The Retrospect backup system
BCS & CVS operate two Retrospect backup servers to perform regular backups of all computers in the departments. One server handles computers located within Meliora Hall, the other handles computers outside of Meliora Hall.
Laptops and select desktops are backed up Monday-Friday during the day. Desktops are backed up overnight and all day Saturday and Sunday. All data transmission and storage is encrypted.
Backup data is retained for approximately 9 months before the storage media are erased and reused. Data from any date during those 9 months can be restored by the system.
What gets backed up?
Computers within Meliora Hall and laptops located outside of Meliora Hall are backed up in their entirety. However, desktops outside of Meliora Hall (ie: URMC systems) only have certain directories backed up. These directories are:
/Users
/Documents and Settings
/Documents
/My Documents
/Yesbackup
The first four directories are used by Windows and Mac OSX for storing your user account information. "Yesbackup" is an extra folder name you can use to have data residing in other locations backed up. Simply create as many "Yesbackup" folders as you need, put your data in them, and they will get backed up too.
Similarly, if a folder with the name "nobackup" is found on a computer, that folder will be ignored by the backup server irregardless of where it may be. If you have files you don't want backed up (or shouldn't be backed up), create "nobackup" folders as-needed and place the files in them.
Installing the Retrospect Client
To have your computer(s) backed up by the system, you need to install the Retrospect Client software on your computer(s).
Mac OS X
1) Download the client installation software here (only accessible from on-campus):
2) Double-click the disk image to expand it. Then, run the "Install OSX Client" installer.
3) When the install ends, you should be shown the 'Retrospect Client' application. Click the 'On' button to turn on backups. When asked for a password, enter something simple (like 'chris').
4) Once you've finished the install, let me know what the password is and I'll take care of things on my end (the password gets changed when I add the computer to the backup server).
5) That's it!
Windows
1) Download the client installation software (only accessible from on-campus):
2) Double-click the download and run the installer.
3) During the installation process, you'll be asked to enter a password. Just enter something simple. Once you've finished the install, let me know what the password is and I'll take care of things on my end (the password gets changed when I add the computer to the backup server). That's it!