File Mirroring & Backup using File Replication

Start with the simplest concept of backing up: copying a file from A to B. Then add VSS support. Then add a transparent single-instance-store to save space, and intelligent differential backups to make it fast. Then add hardware support and scheduling with media rotation. That's BackupAssist v6!

The BackupAssist File Replication Engine gives you a totally new, flexible and versatile way of backing up your file system, allowing you to retain hundreds of days of backup history and file versions at minimal cost; backup massive data sets in small periods of time, and perform one-step restores because although every backup is a differential, it looks just like a full.

Simple, elegant, powerful — the way backups should be!

Mode 1: Simple Data Mirror

Create an exact replica of your selected files, folders and applications to a backup device.

Great for replicating your file system, LOB backups, or other data to a different location. For example, use rotating USB HDDs (eg. 5 drives swapped daily, stored onsite and offsite).

Mode 2: Backup with History

Create a series of mirrors on your backup device, one for each day. Each day's backup looks exactly like a self-contained mirror of your data. To restore, simply copy all the files back.

However, our single instance store is working unseen to the user, ensuring that only one unique copy of each file is stored. This dramatically increases the amount of backup history that can be stored on a single backup device by a factor of tens or hundreds!

The best thing is that the single instance store is totally transparent — so you can copy your files back without any proprietary software, and on any machine! You can also search for files within your backups, just like in any normal file system.

Fast Performance

Using our "side-by-side" differential comparison technology, only the differences between your live file system and your backup device need to be copied across. So your initial backup will replicate all your data to the backup device, and subsequent backups will only replicate the changes. This makes it eminently suitable for backing up huge data sets in limited time.

Thanks to its speed and design, it's also suitable in a disk-to-disk-to-tape, disk-to-disk-to-NAS or disk-to-disk-to-Internet setup.

VSS application selection

VSS application backup and restore

The File Replication engine includes fully integrated support for VSS application backup and restore. Microsoft applications such as Exchange Server, SQL Server, SharePoint and Hyper-V are all fully supported, as well as any other VSS-aware application that uses standard VSS restore methods.

Simply choose the VSS application that you want to back up from the list of detected applications. You can even drill down and choose individual components (databases, storage groups, etc) to backup. Application restore is just as easy using the BackupAssist Restore Console: browse the contents of a backup and select the application(s) you want to restore.

System State backup

System State backup and restore

With the File Replication engine you can select your machine's local System State for backup. A System State backup includes a backup of any installed device drivers and related files, as well as most of the Windows system directory. The System State can be backed up on most modern Windows operating systems, including Windows SBS 2011/2008, Windows Server 2008/2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP. Using the BackupAssist Restore Console you can easily use your System State backup to restore your system settings in the event of system failure or corruption.

Combine with Media Rotation

The standard practice of swapping backup devices is great for taking backups offsite, and insuring against damage to a backup device.

Combine our Single Instance Store with media rotation to provide a rich backup history and achieve enhanced data protection. Our range of best-practice built-in schemes make this as simple as clicking a button!

Schedule multiple File Replication jobs to different backup destinations, and configure backup history settings for comprehensive data archiving

Robocopy Replacement

You can also use the BackupAssist File Replication Engine as a replacement for Robocopy, with the following advantages:

• Full monitoring, reporting and scheduling
• VSS support
• Easy to set up user interface
• Single instance store for backup history

Resources

• One page fact sheet
• File Replication whitepaper
• Powerpoint presentation
  

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