RBackup 2007 v9.40 Detailed Upgrades

RBackup 2007 Server Documentation

RBackup 2007 Client Documentation

Open Files Agent The Open Files Agent is now included in the Client software. It works with all 32 bit Windows operating systems, Windows 2000 and greater. This first version of the OFA is not yet Vista compatible, however, and it will not work on 64-bit Windows or domain controllers. If a customer attempts to install it on a computer with one of these exceptions, the Client software will install properly, but without the OFA. An informative message will display explaining the situation. Some features operate differently on Vista and 64-bit systems.

Added Initial Vista Compatibility The Client software now installs and runs on Vista. The Open Files Agent isn't Vista compatable yet, so the client installer will install the software without the OFA on Vista. We aren't claiming full Vista compatibility until every part of the system is fully compliant. We're expecting that to be quite soon, however. Some features operate differently on Vista and 64-bit systems.

Major upgrades to the customization features of the Client software, far too extensive to explain here. We've added a new clsetup.ini file, a language translation file (for the Installer only), and more features. Please read the Server's Help File, the Customize the Client Installer chapter.

Added RBSUpdate - the automatic update utility It updates your Client software. RBSUpdate is progammable to different levels of prompts, and can run completely silently. It has many options and features. See the Server's Help File, the chapter on RBSUpdate - the Check for Updates Utility.

Pause button added to the progress dialog that displays during a backup. Pressing the Pause button pauses the process and changes the button to "Resume." You can enable/disable this new feature with the new PauseMode value in the rbackup.reg file.

Multiple instances of SQL are now supported on the same machine. To backup a second or third SQL instance, you need to create a separate backup job. (Login username/password fields are now moved from registry, and saved in the database)

Mirror Server We've released the Mirror Server. The Mirror Server mirrors the contents of the \Program Files\RBS Server\ folder (and all its sub-folders), and the contents of each of your Client root folders (even on different drive letters) to a remote computer. It keeps an exact duplicate of your RBS Server at a remote location.

In its simplest configuration, the Mirror Server copies new files to the remote computer, and deletes files from it which have been deleted from the RBS Server. Other configurations allow you to archive deleted files to another set of drives attached to the remote computer.

What it WILL NOT do - This version of the Mirror Server will not automatically fail over if your primary server fails. It will not re-synchronize with the primary. It will not allow you to run two copies of the RBS Server software. These features will be released in a later version.

The Mirror Server (in this version) provides a hot backup of your RBS Server. In the worst case, where your RBS Server is destroyed, you can re-install the RBS Server software (RBS can allow this in special cases) on your remote server and redirect your clients through DNS or automatically through the Server Locator. Your RBS Service can be operational again in the time it takes to re-install the software and modify DNS (about 5 minutes). In less severe cases, you can simply copy files back to your RBS Server if needed.

Further information is in the Mirror Server Help File.

New EMail PlugIn (Now a standard part of the Server) - The new version of the email plugin is NOT an upgrade, rather a completely new program and design. It installs right along with the RBS Server when you install fresh or perform an upgrade.. This new version does not rely on the RBS Manager program, and works within the server (RBS Server) itself. Whenever the server starts, this plugin gets loaded.

The new EMail PlugIn contains four types of EMail notifications: 1) Success Notifications; 2) Failed Notifications; 3) Missed Backup Notifications; 4) Over Quota Notifications. Each can be fully configured and customized seperately. See the RBS Server Documentation for more information.

Added the ability to code-sign the installation/update .EXE file created with the Make EXE function. To use this feature you need to buy your own Class 3 Code Signing Certificate from Verisign with the Microsoft Code Signing technology.

The license screens now ask “I agree to accept this license agreement.”, and “I do not agree…” – two choices. The text is customizable in clsetup.ini.

Client Help Files converted to a single .CHM file to increase performance and features, and to support Vista. Since CHM files won't run in Services Mode, (at least not the way we install the Client service) we have replaced the "Help" menu with a message box telling the user to start the Help from the Start Menu Program Group. This effects only services mode. Application mode still works the same as usual.

"Install as a Service?" prompt is now customizable. You can have the installer ask, or you can have it install as a service without asking, or install as an application without asking. Some features operate differently on Vista.

The Supplimental Service Agreement can now be displayed from a Rich Text Format file as well as a .TXT file. The file type is set in clsetup.ini (see the Server's help file, Customize the Client Installer.)

Account Group has been added to the Key File and the Print Key form for Disaster Recovery.

Upgrading wasn't handling running Services properly, and sometimes didn't overwrite the EXE files. This has been fixed.

Sessions with Zero files to back up sometimes generated a Missed Backup message. Fixed.

The new AutoSelect "Size" column wasn't sorting properly. This has been fixed.

Added a "Force Reboot" value to the clsetup.ini file. This forces a reboot after installation, whether it's needed or not. Used mainly if you want to standardize your installation quick-start documentation. It has no practical use otherwise.

Included the Encryption Method in Escrow files. This helps make Key Recovery easier.

Added an option to the rbackup.reg file to inhibit displaying the "Do you want to make a Key Disk?" prompt, if you want to inhibit it.

Added an option to the rbackup.reg file to allow doing a Disaster Recovery without the Key Disk prompt.

Added a new feature - Rename Backup Set

New Registry Key - MaxSyncTransactions - limits the number of files synchronized during each backup session. Remaining files will be synchronized during subsequent sessions. This was done to speed up the sync process when tens of thousands of files need to be synched.

New Registrion Key - pfmenu - adds a menu choice to the Help menu which displays the "Print Key" form.

Changes made to delete a task scheduler job if the backupset is deleted from the client software.

Detect if another instance of the software is running in another user session and stop the current instance from loading.

Account Group can be used in manual disaster recovery.

OverrideDR.ini can be used in manual disaster recovery.

Changes made to create the client Temp Folder if a nested non-existent folder is given as an input.

Changes made in Restore Window to update its display when a tooltip is displayed for an item. In the past, if a tooltip was displayed for an item, it would change the item's backupground to black and nothing would be displayed until the user moved the cursor from this item to a another one.

Changes made in the restore interface to support multiple instance of SQL Server restore as well as backup.

The Client now automatically ‘compacts and repairs’ it’s database after each backup. (also exists in v.9.2.6)

Column ‘SetName’ in the Restore interface used to incorrectly display the entire filepath of the file. Corrected now to display the Set name.

New column for ‘Size’ of the files is now added to the Restore interface (also Delete Files interface).

Multiple restore sessions without closing the client resulted in incorrect statistics in the restore progress window. This has been corrected now.

‘Resume Last’ option in some cases did not work properly. This has been corrected now.

Custom Client Installer: Added options to customize/include top-level menu options.

Options-Preferences-Confirm Password field did not validate properly. Fixed now.

‘Synchronize to Server’ options did not display with Master override option. –Fixed

File Selection criteria (Modified Date/Time Vs Archive Bit) were not copied over to new sets. – Fixed.

Small dots appeared in the Client menu options – corrected now.

Right click options on fileview/fldrview controls “Archive Flag” options should be concealed if backup is using date/timestamp – Fixed.

Exceptions Reporter form did not display custom icon. – Fixed.

Logs: Additional logging information added to Disaster Recovery operations.

‘More Logs’ menu option added under View: Logs: Backup Logs, to view more logs from the interface.

Service Providers can now add top-level custom menu option with 3 sub menu options. To include your own menus, add the following to rbackup.reg file in your client installers:

-----------------------------------------------------------------

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Quantum Tech, Inc.\Remote Backup\Settings:

“CustomMenuCaption” – Sets the name of the top-level menu option.
(Ex: “CustomMenuCaption” – REG_SZ - “BackupProvider”)

“CustomSubMenu0” – Sets the name of the sub-menu option 0.

“CustomSubURL0” – Sets the URL for the page to open when option 0 is selected.
(Ex: “CustomSubURL0” – REG_SZ – http://mysite.techsupport.com)

Similarly, you can include (optional) sub menu options 1 and 2.
(CustomSubMenu1, CustomSubMenu2 and CustomSubURL1, CustomSubURL2)

------------------------------------------------------------------

Exchange plugin updated. In some cases incremental was taking longer to get the date/time of previous full backup, corrected now.

In some cases, client would mark permanent sets incorrectly. Extra checks added to ‘Permanent Set’ routine to prevent this.

Empty backup sets would be displayed under Backup Sets in the Restore interface. Fixed now.

‘Run: Estimator’ option removed. Estimator module has been removed for re-design and development for BitBackup, and further enhancements. ‘Lock Estimator’ options also removed from Remote Management, and Custom Client Installer.

Client now installs and runs on 64 bit systems, although the OFA does not (yet). Some features operate differently on Vista and 64-bit systems.

‘Manage’ option was available by default in the ‘New User’ window. Disabled now. (Only available in Edit mode.)

Remote Management ‘Options’ button used to display under all tabs. Corrected now.

RBS Manager: All references to ‘Account’ have been changed to ‘Account Group’ to avoid confusion.

Fixed Task Scheduler to register properly in Local System Account if configured through the Custom Client Installer.

Exchange Plugin - Fixed a problem where incrementals would sometimes not work if the whole mailbox was checked.

Restore Append - If a file restore is stopped in the middle for some reason (timeout issue with cheap routers), after the connection is reestablished the client will resume the file download from where it stopped.

The new File selection criteria - (‘Archive Bit’ Vs ‘Last Modified date/time’) can now be configured per backupset. This option should be available in Advanced Scheduler window(along with the purge/retension settings). Set/Reset Archive flag options are not enabled if the backupset uses "Modified Date/Time" as the File Selection criteria.

RBackup Task Scheduler - can now be configured to run under the local system account.

Task Scheduler feature - is now available in the Custom Client Installer and Remote Management.

Encryption Module - used to store the Exchange, SQL credentials changed. This fixed the problem where the SQL/Exchange credentials were sometimes not stored properly.

Added a Timeout Feature for file preparation. - This fixed the problem where the client would sometimes hang if it encountered an illegal filename during preparation.

SQL, Active Directory and System State Exceptions - are added to the end of the log file where the summary of backup is displayed.

Now deletes Task Scheduler items on uninstall.

9.x PlugIns now install only on version 9.0 and greater.

Registration Wizard Help File converted to .CHM format and linked properly.

Added an option to inhibit creating shortcut in the Startup folder. Added a new variable to the clsetup.ini file. "NO" or lack of this variables causes the installer to create the shortcut as normal. "YES" disables the startup shortcut.

[features]
disable_startup_shortcut = "NO"

"Copy Files" status screen and the "Uninstall" status screen now properly display the Product Name from the clsetup.ini file.

Client's Software License Agreement was reformatted to look better and rewritten to better protect the Service Provider as well as RBS; we aslo removed all except one well-buried reference to Remote Backup Systems, Inc.

Made changes to increase the scan speed.

Added Registry key "ZipLimit" (Exchange Plugin) - To control the number of emails zipped into a file. If the number of emails zipped exceeds ZipLimit, then the rest of the emails will be zipped into a second file.

When upgrading from a previous version, some of the installation screens were blank. This is now fixed.

When upgrading, the installer would ask "Install the Open Files Agent..." and "Install as a Service..." as with a first-time install. It no longer does this.

New File Selection criteria - ‘Archive Bit’ Vs ‘Last Modified date/time’: Incremental or Differential or BitBackups used to rely on the archive-bit setting of each file to determine whether the file has been modified or not. This setting can now be switched to rely on ‘Last Modified date/time’ instead. The first time you switch this, the client will do a full backup and record the current Modified date/time information in the catalog. In subsequent backups, it compares this value with the current value and if different (greater or lesser), it selects the file for backup. To trigger this change, switch the following registry key to ‘False’.

Registry branch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Quantum Tech, Inc.\Remote Backup\Settings
Key: “UseArchiveBit” (REG_SZ) “False”

New! Client ‘Silent’ Installer option now available: This feature installs the Client software silently - no user prompts at all. It installs preselected default answers to all the normal installation questions. This feature is not documented and does not need to be tested.

Windows Task Scheduler jobs: The Scheduler interface now includes options to set up scheduled jobs to run via the Windows Task Scheduler instead of Rbackup.exe program. Advanced options for Windows Task Scheduled jobs include Power Management options - 1) Don’t start the task when running on batteries, 2) Stop the task if battery mode begins, and 3) Wake to computer to run the backup.

Master Override option: The master override feature when enabled overrides the 'Admin' override feature (displaying all the hidden options under Options: Preferences menu, and also Purge/Retention settings) and also disables any 'client locks' enabled on the client. All options including Admin options will always be available (or visible) to the end user. Use rbackup.reg to set this setting.

Registry Branch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Quantum Tech, Inc.\Remote Backup\Settings
Key: “OverrideLocks” (REG_SZ) “True” (True – enables this option, False – disables it.)

Client Locks: New client locks for plug-ins available now (System State, Active Directory, Exchange Server and SQL Server) under Custom Client Installer, and Remote Management.

Admin Options (advanced options): Advanced backup options, registry options, and locks can now be configured via the interface after Admin override login at padlock. After unlock under Preferences tab, you will have a new button called ‘Admin Options’ that will bring up the new interface with these options. Manual registry edits are no longer required.

Prompt for Authentication: You can enable authentication or password requirement on the client side. When user opens the client interface, it will prompt them for their user password. Unless a valid password is provided the client will not load. Administrators can use their Admin password to authenticate as well. This feature is enabled when the following registry key is set to ‘True’.

Registry Branch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Quantum Tech, Inc.\Remote Backup\Settings
Key: “EnableAuth” (REG_SZ) “True”

Redirect Restore Option: Redirect restore option is also prompted for when users select ‘Restore Now’ from the Restore interface.

Copy-to-disk backup sometimes created a corrupt ‘logs.zip’ file. Fixed now.

Client side logging has been enhanced to record current settings for easier debugging.

Sync Always: When the client encounters (file) exceptions the purge/sync operations do not run for that backup session. This behavior can now be overridden provided you have the KLV (keep latest version) selected for that backup set. The override the default behavior, include the registry key as follows:

Registry Branch: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Quantum Tech, Inc.\Remote Backup\Settings
Key: “SyncAlways” (REG_SZ) “True”

Exp: 91 (Invalid name) when backup set name included quotes. Additional error checking is now done to catch these errors.

Missed backup display sometimes showed incorrect backup type. Now fixed.

Default key handling was enabled on the client interface allowing keystrokes like ‘Del’, ctrl + C, ctrl +V, etc to execute. This has been turned OFF.

Installers have all been upgraded to InstallShield V.12

Improved Security to handle DOS attacks/ Error (6) Overflow in Authenticate: New registry key options “InactivityTimeout” & “CTimeout” for avoiding DOS attacks.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Quantum Tech, Inc.\RBSServer\Settings

“InactivityTimeout” – xxx (value in seconds). This will automatically remove any sessions (or timeout) that are not active after xxx seconds.

“CTimeout” – xx (value in seconds). This will clear out invalid sessions, and logins created during a DOS attack after xx seconds.

Email Queuing: EMails are now queued, which improves performance under heavy loads.

Special Requirements for version 9.40

* In the current version (9.40), Open Files Support is available on all Windows versions except versions older than Windows 2000, Vista, 64-bit systems, and Domain Controllers. The OFA DOES NOT REQUIRE Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS); The Online Installer PlugIn is not yet Vista compatible; Some features may operate differently on Vista.