Support - Frequently Asked Questions
- How is data privacy maintained?
- How do we backup “Open Files”?
- What should I do if a backup error is reported in my backup report?
- How do I backup a network shared directories?
1. How is data privacy maintained?
All data are encrypted with user's defined encrypting key before they are sent to the online backup server. Without the encrypting key, the backup files are useless to anyone. The backup user is the only person who can decrypt the backup files to reveal the original content.
2. How do we backup “Open Files”?
Files should never be backed up while they are open by an application. When an application is running, it stores its data both in system memory and in data files. Backup by copying the data files while an application is running would fail to capture the application data stored in system memory in the backup job. Not only is it backing up less data than what should be backed up, it can also lead to data inconsistency that can finally result in backup files being unusable by the application.
The correct and the only right way to backup an application is to shutdown the application before running a backup job (unless hot backup is supported). When an application is shutdown, it frees its acquired system memory and flushes all application data from system memory to its data files. The data files now contain everything needed to start an application successfully. Backing up application data files when it is shutdown will guarantee data consistency and backup files usability. Please consult our User’s Guide for more information on how to use Pre-Backup command and Post-Backup command to shutdown and restart application before/after a backup operation.
3. What should I do if a backup error is reported in my backup report?
- Check if this is a configuration problem (e.g. network problem, proxy setting problem)
- Check error log and activity log which can be located in C:\Program Files\Online-Backup\log (default location) for more information
- Try running backup again manually to see if the same error occurs
4. How do I backup network-shared directories?
(For Windows NT/2000/XP user only) You will also need to perform the following steps if you want backup to run automatically at your scheduled time.
Windows NT User:
- Open [Control Panel] > [Services]
- Select [Online Backup Services]
- Click the [Startup Setting] button, open Online Backup Services Properties dialog box
- At [Log on as] section, select [This account] radio button
- Choose a Windows user account which:
- has access privileges to the backup source directories location on the network
- has “Log on as service” privilege in this domain
- Restart (stop and start) Online Backup Services
Windows 2000/XP User:
- Open Services
- Windows 2000: Control Panel > System Administrative Tools > Services
- Windows XP: Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrative Tools> Services
- Right-click [Online Backup Services], select [Properties] from the menu, open Online Backup Services Properties dialog box
- Select [Log On] tab
- At [Log on as] section, select [This account] radio button
- Choose a Windows user account which:
- has access privileges to the backup source directories location on the network
- has “Log on as service” privilege in this domain
- Restart (stop and start) Online Backup Services
Note: Under Windows 95/98/ME, Online Backup Manager will not be able to backup network shared files/directories automatically when users are not logged onto their computers. Windows 95/98/ME users are required to run their backup manually if their backup sources contain a network shared directory.
