Getting Started With United Data Services
• What files and systems will UDS protect?
• How is the first backup performed, considering that there will be a lot of data?
• How large or small a backup can UDS handle?
• Can udsVault be set to stop backing up after a certain time has elapsed?

Backup Data Management
• Please explain Delta Block Technology
• What happens if a backup is stopped or is interrupted?
• How many versions of my backed up files are held offsite?

Compression, Encryption and Security
• How well is the data encrypted?
• What are the benefits of compression?

Backup and Storage
• Do all our branch or remote office data get backed up every day?
• What storage media does UDS use?

Restoring Data
• How quickly can we access our backed up data?
• Can an individual file be restored or do we have to do a complete restore?
• Can data from one computer be restored to a different one on our network?
• Can UDS handle e-mail box level restores?

Disaster Recovery
• Can we prioritize what data is restored in the event of a disaster?
• How do I recover an entire site if all data is lost during a disaster?

 

  • What files and systems will UDS protect?
    United Data protects data on any servers, desktops and/or laptops you choose.

    United Data supports numerous operating systems, including

    • Mac OS X
    • VMware
    • Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista
    • Novell NetWare
    • IBM AIX
    • SUN Solaris
    • HP-UX
    • HP-Tru64
    • UNIX
    • Linux

    United Data also backs up the following email systems and databases

    • Microsoft SQL Server
    • Microsoft Exchange Server & Outlook 2000/2003
    • Oracle 8 & above
    • MySQL
    • PostgreSQL
    • IBM Lotus Notes/Domino Server

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  • How is the first backup performed, considering that there will be a lot of data?
    For very large amounts of data, you might consider backing up your initial files with the UDS client to an external hard drive(s), which would allow you to quickly and efficiently move a large amount of data to your offsite data center for faster importing. Future incremental backups will be done online and synchronized with your initial backed up data.

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  • How large or small a backup can UDS handle?
    A backup project can be as large or as small as you need, from entire servers down to single files, or even your registry. The choice is entirely yours, and you can create unlimited backup profiles to meet all your backup needs.

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  • Can UDS software be set to stop backing up after a certain time has elapsed?
    Yes. UDS software can be set to stop backing up after a certain amount of time has elapsed. For example, the software would allow you to run backups starting at midnight and stopping them at 6 AM or allow you to run your on-demand backups with an end time of 7 hours as well.

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  • Please explain Delta Block Technology.
    Delta Blocking technology examines and evaluates changed data by breaking a file down into discrete blocks of information. Each block is compared to the corresponding block in a previous backed up version of that file. Any blocks that are found to be different will be transmitted as new backups, replacing the previous blocks.

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  • What happens if a backup is stopped or is interrupted?
    If a backup is interrupted by some sort of network disconnection, the backup will automatically resume after a pre-defined amount of time. The interrupted backup will pick up where it left off, avoiding having to re-transfer the entire backup.

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  • How many versions of my backed up files are held offsite?
    The number of versions is a parameter that the system administrator sets while setting up a backup profile. Unlike a tape backup, where the routine is to rotate tapes in a cycle, UDS software will only backup a new version of a file when it has changed, guaranteeing that you’re not wasting space backing up exactly the same version more than once.

    For example, if a file only changes once a month, only 1 new version of that file will appear. The number of versions stored can be configured on an individual backup profile basis. Each backup profile can be configured down to include just one file if desired, giving you the ability to maximize the efficiency of the storage.

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  • How well is the data encrypted?
    UDS software automatically encrypts data before it leaves the host machine with your choice of AES, DESede or TwoFish encryption.

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  • What are the benefits of compression?
    United Data compresses data automatically and transfers data faster with less bandwidth, saving your business time and money.

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  • Do all our branch or remote office data get backed up every day?
    No. Only new, unique data gets backed up. Duplicate or unchanged files won't be backed up because that would be a waste of time, storage space, and bandwidth.

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  • What storage media does UDS use?
    Backed up data is stored on disk-based media vault which allows for quick and easy access in case you need to restore from backup.

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  • How quickly can we access our backed up data?
    Your data is available immediately after it has been backed up.

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  • Can an individual file be restored or do we have to do a complete restore?
    You can not only restore an individual file or registry, but you can also specify which version you want to restore.

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  • Can data from one computer be restored to a different one on our network?
    You can restore data to any computer on your network. All you need to do, when redirecting the data to another computer, is provide the connection credentials for that specific user.

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  • Can UDS handle e-mail box level restores?
    UDS handles both full and mailbox level Exchange backups. Using the Exchange plg-in, administrators can restore selected mailboxes or the entire email database.

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  • Can we prioritize what data is restored in the event of a disaster?
    Disaster recovery requires the ability to restore mission-critical data first and other, not so important data later. UDS allows you to easily select which files, directories, and servers you wish to restore in any order, minimizing critical downtime.

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  • How do I recover an entire site if all data is lost during a disaster?
    Restoring your site depends on the time frame you set for recovery, the amount of data that must be transmitted, and the available bandwidth.

    For smaller restores, where only mission-critical data is needed immediately, a recovery via your WAN would be sufficient. For large restores, data can be shipped to you via disk (e.g. external drives, backup DVDs) or by literally bringing in a new system with the data already in place.

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