We all know one inevitable thing about the online backups, the initial upload of all the backed up data to the Remote Backup Server. The initial upload not only costs bandwidth, but also happens to take a longer period than a local backup.
Most of our partners share the same issue and it is one of the most sort out features to be able to do the initial full/seed backup locally in the client and then import the data in the Remote Server.
Typically, the Service Providers ship a hard disk and take the initial set of data from the Customers and then, they import the data to the Remote Backup Server. This is how they do it.
1. Install a local system [Local Backup Server] in the local network with StoreGrid running in Server-Only/Client-Server mode (as this can happen in the initial 30-day trial period, you need not license this system).
2. Mount the USB/External Hard Drive and specify the Storage Location of the Backup Server as the USB/External HDD (from the 'Server Admin -> Server Settings' page).
3. Install StoreGrid as Client-only in all the local systems which need to be backed up and configure the backups to the Local Backup Server.
4. After the backups are complete, ship the USB/External HDD to the Remote Backup Server's location. And perform he steps available in the following URLs for continuing the subsequent incremental backups to the Remote Backup Server.
SP Edition:
Backup Server Side Instructions
Client Side Instructions
Pro Edition:
Backup Server Side Instructions
Client Side Instructions
NOTE:
1. In case you don't have a spare system in the Client network, you can use one of the systems over there which needs backup as the Server temporarily and then change it to Client-only after initial backups.
2. You can uninstall the Local Backup Server after the initial seed backup.
3. In some cases, our Partners have gotten a dedicated Local Backup Server license and they have StoreGrid running in their laptop with it and take a USB/External HDD to with the laptop to perform the initial seed backups.
And as you see with the documentation, this feature is available with both Professional Edition software and the Service Provider Edition software.
PS: A similar feature to import the local backups in the Backup Server to the remote Replication Server is also in the works and will be available soon.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Partners are having a Roll
StoreGrid partners are having a roll, a lot of work has gone through our Partner Zone and the people who have beta tested it know a lot. The SPARK program is on and there is work done for more things to come.
At the development we are working pretty hard at providing a more partner friendly as well as user-friendly product out. StoreGrid is scoring few good points, but the overall experience still needs a little bit of enhancements which will go in as food in a hungry man's stomach (Yeah, I like it). No wonder, I am talking about food, I am the same kind who loves all kind of food anyway. So more on during the last phase of 2.3 development, this is going to be huge for the customers out there.
Lots of new features coming up, which were requested by a lots of users our there. Our promises for providing those features in future releases are going to come through and further more, we are going to scale tremendously post 2.3 Release. Most of the work which has gone through are showing phenomenal results and StoreGrid's future is looking for a boosted growth.
Just wait and see.
At the development we are working pretty hard at providing a more partner friendly as well as user-friendly product out. StoreGrid is scoring few good points, but the overall experience still needs a little bit of enhancements which will go in as food in a hungry man's stomach (Yeah, I like it). No wonder, I am talking about food, I am the same kind who loves all kind of food anyway. So more on during the last phase of 2.3 development, this is going to be huge for the customers out there.
Lots of new features coming up, which were requested by a lots of users our there. Our promises for providing those features in future releases are going to come through and further more, we are going to scale tremendously post 2.3 Release. Most of the work which has gone through are showing phenomenal results and StoreGrid's future is looking for a boosted growth.
Just wait and see.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Storage Space Allocation for Clients
In StoreGrid, you can specify a specific Storage Space Allocation for each system (StoreGrid ID* ) which backs up to the Backup Server. This storage quota determines the actual disk space usage of the StoreGrid client. This value is auto-configured in the Backup Server when the client (new client which is not manually added) first connects to the Backup Server.
Please note that, when the client tries to backup data more than the Storage Space Allocation, the backup server breaks the backup process with the client with an error and makes sure that the Storage quota is never breached.
Normally, the client shares the free disk space allotted from the Server Storage Space allocation. For example, if your server storage space allocation is 100 GB, then the first client will automatically take all the storage space allocation of 100 GB.
If the second client connects the Backup Server after the first client has backed up, it shares the free storage space available like this,
Storage Space Allocated for Client = (Server Storage Space Allotted - Disk Space used by other Clients)/(no: of existing clients + 1[for the new client])
Let us assume, the first client has used 10 GB of storage space. Then the sharing will be, (100-10)/(1+1) = 90/2 = 45 GB. Now, the first client will be allotted with 10 GB (used space) - 45 GB (shared free space) = 55 GB (earlier this value was 100 GB). And the new client will be allotted with 45 GB (free space shared value). Thus the storage space allocation will be shared among the clients.
Since our StoreGrid 2.2, we have introduced another type of auto-configuration of StoreGrid clients, i.e., the StoreGrid Trial Clients [The clients who backup under the Trial Customer]. For these clients the default storage space allocation is taken from the 'Server Admin -> Customer Management -> Configuration Settings For Trial Clients'.
By default the Storage Space Allocation for the Trial Cliens is 100 MB. So, if you get a 'SG0083: Exceeding allotted backup space in the server' error on client backups, just go to 'Server Admin -> Customer Management -> Click on the Customer Name -> Click on Edit Client Configuration Action' and update the Storage Space Allocation for the client. You can also update the 'Server Admin -> Customer Management -> Configuration Settings For Trial Clients' such that the fresh Trial clients don't face such issue.
Possible help documentation to help you through setting up your clients under these scenario are,
1. Add New Client
2. Edit Existing Client Configuration
3. Configuration Settings For Trial Clients
If you still fall into issues, you most probably won't, you can contact the support on email storegrid-support AT vembu DOT com
* StoreGrid ID - This is the unique identity value used by the Backup Server to identify the StoreGrid clients. This is used mainly in grouping the backups in the Backup Server as well as used on Disaster Recovery situations to recover backup configurations of the client.
Please note that, when the client tries to backup data more than the Storage Space Allocation, the backup server breaks the backup process with the client with an error and makes sure that the Storage quota is never breached.
Normally, the client shares the free disk space allotted from the Server Storage Space allocation. For example, if your server storage space allocation is 100 GB, then the first client will automatically take all the storage space allocation of 100 GB.
If the second client connects the Backup Server after the first client has backed up, it shares the free storage space available like this,
Storage Space Allocated for Client = (Server Storage Space Allotted - Disk Space used by other Clients)/(no: of existing clients + 1[for the new client])
Let us assume, the first client has used 10 GB of storage space. Then the sharing will be, (100-10)/(1+1) = 90/2 = 45 GB. Now, the first client will be allotted with 10 GB (used space) - 45 GB (shared free space) = 55 GB (earlier this value was 100 GB). And the new client will be allotted with 45 GB (free space shared value). Thus the storage space allocation will be shared among the clients.
Since our StoreGrid 2.2, we have introduced another type of auto-configuration of StoreGrid clients, i.e., the StoreGrid Trial Clients [The clients who backup under the Trial Customer]. For these clients the default storage space allocation is taken from the 'Server Admin -> Customer Management -> Configuration Settings For Trial Clients'.
By default the Storage Space Allocation for the Trial Cliens is 100 MB. So, if you get a 'SG0083: Exceeding allotted backup space in the server' error on client backups, just go to 'Server Admin -> Customer Management -> Click on the Customer Name -> Click on Edit Client Configuration Action' and update the Storage Space Allocation for the client. You can also update the 'Server Admin -> Customer Management -> Configuration Settings For Trial Clients' such that the fresh Trial clients don't face such issue.
Possible help documentation to help you through setting up your clients under these scenario are,
1. Add New Client
2. Edit Existing Client Configuration
3. Configuration Settings For Trial Clients
If you still fall into issues, you most probably won't, you can contact the support on email storegrid-support AT vembu DOT com
* StoreGrid ID - This is the unique identity value used by the Backup Server to identify the StoreGrid clients. This is used mainly in grouping the backups in the Backup Server as well as used on Disaster Recovery situations to recover backup configurations of the client.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
