installation of operating system, application software and data. Most users understand that a backup will prevent "data" from being lost. The expense in a full system recovery is in the hours that it takes for a technician to rebuild a machine to the point of restoring the last data backup. So, a full system backup makes a complete image of the computer so that if needed, it can be copied back to the PC, usually using some type of bespoke software such as Ghost, and the user can carry on from that point. Backups can be also used when installing from one operating system to another. [edit] Storage media Regardless of the repository model that is used, the data has to be stored on some data storage medium somewhere. Magnetic tape  Magnetic tape has long been the most commonly used medium for bulk data storage, backup, archiving, and interchange. Tape has typically had an order of magnitude better capacity/price ratio when compared to hard disk, but recently the ratios for tape and hard disk have become a lot closer.[5] There are myriad formats, many of which are proprietary or specific to certain markets like mainframes or a particular brand of personal computer. Tape is a sequential access medium, so even though access times may be poor, the rate of continuously writing or reading data can actually be very fast. Some new tape drives are even faster than modern hard disks. A principal advantage of tape is that it has been used for this purpose for decades (much longer than any alternative) and its characteristics are well understood. Hard disk  The capacity/price ratio of hard disk has been rapidly improving for many years. This is making it more competitive with magnetic tape as a bulk storage medium. The main advantages of hard disk storage are low access times, availability, capacity and ease of use.[6] External disks can be connected via local interfaces like SCSI, USB, FireWire, or eSATA, or via longer distance technologies like Ethernet, iSCSI, or Fibre Channel. Some disk-based backup systems, such as Virtual Tape Libraries, support data deduplication which can dramatically reduce the amount of disk storage capacity consumed by daily and weekly backup data. The main disadvantages of hard disk backups are that they are easily damaged, especially while being transported (e.g., for off-site backups), and that their stability over periods of years is a relative unknown. Optical storage  Blu-ray Discs dramatically increase the amount of data possible on a single optical storage disk. Systems containing Blu-ray discs can store massive amounts of data and be more cost efficient than hard drives and magnetic tape. Some optical storage systems allow for cataloged data backups without human contact with the discs, allowing for longer data integrity. A recordable CD can be used as a backup device. One advantage of CDs is that they can be restored on any machine with a CD-ROM drive. (In practice, writable CD-ROMs are not always universally readable.) In addition, recordable CD's are relatively cheap. Another common format is recordable DVD. Many optical disk formats are WORM type, which makes them useful for archival purposes since the data can't be changed. Other rewritable formats can also be utilized such as CD-RW or DVD-RAM. Floppy disk  During the 1980s and early 1990s, many personal/home computer users associated backing up mostly with copying to floppy disks. The low data capacity of a floppy disk makes it an unpopular and obsolete choice today.[7] Solid state storage  Also known as flash memory, thumb drives, USB flash drives, CompactFlash, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, Secure Digital cards, etc., these devices are relatively costly for their low capacity, but offer excellent portability and ease-of-use. Remote backup service  As broadband internet access becomes more widespread, remote backup services are gaining in popularity. Backing up via the internet to a remote location can protect against some worst-case scenarios such as fires, floods, or earthquakes which would destroy any backups in the immediate vicinity along with everything else. There are, however, a number of drawbacks to remote backup services. First, Internet connections are usually slower than local data storage devices. Residential broadband is especially problematic as routine backups must use an upstream link that's usually much slower than the downstream link used only occasionally to retrieve a file from backup. This tends to limit the use of such services to relatively small amounts of high value data. Secondly, users must trust a third party service provider to maintain the privacy and integrity of their data, although confidentiality can be assured by encrypting the data before transmission to the backup service with a encryption key known only to the user. Ultimately the backup service must itself use one of the above methods so this could be seen as a more complex way of doing traditional backups. [edit] Managing the data repository Regardless of the data repository model or data storage media used for backups, a balance needs to be struck between accessibility, security and cost. These media management methods are not mutually exclusive and are frequently combined to meet the needs of the situation. Using on-line disks for staging data before it is sent to a near-line tape library is a common example. On-line  On-line backup storage is typically the most accessible type of data storage, which can begin restore in milliseconds time. A good example would be an internal hard disk or a disk array (maybe connected to SAN). This type of storage is very convenient and speedy, but is relatively expensive. On-line storage is quite vulnerable to being deleted or overwritten, either by accident, by intentional malevolent action, or in the wake of a data-deleting virus payload. Near-line  Near-line storage is typically less accessible and less expensive than on-line storage, but still useful for backup data storage. A good example would be a tape library with restore times ranging from seconds to a few minutes. A mechanical device is usually involved in moving media units from storage into a drive where the data can be read or written. Generally it has safety properties similar to on-line storage. Off-line  Off-line storage requires some direct human action in order to make access to the storage media physically possible. This action is typically inserting a tape into a tape drive or plugging in a cable that allows a device to be accessed. Because the data is not accessible via any computer except during limited periods in which it is written or read back, it is largely immune to a whole class of on-line backup failure modes. Access time will vary depending on whether the media is on-site or off-site. Off-site data protection To protect against a disaster or other site-specific problem, many people choose to send backup media to an off-site vault. The vault can be as simple as a system administrator's home office or as sophisticated as a disaster hardened, temperature controlled, high security bunker that has facilities for backup media storage. Importantly a data replica can be off-site but also on-line (e.g., an off-site RAID mirror). Such a replica has fairly limited value as a backup, and should not be confused with an off-line backup. Backup site or disaster recovery center (DR center) In the event of a disaster, the data on backup media will not be sufficient to recover. Computer systems onto which the data can be restored and properly configured networks are necessary too. Some organizations have their own data recovery centers that are equipped for this scenario. Other organizations contract this out to a third-party recovery center. Because a DR site is itself a huge investment, backing up is very rarely considered the preferred method of moving data to a DR site. A more typical way would be remote disk mirroring, which keeps the DR data as up to date as possible. [edit] Selection and extraction of data A successful backup job starts with selecting and extracting coherent units of data. Most data on modern computer systems is stored in discrete units, known as files. These files are organized into filesystems. Files that are actively being updated can be thought of as "live" and present a challenge to back up. It is also useful to save metadata that describes the computer or the filesystem being backed up. Deciding what to back up at any given time is a harder process than it seems. By backing up too much redundant data, the data repository will fill up too quickly. Backing up an insufficient amount of data can eventually lead to the loss of critical information. [edit] Files Copying files  Making copies of files is the simplest and most common way to perform a backup. A means to perform this basic function is included in all backup software and all operating systems. Partial file copying  Instead of copying whole files, one can limit the backup to only the blocks or bytes within a file that have changed in a given period of time. This technique can use substantially less storage space on the backup medium, but requires a high level of sophistication to reconstruct files in a restore situation. Some implementations require integration with the source filesystem. When backing up over a network, the rsync utility automatically transmits a minimum set of changes to bring an earlier version of a file at the destination up to date with the current version at the source. Rsync can dramatically reduce the network traffic needed to maintain a remote mirror of a large set of files undergoing small, frequent changes. [edit] Filesystems Filesystem dump  Instead of copying files within a filesystem, a copy of the whole filesystem itself can be made. This is also known as a raw partition backup and is related to disk imaging. The process usually involves unmounting the filesystem and running a program like dd (Unix). Because the disk is read sequentially and with large buffers, this type of backup can be much faster than reading every file normally, especially when the filesystem contains many small files, is highly fragmented, or is nearly full. But because this method also reads the free disk blocks that contain no useful data, this method can also be slower than conventional reading, especially when the filesystem is nearly empty. Some filesystems, such as XFS, provide a "dump" utility that reads the disk sequentially for high performance while skipping unused sections. The corresponding restore utility can selectively restore individual files or the entire volume at the operator's choice. Identification of changes  Some filesystems have an archive bit for each file that says it was recently changed. Some backup software looks at the date of the file and compares it with the last backup to determine whether the file was changed. Versioning file system  A versioning filesystem keeps track of all changes to a file and makes those changes accessible to the user. Generally this gives access to any previous version, all the way back to the file's creation time. An example of this is the Wayback versioning filesystem for Linux.[8] If a computer system is in use while it is being backed up, the possibility of files being open for reading or writing is real. If a file is open, the contents on disk may not correctly represent what the owner of the file intends. This is especially true for database files of all kinds. The term fuzzy backup can be used to describe a backup of live data that looks like it ran correctly, but does not represent the state of the data at any single point in time. This is because the data being backed up changed in the period of time between when the backup started and when it finished. For databases in particular, fuzzy backups are worthless.[citation needed] Snapshot backup  A snapshot is an instantaneous function of some storage systems that presents a copy of the file system as if it were frozen at a specific point in time, often by a copy-on-write mechanism. An effective way to back up live data is to temporarily quiesce it (e.g. close all files), take a snapshot, and then resume live operations. At this point the snapshot can be backed up through normal methods.[9] While a snapshot is very handy for viewing a filesystem as it was at a different point in time, it is hardly an effective backup mechanism by itself. Open file backup  Many backup software packages feature the ability to handle open files in backup operations. Some simply check for openness and try again later. File locking is useful for regulating access to open files. When attempting to understand the logistics of backing up open files, one must consider that the backup process could take several minutes to back up a large file such as a database. In order to back up a file that is in use, it is vital that the entire backup represent a single-moment snapshot of the file, rather than a simple copy of a read-through. This represents a challenge when backing up a file that is constantly changing. Either the database file must be locked to prevent changes, or a method must be implemented to ensure that the original snapshot is preserved long enough to be copied, all while changes are being preserved. Backing up a file while it is being changed, in a manner that causes the first part of the backup to represent data before changes occur to be combined with later parts of the backup after the change results in a corrupted file that is unusable, as most large files contain internal references between their various parts that must remain consistent throughout the file. Cold database backup  During a cold backup, the database is closed or locked and not available to users. The datafiles do not change during the backup process so the database is in a consistent state when it is returned to normal operation.[10] Hot database backup  Some database management systems offer a means to generate a backup image of the database while it is online and usable ("hot"). This usually includes an inconsistent image of the data files plus a log of changes made while the procedure is running. Upon a restore, the changes in the log files are reapplied to bring the database in sync.[11] [edit] Metadata Not all information stored on the computer is stored in files. Accurately recovering a complete system from scratch requires keeping track of this non-file data too. System description  System specifications are needed to procure an exact replacement after a disaster. Boot sector  The boot sector can sometimes be recreated more easily than saving it. Still, it usually isn't a normal file and the system won't boot without it. Partition layout  The layout of the original disk, as well as partition tables and filesystem settings, is needed to properly recreate the original system. File metadata  Each file's permissions, owner, group, ACLs, and any other metadata need to be backed up for a restore to properly recreate the original environment. System metadata  Different operating systems have different ways of storing configuration information. Microsoft Windows keeps a registry of system information that is more difficult to restore than a typical file. [edit] Manipulation of data and dataset optimisation It is frequently useful or required to manipulate the data being backed up to optimize the backup process. These manipulations provide many benefits including improved backup speed, restore speed, data security, media usage and reduced bandwidth requirements. Compression  Various schemes can be employed to shrink the size of the source data to be stored so that it uses less storage space. Compression is frequently a built-in feature of tape drive hardware. De-duplication  When multiple similar systems are backed up to the same destination storage device, there exists the potential for much redundancy within the backed up data. For example, if 20 Windows workstations were backed up to the same data repository, they might share a common set of system files. The data repository only needs to store one copy of those files to be able to restore any one of those workstations. This technique can be applied at the file level or even on raw blocks of data, potentially resulting in a massive reduction in required storage space. Deduplication can occur on a server before any data moves to backup media, sometimes referred to as source/client side deduplication. This approach also reduces bandwidth required to send backup data to its target media. The process can also occur at the target storage device, sometimes referred to as inline or back-end deduplication. Duplication  Sometimes backup jobs are duplicated to a second set of storage media. This can be done to rearrange the backup images to optimize restore speed, to have a second copy at a different location or on a different storage medium. Encryption  High capacity removable storage media such as backup tapes present a data security risk if they are lost or stolen.[12] Encrypting the data on these media can mitigate this problem, but presents new problems. Encryption is a CPU intensive process that can slow down backup speeds, and the security of the encrypted backups is only as effective as the security of the key management policy. Multiplexing  When there are many more computers to be backed up than there are destination storage devices, the ability to use a single storage device with several simultaneous backups can be useful. Refactoring  The process of rearranging the backup sets in a data repository is known as refactoring. For example, if a backup system uses a single tape each day to store the incremental backups for all the protected computers, restoring one of the computers could potentially require many tapes. Refactoring could be used to consolidate all the backups for a single computer onto a single tape. This is especially useful for backup systems that do incrementals forever style backups. Staging  Sometimes backup jobs are copied to a staging disk before being copied to tape. This process is sometimes referred to as D2D2T, an acronym for Disk to Disk to Tape. This can be useful if there is a problem matching the speed of the final destination device with the source device as is frequently faced in network-based backup systems. It can also serve as a centralized location for applying other data manipulation techniques. [edit] Managing the backup process It is important to understand that backing up is a process. As long as new data is being created and changes are being made, backups will need to be updated. Individuals and organizations with anything from one computer to thousands (or even millions) of computer systems all have requirements for protecting data. While the scale is different, the objectives and limitations are essentially the same. Likewise, those who perform backups need to know to what extent they were successful, regardless of scale. [edit] Objectives Recovery point objective (RPO)  The point in time that the restarted infrastructure will reflect. Essentially, this is the roll-back that will be experienced as a result of the recovery. The most desirable RPO would be the point just prior to the data loss event. Making a more recent recovery point achievable requires increasing the frequency of synchronization between the source data and the backup repository.[13] Recovery time objective (RTO)  The amount of time elapsed between disaster and restoration of business functions.[14] Data security  In addition to preserving access to data for its owners, data must be restricted from unauthorized access. Backups must be performed in a manner that does not compromise the original owner's undertaking. This can be achieved with data encryption and proper media handling policies. [edit] Limitations An effective backup scheme will take into consideration the limitations of the situation. Backup window  The period of time when backups are permitted to run on a system is called the backup window. This is typically the time when the system sees the least usage and the backup process will have the least amount of interference with normal operations. The backup window is usually planned with users' convenience in mind. If a backup extends past the defined backup window, a decision is made whether it is more beneficial to abort the backup or to lengthen the backup window. Performance impact  All backup schemes have some performance impact on the system being backed up. For example, for the period of time that a computer system is being backed up, the hard drive is busy reading files for the purpose of backing up, and its full bandwidth is no longer available for other tasks. Such impacts should be analyzed. Costs of hardware, software, labor  All types of storage media have a finite capacity with a real cost. Matching the correct amount of storage capacity (over time) with the backup needs is an important part of the design of a backup scheme. Any backup scheme has some labor requirement, but complicated schemes have considerably higher labor requirements. The cost of commercial backup software can also be considerable. Network bandwidth  Distributed backup systems can be affected by limited network bandwidth. [edit] Implementation Meeting the defined objectives in the face of the above limitations can be a difficult task. The tools and concepts below can make that task more achievable. Scheduling  Using a job scheduler can greatly improve the reliability and consistency of backups by removing part of the human element. Many backup software packages include this functionality. Authentication  Over the course of regular operations, the user accounts and/or system agents that perform the backups need to be authenticated at some level. The power to copy all data off of or onto a system requires unrestricted access. Using an authentication mechanism is a good way to prevent the backup scheme from being used for unauthorized activity. Chain of trust  Removable storage media are physical items and must only be handled by trusted individuals. Establishing a chain of trusted individuals (and vendors) is critical to defining the security of the data. [edit] Measuring the process To ensure that the backup scheme is working as expected, the process needs to include monitoring key factors and maintaining historical data. Backup validation  (also known as "backup success validation") The process by which owners of data can get information about how their data was backed up. This same process is also used to prove compliance to regulatory bodies outside of the organization, for example, an insurance company might be required under HIPAA to show "proof" that their patient data are meeting records retention requirements.[15] Disaster, data complexity, data value and increasing dependence upon ever-growing volumes of data all contribute to the anxiety around and dependence upon successful backups to ensure business continuity. For that reason, many organizations rely on third-party or "independent" solutions to test, validate, and optimize their backup operations (backup reporting). Reporting  In larger configurations, reports are useful for monitoring media usage, device status, errors, vault coordination and other information about the backup process. Logging  In addition to the history of computer generated reports, activity and change logs are useful for monitoring backup system events. Validation  Many backup programs make use of checksums or hashes to validate that the data was accurately copied. These offer several advantages. First, they allow data integrity to be verified without reference to the original file: if the file as stored on the backup medium has the same checksum as the saved value, then it is very probably correct. Second, some backup programs can use checksums to avoid making redundant copies of files, to improve backup speed. This is particularly useful for the de-duplication process. Monitored backup  Backup processes are monitored by a third party monitoring center. This center alerts users to any errors that occur during automated backups. Monitored backup requires software capable of pinging the monitoring center's servers in the case of errors. Some monitoring services also allow collection of historical meta-data, that can be used for Storage Resource Management purposes like projection of data growth, locating redundant primary storage capacity and reclaimable backup capacity. The Wizards Storage Portal is an example of a solution that monitors IBM's well known Tivoli Storage Manager(TSM) solution. [edit] Lore Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Backup [edit] Confusion Due to a considerable overlap in technology, backups and backup systems are frequently confused with archives and fault-tolerant systems. Backups differ from archives in the sense that archives are the primary copy of data, usually put away for future use, while backups are a secondary copy of data, kept on hand to replace the original item. Backup systems differ from fault-tolerant systems in the sense that backup systems assume that a fault will cause a data loss event and fault-tolerant systems assure a fault will not. [edit] Advice This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (November 2009) The more important the data is that is stored on the computer, the greater is the need for backing up this data. A backup is only as useful as its associated restore strategy. For critical systems and data, the restoration process must be tested. Storing the copy near the original is unwise, since many disasters such as fire, flood, theft, and electrical surges are likely to cause damage to the backup at the same time. In these cases, both the original and the backup medium are likely to be lost. Automated backup and scheduling should be considered, as manual backups can be affected by human error. Backups can fail for a wide variety of reasons. A verification or monitoring strategy is an important part of a successful backup plan. Multiple backups on different media, stored in different locations, must be used for all critical information. Backed up archives should be stored in open and standard formats, especially when the goal is long-term archiving. Recovery software and processes may have changed, and software may not be available to restore data saved in proprietary formats. System administrators and others working in the information technology field are routinely fired for not devising and maintaining backup processes suitable to their organization. If you already have a tape backup system, a second backup program may be necessary, do an additional backup to the external hard disk with an automatic backup program, you will have the double data security, and it is easy to check the backed up files in the external hard disk. [edit] Events In 1996, during a fire at the headquarters of Crédit Lyonnais, a major bank in Paris, system administrators ran into the burning building to rescue backup tapes because they didn't have off-site copies. Crucial bank archives and computer data were lost.[16][17] Privacy Rights Clearinghouse has documented [18] 16 instances of stolen or lost backup tapes (among major organizations) in 2005 & 2006. Affected organizations included Bank of America, Ameritrade, Citigroup, and Time Warner. On 3 January 2008, an email server crashed at TeliaSonera, a major Nordic telecom company and internet service provider. It was subsequently discovered that the last serviceable backup set was from 15 December 2007. Three hundred thousand customer email accounts were affected.[19][20] [edit] See also Look up backup in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Look up back up in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Glossary of backup terms Backup software List of backup software Backup rotation scheme Incremental backup Computer data storage Data proliferation File synchronization Information repository Disaster recovery and business continuity auditing Digital preservation Data Recovery Virtual backup appliance [edit] References ^ English native speakers never say or write "she backups" or "he backuped" and instead always say and write the verb in two parts, in other words "(she) backs up" and "(he) backed up". Surprisingly, many even professional websites nevertheless confuse the noun and the verb and often misspell the verb in other situations, for example "to backup" ("will/must backup") instead of "to back up" etc. See also: American Heritage Dictionary entry for backup, American Heritage Dictionary entry for back up, Wiktionary entry for backup, Wiktionary entry for back up. ^ Global Backup Survey. Retrieved on 15 February 2009 ^ Incremental Backup. Retrieved on 10 March 2006 ^ Continuous Protection white paper. (1 October 2005). Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ Disk to Disk Backup versus Tape - War or Truce? (9 December 2004). Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ "Bye Bye Tape, Hello 5.3TB eSATA". http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/04/18/bye_bye_tape/. Retrieved 22 April 2007.  ^ Choosing a Data Backup Method. Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ Wayback: A User-level V File System for Linux (2004). Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ What is a Snapshot backup?. Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ Oracle Tips (10 December 1997). Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ Oracle Tips (10 December 1997). Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ Backups tapes a backdoor for identity thieves (28 April 2004). Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ Definition of recovery point objective. Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ Definition of recovery time objective. Retrieved on 7 March 2007 ^ HIPAA Advisory. Retrieved on 10 March 2007 ^ Credit Lyonnais fire, 1996 ^ "...destruction of crucial bank archives..." ^ A Chronology of Data Breaches Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, San Diego ^ back up is the activibg of copying file or date bases. "Telia server outage causes massive loss of email messages". blog.anta.net. 7 January 2008. ISSN 1797-1993. http://blog.anta.net/2008/01/07/telia-server-outage-causes-massive-loss-of-email-messages/. Retrieved 31 May 2008.  ^ Telia Sonera to compensate clients over email crash. 7 January 2008. http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/business/news/article_1385007.php/Telia_Sonera_to_compensate_clients_over_email_crash. Retrieved 19 February 2009.  Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backup" Categories: Data security | Business continuity and disaster recovery | Tape-based computer storage | Computer storage backupHidden categories: All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from July 2010 | Articles that may contain original research from November 2009 | All articles that may contain original research | Use dmy dates from November 2010 Personal tools Log in / create account Namespaces Article Discussion Variants Views Read Edit View history Actions Search Navigation Main page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Donate to Wikipedia Interaction Help About Wikipedia Community portal Recent changes Contact Wikipedia Toolbox What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Cite this page Print/export Create a bookDownload as PDFPrintable version Languages Afrikaans Bosanski Català Česky Dansk Deutsch Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Italiano עברית ಕನ್ನಡ Lëtzebuergesch Nederlands 日本語 ‪Norsk (bokmål)‬ Polski Português Русский Shqip Simple English Slovenčina Suomi Svenska Tagalog Українська اردو 粵語 中文 This page was last modified on 22 December 2010 at 12:43. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of Use for details. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.Contact us Privacy policy About Wikipedia Disclaimers

Online Backup - Remote Data Backup - Backup Services | Norton Online Backup Norton Online Forum ›      Account Login ›        Try it Now Free       Buy it Now What Is It? Features Tips & Tricks How To's Norton™ Online Backup Norton Online Backup takes the pain out of backups for multiple computers by automatically protecting and remotely storing your files at our secured data centers. And Norton Online Backup provides you convenience by giving you more ways to securely access and share your files anytime you have an internet connection. Easy Automatically protect your important files against loss, damage and other disasters Secure Secure and encrypt your files, and store them remotely with the leader in consumer backup and data management Always Available Quickly restore files that you mistakenly deleted, saved over, or lost altogether, to any computer with an internet connection 5 PCs or Macs Protect your data on up to five of your Windows or Mac computers with a single subscription The Norton Online Backup Advantage Delivers easy-to-use, professional-grade, backup protection for your files Protects your family's digital photos and movies, downloaded music, important documents and more at a secure offsite location. You can quickly recover your data - and your precious memories - in case of file system damage or natural disasters. Lets you access your files from any Internet-connected computer Stores your files online so you can retrieve them anytime, anywhere using any computer connected to the Internet. You can get your files back fast whether you're at home, in the office, or on the road. Automatic protection for your files Norton Online Backup is pre-set to backup your pictures, financial files, office documents, contacts, and Internet favorites on a daily basis. Backups run automatically! Makes transferring files between computers a breezeData migration lets you back up files from one computer and restore them on another computer. So you can easily share files between your family's Windows and Mac computers, and migrate files from an old computer to a new computer. Works with both Windows and Mac computers Lets you back up files from up to five of your family's computers, even if they run different platforms. Simplifies file sharing Lets you email links to online photos, movies and other computer files in your backup set so you can easily share them with family, friends, and colleagues without relying on large email attachments. Lets you search backup sets for specific files by keyword Simply enter a keyword or search term to quickly and easily find the file or files you want to restore. Saves older versions of your backed up files Automatically archives previous file versions every time a backup occurs, so you can easily keep track of and restore older files if you need to. Mobile solutions coming soon The new "Norton Tiki" mobile app - currently in Beta testing for use with iPhones and Android/Google phones - gives you on-the-go access to your digital archive. Be smart. Protect your data. Here's how. Develop Your Backup Plan Audit the digital content housed on your computer(s). Investigate backup options that map to your digital life. While we prefer you use Norton Online Backup, it's important that you put your backup plan in place. Backup Regularly Create a backup schedule, ideally using a solution that backs up automatically. Daily backups are ideal to ensure you're protecting newly created online files as well as older files you may have changed or updated. Store Your Digital Content Safely Keeping your backup in the same location as your computer fails to protect against disasters that can cause data loss such as fire, floods or theft. Look to online backup solutions like Norton Online Backup for secure, remote storage with anytime, anywhere access. Use a solution that is EASY If your backup solution requires super-techie skills, you probably won't use it. Find a solution that you can easily manage and understand, like Norton Online Backup. Try it Now Free Get the most out of your Norton Online Backup introductory or one-year subscription with these how-to's. Scheduling a backup in Norton Online Backup Backing up your files manually Creating a custom rule to include or exclude specific file types Adding or removing a computer from your Norton Online Backup account Viewing the activity logs Restoring your files Downloading the files from Norton Online Backup through your Web browser Purchasing additional online backup space Removing the files from Norton Online Backup Sharing your files from Norton Online Backup through email Scheduling a backup in Norton Online Backup If you do not have the Norton Online Backup client installed, go to the Norton Online Backup home page, and logon using your username and password. After you login, skip to line 2. 1. In the notification area or the system tray, right-click the Norton Online Backup icon, and then click Home. If prompted, type in your email address and password, and then click Log In. 2. Next to the computer icon for which you want to schedule the backup, click Settings. 3. In the When tab, select Scheduled. Note: By default, Norton Online Backup is scheduled to run automatically. 4. To change the automatic schedule, from the drop-down menu, select Daily, Weekly or Monthly. 5. In the Starting At pane, select the approximate time to start the backup. If you want to change the time zone, from the drop-down menu, select the time zone. 6. Click Save. Back to Top ^ Backing up your files manually Backup your files remotely from the Web The computer from which you want to backup the files must be turned on and have the Norton Online Backup client running. Also it must have an active Internet connection to run a backup from the web remotely. 1. Go to the Norton Online Backup home page. https://nobu.backup.com/session/new If prompted, type in your email address and password, and then click Log In. 2. Next to the computer icon from which you want to backup the files, click Backup Now. Backup your files from the Norton Online Backup client Before starting the backup, make sure that your computer is connected to the Internet. 1. Exit all the open programs. 2. Do one of the following: In Windows, in the notification area or the system tray, right-click the Norton Online Backup icon, and then click Backup Now. In Mac, on the menu bar, click the Norton Online Backup icon, and then click Backup Now. Creating a custom rule to include or exclude specific file types or folders in Norton Online Backup 1. Go to the Norton Online Backup home page. https://nobu.backup.com/session/new 2. Type in your email address and password, and then click Log In. 3. Next to the computer icon for which you want to create a custom rule, click Settings. 4. On the What tab, next to Advanced Rules, click Add Rule. 5. In the Advanced Rule dialog box, type the path of the folder followed by the wildcard character and the file extension. From the drop-down menu, select include or exclude, and then click Add. e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\User\Desktop\*\*.exe This will scan all the folders within the Desktop folder to include or exclude all the .exe files. You can also create a rule to include or exclude the entire folders in addition to using the Add Folder option available from the Files to Backup pane. e.g. C:\Documents and Settings\User\Desktop\*\* Note: Be careful in selecting the generic path of the folders using wildcard character so that it scans only the required locations for specified file types. You can use only one wildcard character in the folder name and one wildcard character in the file name when creating custom rules. 6. Click Save 7. If you wish to create additional rules, perform lines 4 to 6. Ensure that you click Save after each entry to avoid losing your new setting. Back to Top ^ Adding or removing a computer from your Norton Online Backup account Add a computer in Windows Make sure that you are logged in from the same computer which you want to add to your Norton Online Backup account. 1. Go to the Norton Online Backup home page. https://nobu.backup.com/session/new 2. Type in your Norton Account email address and password, and then click Log In. 3. Click Add a Computer. 4. Check I have read and agree with the Terms of Service, and then click Download for Windows or Download for Mac. 5. Do one of the following: In Windows, double-click the NortonOnlineBackup.exe file that you downloaded. If you see a Security warning, click Run. In Mac, when the download finishes, the Norton Online Backup installer is launched automatically. 6. Follow the On-screen instructions to complete the installation. Remove a computer Removing a computer from the online account deletes all the files backed up from that computer and delete the backup set. 1. Go to the Norton Online Backup home page. https://nobu.backup.com/session/new 2. Type in your email address and password, and then click Log In. 3. Click Remove a Computer. 4. Next to the computer icon that you want to remove, click Remove. 5. Click OK to confirm. View the activity logs If you do not have the Norton Online Backup client installed, go to the Norton Online Backup home page, and logon using your username and password. After you login, skip to line 3. 1. Do one of the following: In Windows, in the notification area or the system tray, right-click the Norton Online Backup icon, and then click Home. In Mac, click the Norton Online Backup icon on the menu bar and then click Home. 2. Type in your email address and password, and then click Log In. 3. Next to the computer for which you want to view the activity logs, click (View Log). 4. When you finish viewing the logs, click Done. Back to Top ^ Restoring your files from Norton Online Backup Restore your files To restore backups from Norton Online Backup account, you must have an active Internet connection and Norton Online Backup client installed on the computer. 1. In the notification area or the system tray, right-click the Norton Online Backup icon, and then click Restore. If prompted, type in your email address and password, and then click Log In. 2. Next to the computer icon to which you want to restore the backup files, click File Actions, and then click Restore Files. 3. In the Folders pane, click the folder name to navigate down the folder tree of files that are backed up. The Files pane displays the backed up files contained in the current folder. If you want to search and restore specific files, in the Search box, type the search criteria, and then click Search. To use advanced search options, click Show Advanced Search, and select the search options. 4. In the Files pane, select the folders or files that you want to restore, and then click Restore Now. By default, the files and folders will be restored to Restored Files folder on the desktop. If you want to change the default restore settings, read the section Using advanced restore options. Using advanced restore options Norton Online Backup also provides you the advanced restore options which can be accessed by clicking Show Options. Following are the options available: Restore To Other: To restore the files and folders to another computer, from the To drop-down box, select the computer to which you want to restore the files and folders. Files Options: To restore the files to original location on the computer, select Restore Files to their original location on your computer. If you want to replace the original files with the restored files, check Overwrite existing files. Backed Up On: By default, the files from the latest backup set are restored. To restore the files from an older backup set, from the drop-down box, select the backup set shown with the date and time of the backup. Downloading the files backed up using Norton Online Backup through your Web browser 1. Go to the Norton Online Backup home page. https://nobu.backup.com/session/new. If prompted, type in your email address and password, and then click Log In. 2. Next to the computer icon from whose backup set you want to download files, click File Actions, and then click Download a File. 3. In the Folders pane, click the folder name to navigate down the folder tree of the files that are backed up. The Files pane displays the backed up files contained in the current folder. 4. In the Files pane, click the file name that you want to download. 5. Follow the browser prompt to save the files on your computer. 6. If you want to download multiple files from the backup set, repeat lines 3 through 5 for each file. Back to Top ^ Purchasing additional online backup space for Norton Online Backup If you do not have the Norton Online Backup client installed, go to the Norton Online Backup home page, and logon using your username and password. After you login, skip to line 3. 1. Do one of the following: In Windows, in the notification area or the system tray, right-click the Norton Online Backup icon, and then click Home. In Mac, click the Norton Online Backup icon on the menu bar and then click Home. 2. Type in your email address and password, and then click Log In. 3. In the top-right corner of the Web page, click Buy More Storage. 4. Click the amount of storage to purchase. 5. Read the Terms of Service Agreement, and then click Accept License Agreement. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the purchase. Remove the files from Norton Online Backup 1. Go to the Norton Online Backup home page. https://nobu.backup.com/session/new 2. Type in your Norton Account email address and password, and then click Log In. 3. Next to the computer icon from whose backup set you want to delete files, click File Actions, and then click Purge Files. 4. In the Folders pane, click the folder name to navigate down the folder tree of files that are backed up. The Files pane displays the backed up files contained in the current folder.If you want to search and delete specific files, in the Search box, type the search criteria, and then click Search. To use advanced search options, click Show Advanced Search, and select the search options. 5. In the Files pane, select the folders or files that you want to delete, and then click Purge Now. 6. Click OK to confirm. Back to Top ^ Sharing your files from Norton Online Backup through email 1. Go to the Norton Online Backup home page. https://nobu.backup.com/session/new. If prompted, type in your email address and password, and then click Log In. 2. Next to the computer icon from whose backup set you want to share the files, click File Actions, and then click E-mail File Links. 3. In the To textbox, type the recipient's email address. You can add multiple recipients separated by comma or semi-colons. 4. Next to Days available, select the number of days from the drop-down menu. The file download links are active for the number of days selected. 5. If you want, type the Download Password. 6. Type the subject and note for the recipient. 7. In the Folders pane, click the folder name to navigate down the folder tree of files that are backed up. The Files pane displays the backed up files in the current folder.If you want to search and restore specific files, in the Search box, type the search criteria, and then click Search. To use advanced search options, click Show Advanced Search, and select the search options. 8. In the Files pane, select the files that you want to share, and then click Mail Now. How it works: Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player. Media Reviews CNet.com: Norton Online Backup 2.0 hits the Web Hardware Geeks: Norton Online Backup 2.0 Available Today with PC and Mac Support PCMag.com: Symantec Launches Norton Online Backup 2.0 Resources Frequently Asked Questions System Requirements Norton Online Forum Screenshots Login Screen Main Screen Your Settings Restore Data Share Files Exisiting Backup.com users click here. © 2010 Symantec Corporation, All Rights Reserved.       Privacy Policy | License Agreements | Legal Notices

Windows 7 Features: Backup and Restore Jump to: Page Content, Site Navigation, Site Search, Site Map Experience a more beautiful webDon't show me this againExperience a more beautiful web United StatesChange|All Microsoft Sites HomeExplore WindowsProducts Windows 7 Windows Vista Windows XP Internet Explorer Windows Compatibility Center Windows Live Windows Media Center Windows Media Player Windows Phone All products ShopDownloadsHelp & How-to Windows 7 Windows Vista Windows XP Internet Explorer Windows Live Windows Phone Windows 7 HomeWhat Is Windows 7CompareGet Windows 7Using Windows 7 Backup and Restore Were you looking for? Were you looking for? Why get Windows 7System requirementsHow to buyWhat to get: upgrade or full productHow to upgrade your PCCheck hardware and software compatibilityUnderstanding 32-bit and 64-bitWindows Mail and Outlook ExpressFAQ Backup and Restore More Windows 7 features More Windows 7 features close 64-bit SupportAccessibilityAction CenterAeroBackup and RestoreBitLockerCalculatorDesktop EnhancementsDevice ManagementDirectX 11Domain JoinGadgetsGames ExplorerGetting StartedHomeGroupImproved Memory UseInternet Explorer 8Internet TV Jump ListsLibrariesLive Taskbar PreviewsLocation Aware PrintingMultiplayer GamesPaintParental ControlsPeekPerformance ImprovementsPinPlay ToPower ManagementRemote Media StreamingShakeSleep and ResumeSnapSnipping ToolSticky NotesSystem Restore Tablet PCUser Account ControlView Available NetworksWindows Anytime UpgradeWindows Connect NowWindows DefenderWindows Easy TransferWindows Experience IndexWindows FirewallWindows Live EssentialsWindows Media CenterWindows Media Player 12Windows SearchWindows TaskbarWindows TouchWindows UpdateWindows XP Mode Now you can easily configure and schedule regular backups of your important files like photos and financial records—just in case. close Editions with this feature Windows 7 StarterLearn more Windows 7 Home PremiumBuy | Learn more Windows 7 ProfessionalBuy | Learn more Windows 7 UltimateBuy | Learn more Installing Windows 7?Read this first. oo Other features you may like BitLocker  oo Windows Firewall  oo Windows Defender  oo System Restore  oo E-mail Live Digg Facebook del.icio.us Stumbleupon Reddit Newsvine Twitter Share Print Become a fan of Windows on Facebook: Backup and Restore—improved for Windows 7—creates safety copies of your most important files, so if you lose something, it won't be lost forever. Let Windows choose what to back up, or pick individual folders, libraries, oo or drives. Windows can back up files on whatever schedule you choose. Just set it and forget it. In Windows 7, you can back up files to another drive, your network, or a DVD. Backup and Restore for your personal PC and attached DVD or external hard drives comes with all editions of Windows. If you want to backup to a network location, say on your company's central server, network attached storage, or another computer on your network, you'll need Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate. Backup and Restore creates copies of documents, photos, and other personal files. Just in case.   I like this You like this Learn more about Backup and Restore Back up your files Back up and restore: frequently asked questions Read about all the features in the Windows 7 Product Guide Next steps Get Windows 7 for your current PC