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How does RBS Support Work?

Our response time and method of response are different for each level of Maintenance. ALL cases require a Support Ticket for all levels. Priority customers may phone in for support or use the Live Chat system after entering a Support Ticket. Basic support customers, please use the Online Helpdesk.

RBackup Quick Start Guide

RBackup comes as two modules - a Server, and Clients. The Server software runs on the computer that will receive backups from clients. This is usually a big computer with a lot of storage space. The Client software runs on the computers that will send backups to the Server.

The downloaded installation package (or the CD) should be installed on the computer you want to use as a Server. This will install the RBS Server, and it will also copy your Client installer into a folder where you can customize and brand it for your business. You may then make copies of the Client installer to install on your client computers.

The Evaluation Version will optionally install the Client software on the same computer as the Server so you can test RBackup quickly without the need for two computers or the Internet. You may also download an RBackup Evaluation Client installer to install RBackup Clients on other computers and do backups and restores over the Internet.

We strongly encourage you to spend ten minutes now watching a video that explains how to install and test the Evaluation software. Click Here to watch the movie.

For the Evaluation Version, we have set all of the defaults for you. You may change any of our settings. We have set the Client software to run in its Simple User Interface mode. The installer will create and pre-select a folder called C:\RBS Demo\ with some sample files to back up and restore.

The Evaluation Client is pre-registered to the Evaluation Server using the account named DEMO so during installation it asks only for your Server's IP address. If you need another copy of the Evaluation Client, you can download it here. 

• Router Setup Guide

  For the RBS Server Only - The Clients need no router configuration.

  Routers are used to control the flow of Internet traffic. Internet traffic is routed in part by Port Numbers and IP Addresses, and by the type of traffic. To maintain its high security, RBackup usually needs its server-side router to be configured. This needs to be done only once.

  RBackup does not require client-side router configuration.

  

  The RBackup server installer will attempt to automatically configure a Plug and Play router. During the installation, you will be asked if you want to attempt to configure the router.

  The installer will attempt to assign port mapping for TCP traffic on port 2774, and on Data ports 29010 through 29100. This is adequate for about four simultaneous backup sessions. You will probably want to increase the Data port range after your evaluation so you can handle more traffic.

  If the router's Plug and Play function (usually called UPnP) is turned off, the configuration will fail.

  You can then log into the router and turn on UPnP (usually found under Advanced Settings or LAN Settings) and try again, or you can manually configure the router. If your router does not have a Plug and Play or UPnP setting, you will have to manually configure it. 
  
  
  

  Manual Router Configuration

  If the RBackup Server installer was unable to automatically configure your router, you can do it manually. The RBS Server needs ports 2774, and ports 29001 through 29010 forwarded for TCP traffic. This will be sufficient to test the RBS Server with four simultaneous connections.

  For help with automatic port forwarding, see http://portforward.com/

  The RBS Server listens for connection requests on assigned port number 2774. When it receives a properly formatted and encrypted request, and the requesting account is active, the RBS Server opens one or more Data Ports for the client to send data. The more ports it can open, the faster the connection.

  You can define both the Command port (defaults to 2774) and the Data Port range. The Evaluation software defaults to 2774 and 29001 through 29010. Consult the User's Manual (on the Help menu of the RBS Manager) for more information on changing port numbers.

  Most routers are configured through a web browser, and require a Username and Password to change settings. If you do not know the Username and Password for your router, stop now and contact the person responsible for administering your router.

  The router configuration screens used below are sometimes found under the Firewall settings. We can't include individual instructions for all routers, so we are using the most common type of router for these examples - Linksys by Cisco. You will find links to the websites for other common routers at the end of this chapter.

   

  • Port Forwarding - (Sometimes called "Port Mapping") All routers have a Port Forwarding screen. This is used to direct certain types of traffic from the Internet to specific computers within the internal network, determined by port numbers. For help with automatic port forwarding, see http://portforward.com/

     

  • Port Range Forwarding - Some routers have a second screen for port forwarding, called Port Range Forwarding, used for forwarding a range of ports. You can use either, although the Port Range screen is quicker and simpler to use.

     

  • Services - There may also be a screen called "Services" which also forwards single ports, and assigns a Service Name to each port.

     

  • DMZ - "DMZ" stands for "Demilitarized Zone," a misnomer. Turning on the DMZ function, and assigning the RBS Server computer as its DMZ Host will direct all inbound, unsolicited traffic to the RBS Server. This is the equivalent of defining Port Forwarding for all ports, for all traffic types, and one-to-one NAT. This is not recommended for an RBS Server.

    Any one of the above methods will work. For security purposes, we recommend using Port Range Forwarding. 
    
    
    
    

    Private IP Address of your RBS Server

    To forward ports in your router, you will need to know the Private IP Address of your RBS Server computer. Here's how to find it.

    Select Start, then Run, then type CMD and click the OK button. When the Command Prompt appears (the second example below) type ipconfig and hit the ENTER key.

     

    Your RBS Server's IP Address is listed as the first IP Address displayed. In this example, 192.168.2.102. Your IP address will be different. Write down the number that appears on your screen.

    Type EXIT to close the Command Prompt. 
    
    

    In the following example using a Linksys router, the Port Range Forwarding screen is found under the Firewall tab. Set up your router using this example. Note that your router's screens will differ from this example. However, the Port Forwarding screens on most routers are similar enough to make this easy.

    

     

  • RBS Cmd starts at port 2774 and ends at port 2774. (only one port) It forwards TCP traffic to IP address 192.168.2.102.

     

  • RBS Data starts at port 29001 and ends at port 29010. It forwards TCP traffic to IP address 192.168.2.102.

    When you have defined the Port Forwarding, be sure to SAVE your configuration. Your router may reboot.

    After your router reboots, test your RBS Server using the Test RBS Server option on the Tools Menu of the RBS Manager. 
    
    
    
    

    Opening More Ports for Production Servers

    Each connection from a Client to your RBS Server will use at least one Data port from the Data port range that you define. Thus, the Evaluation Version, with only 10 ports defined, is theoretically good for ten simultaneous connections. In practice, however, it is a good idea to designate at least three ports for every simultaneous connection you expect to support. This will increase backup speed.

    So, if you have a twenty-five client version of RBackup, with twenty-five active clients, you might (as a rule of thumb) have three or four of them logged in at any given time during the normal night-time backup schedule. So, ten Data ports would be sufficient. If you expect all 25 of them to log in at once, you would want to open 75 Data ports.

    The range of Data ports you open in your Router must exactly match the range of data ports you define in the RBS Manager's Server Properties : RBS Preferences screen. 
    
    
    
    

    Links to Common Router's Web Sites

     

  • [Netgear]
  • [D-Link]
  • [Sonic Wall]
  • [Netopia]
  • [Baraccuda]
  • [U.S. Robotics]
    

    
    
    
    

    
    
    
    
    
    

• Sending Diagnostics to RBS Support

  Both the Server and the Client software have a button you can select to send diagnostic information to RBS Tech Support. This information usually includes everything we need to diagnose a problem and help you fix it. The diagnostic packet includes the latest few logs, the registry settings, general program settings, environmental settings, and other information. This is NOT personally identifiable information for the end users.

  This feature is available in RBackup versions 11.02.000 and higher. The diagnostic packet is sent to RBS Technical Support on port 9090. If port 9090 (outbound) is blocked the diagnostic packet will not be sent.

  ONLY PRESS THE SEND DIAGNOSTICS BUTTON IF INSTRUCTED TO DO SO BY AN RBS TECHNICIAN. DO NOT PRESS THE BUTTON, OR INSTRUCT YOUR CUSTOMERS TO PRESS THE BUTTON, UNLESS YOU HAVE FILED A SUPPORT CASE AND HAVE A SUPPORT TICKET NUMBER. DO NOT SEND THE DIAGNOSTIC PACKET UNTIL YOU HAVE A TICKET NUMBER.

  Sending Diagnostics about the RBS Server

  If your tech support issue concerns your RBS Server, use these instructions:

  On the RBS Server Manager, the Send Diagnostics button is on the Help / About menu.

   

  

  
  
  

  Sending Diagnostics about the Client Software

  If your tech support issue concerns one of your Clients, use these instructions:

  If you are not on site, or do not have remote access to your Client, you may instruct your customer how to send diagnostics to us. On the RBS Client software (Simple Interface) you will find the Send Diagnostics selection on the Log menu. Because we don't want end users sending us diagnostics that we don't expect, this procedure is not documented in the Client help files.

   

  

  
  
  
  

  On the RBS Client Software Advanced Interface the Send Diagnostics selection is on the Help menu. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  To prevent end users from unnecessarily flooding our Tech Support with unexpected diagnostic info we have password protected the Send Diagnostics feature on the Client software. After selecting Send Diagnostics, users will be presented with the following screen: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  After the user selects the Yes button, the following screen appears: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

   

  
  To lessen the chances of end users flooding our Tech Support with unnecessary diagnostic info, end users must enter a password. There are two passwords. Either will work. Case is not sensitive. Please do not distribute these passwords to your end users until they need help. Users should enter one of the following passwords: delta or charlie 
  
  
  
  

  
  
  After the correct password has been entered, this following screen appears:

  This screen requests the Support Ticket Number for which you are sending this Diagnostic Report. While it is not necessary to enter a Ticket Number here, doing so will help improve your response time from RBS Tech Support by automatically importing the Diagnostic Report into your Helpdesk Ticket.