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Mirroring Data FAQsDo you have a question about Backup for Workgroups' built-in mirroring feature? We have typed up the following FAQs addressing the most commonly asked questions about the mirror. Let us know if you have any other questions that we can answer for you.
Mirroring is the process of storing identical data at two (2) locations. A mirror is simply the copy of your data. With Backup for Workgroups, you can use the Mirror feature to backup your Data Repository. Q: Does Backup for Workgroups have mirroring capabilities built-in? Yes. Backup for Workgroups comes with built-in mirroring capabilities. When you setup a mirror using Backup for Workgroups, the data in your Data Repository is mirrored for you automatically. Q: Can I use Backup for Workgroups as a general purpose mirror? No. The mirroring feature that comes with Backup for Workgroups is designed to only mirror the Data Repository. It is not a general purpose mirroring product. Q: Why should I mirror my backup data? The purpose of mirroring your data is to keep a second copy in case there is a problem with the first copy. The mirror gives you the ability to quickly recover your Data Repository data in the even that a disaster occurs at your Data Repository. We recommend storing the mirror on a removable hard drive or external hard drive which you can carry off-site with you. Mirroring to some portable media allows for rotation and off-site storage. Q: Can Backup for Workgroups mirror a computer? No. The mirror that comes built-in to Backup for Workgroups can only mirror the Data Repository. Q: Can I use the mirror for off-site storage? Yes. In fact, this is why we included the mirror feature in Backup for Workgroups; to allow for a second copy of the backup data to be stored conveniently off-site. Q: Can I mirror the Data Repository to more than one location? No. The built-in mirror feature can only replicate the backup data to one location. Note, if this location fills up, you can spill over to a second storage device to increase the total storage for the mirror. But, the collective storage is treated as one, single mirror. We do receive requests for this feature and we are considering placing this type of capability in an Add-On. If you would like to see us add this feature and would like to be notified when it is available, send us an email. Q: How do I setup the Backup for Workgroups Mirror? You setup the Backup for Workgroups Mirror from the Data Repository Manager. On the computer running the Data Repository Manager software, go to the Mirror panel, and check/tick the "Enable mirroring" option and enter the mirror location path. Q: How does the Backup for Workgroups Mirror work? When a file changes on the Data Repository, this information is added to the Backup for Workgroups Mirroring queue. This mirroring queue is played in the background to replicate files from the Data Repository to the Mirror. This process occurs while backups are running in order to keep the Mirror up to date. The Mirror process runs in the background so it does not interfere with the backups as they occur. We consider this a "near-real-time" mirror because the mirror is updated a short time after the original file is backed up and stored in the Data Repository. Q: What type of equipment do I need in order to setup a Mirror? To mirror your Data Repository data, you will need a mirror hard drive. The mirror hard drive should have at least the same storage capacity as your Data Repository. You can always use a mirror hard drive with more storage capacity than your Data Repository, but you cannot use a smaller capacity hard drive. When you mirror to a hard drive or appliance that is portable, you can fulfill your off-site data storage plan. When you decide that you would like to mirror your Data Repository, you can mirror to a hard drive on a different computer or to a separate storage device or storage appliance. Q: How do I add storage to the Mirror location? At the Data Repository, go to the Storage panel. In the lower half of the screen, press the Add button. Enter the path to a drive that you want to add to your Mirror. For example, if you want to add another external hard drive to the Mirror, you would enter the drive letter and the name of a folder on this drive, such as G:\BFWMIRRORDATA. Please note that all Mirror equipment needs to be online and available in order for the mirroring process to occur. Q: How do I use the Mirror to replace a primary storage location? If your primary storage location is no longer accessible, you can run the Data Repository Manager and it will display a dialog indicating that the primary storage is not available. On this dialog, you choose to use the option that allows you to use the mirror drive as the primary storage. You can think of the mirror as "a backup of your backup." When you are mirroring your Data Repository, you can use the mirror in place of the Data Repository should anything go wrong with your Data Repository. Q: Can I restore a file from a Mirror? Yes. Since the mirror is an exact copy of the Data Repository, anything you can restore from the Data Repository can be restored from the Mirror. Again, think of the mirror as your "backup of your backup data." We have detailed instructions of steps you can follow to restore a file from the mirror in our Support Center. Be sure to check out more of our FAQs
if you still have questions.
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