Legacy Client

Client Preferences

After you have installed the client software, users of client computers can control some aspects of network backup operations with the Retrospect Client control panel. You don’t need to change any of the settings to perform backups. In most cases, the existing settings are the ones you will want to use. To open the Retrospect Client control panel, do the following:

From the Applications folder, open Retrospect Client.

From the Start menu, choose All Programs > Retrospect > Retrospect Client.

Run RetroClient.sh from the installed client folder.

The Retrospect Client control panel displays information about the client computer on which it is installed, including the user or computer name, the access status of the client, and a report about the last several backups.

The Mac client looks like this:

Here is the Windows client (the Linux client is similar):

Note: In addition to the Java-based graphical user interface, Linux clients can also be controlled through the command line. To see the command line arguments, enter the following: $retrocpl --help

Access Master Control

The On and Off radio buttons let you allow or deny network access to your client by the backup computer. When you install the client software and each time the client computer starts up, the control is on to allow access. When the control is turned off, the data on the client computer cannot be accessed over the network by Retrospect.

General Preferences

The Retrospect Client control panel has user preferences for managing client operations. Getting to the preferences is done differently under Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.

Mac OS X: Click the Preferences button.

Notification Preferences

These preferences allow client users to specify how they are informed about Retrospect network operations.

Notify after Backup tells the client to display a message after the completion of a backup or other operation. The client’s user can click OK to dismiss the message.

Notify if no Backup in n days directs the client to display a message after if the client has not been backed up within the number of days specified in the entry box. By default, this preference is selected and the number of days is seven.

Report HP Compaq SMART hard drive errors (Windows client only) requests an immediate backup from Proactive Backup (if applicable) when Retrospect learns of errors on the client’s HP Compaq SMART hard drive volumes. By default, this preference is turned off.

Priority Preference

The priority preference allows the client user to make the client computer favor either the user’s task at hand or the operation requested by the backup computer.

Note: This preference is not necessary for the Mac OS X client.

Drag the slider and set it to somewhere in the range between “User” and “Backup.” When the slider is set all the way to “User,” the computer devotes more of its attention to its user, slowing Retrospect client operations. When the slider is set all the way to “Backup,” the client operation is given priority and the client computer is less responsive to its user.

This setting only affects the client when it is actively communicating with the Retrospect server.

Access Restrictions Preferences

These preferences allow the client user to control access to the files and folders on his or her computer. On the Mac OS X client, these preferences appear at the top of the Retrospect Client Preferences dialog. On the Windows and Linux clients, these preferences appear on the Access tab.

Read Access Only allows the client computer to be backed up across the network, but prevents writing by the backup computer. This means Retrospect cannot restore, move, or delete files on the client computer, nor can Retrospect be used to rename volumes. The Script options “Set source volume’s backup time,” “Delete source files after copying and verifying,” and “Synchronize clock” cannot be used on the client. This setting is off by default.

Private Files/Folders/Volumes makes any files, folders, or volumes designated as private unavailable to the backup computer. This preference is off by default. Select the check box and designate private items as described below.

To designate an item as private under Windows or Linux, click the Add button, browse to select the item, then click OK or Exclude. Click Add again to exclude more volumes, folders, or individual files. The privacy feature uses the literal pathnames you specify. If you move or rename a file or folder it may no longer be private. If you mount a volume to a different location, its files and folders may no longer be private.

To designate an item as private under Mac OS X, type a bullet (“•”, Option-8) at the beginning or end of its name (placing it at the end will preserve its sort order in the Finder). For example, you could designate the folder “Personal” as private by renaming it “Personal•”.

Influencing Proactive Backups

There are two ways to influence Proactive Backup scripts from the client computer:

• Scheduling from a Client
• Deferring Execution

Scheduling from a Client

If a client is included in a Proactive Backup script, you can use the client control panel to influence when the client gets backed up.

Note: Proactive Backup is called the Backup Server on the Mac OS X client software.

Mac OS X: The Backup Server preferences appear in the Retrospect Client preferences window.

Windows/Linux: Click the Proactive Backup tab to reveal its controls.

These controls let the user affect when the client computer can be backed up by the backup computer (using a Proactive Backup script). The user would normally use it to request a backup or defer a backup, but the user can also revert Proactive Backup back to its normal schedule for this client. The Proactive Backup options are:

As soon as possible causes the Retrospect server to back up the client computer as soon as the Proactive Backup is available to do so.

According to normal schedule causes the Retrospect server to back up the client computer at its regularly scheduled time in the Proactive Backup script. (This is the default.)

After prevents the backup computer from backing up the client computer before the specified time and date, up to one week from the present time. (Click on the time and date and type or click the arrows to change them.)

Click OK to accept the settings.

Deferring Execution

When Proactive Backup is about to back up a client, a dialog appears on the screen of the client computer, with a countdown (set by default to 20 seconds in the Options tab of the Proactive Backup script). The dialog gives the client user three ways to control the execution of the impending Proactive Backup operation:

Waiting for the countdown to reach zero allows the Proactive Backup to execute.

Clicking Backup executes the backup immediately.

Clicking Defer lets the user set a later time for the backup to operate.

When a user defers execution, Retrospect makes an entry in the Retrospect server’s Log.

Client User Preferences

After the client software has been installed, users of client computers can control some aspects of network backup operations with the Retrospect Client control panel.

You do not need to change any of the settings to perform backups. In most cases, the existing settings are the ones you will want to use. To open the Retrospect Client control panel, do the following:

Windows: From the Start menu, choose Programs>Retrospect>Retrospect Client.

UNIX: Run RetroClient.sh from the installed client folder.

Mac OS X: From the Applications folder, open Retrospect Client.

The Retrospect Client control panel displays information about the client computer on which it is installed, including the user or computer name, the access status of the client, and a report about the last several backups.

The Windows client control panel, showing the Status tab. (The UNIX client control panel is similar.)

The Mac OS X client application.

In addition to the Java-based graphical user interface, UNIX clients can also be controlled through the command line. To see the command line arguments, enter the following.

$retrocpl --help

Access Master Control

The On and Off radio buttons let you allow or deny network access to your client by the backup computer. When you install the client software and each time the client computer starts up, the control is on to allow access. When the control is turned off, the data on the client computer cannot be accessed over the network by Retrospect.

To permanently prevent access to the client computer, uninstall the Retrospect Client software as described in Uninstalling a Client and Its Software.

General Preferences

The Retrospect Client control panel has additional user preferences for managing client operations. Getting to the preferences is done differently under Windows/UNIX, and Mac OS.

Windows/UNIX: Click the Preferences tab from the four at the top of the control panel.

The Windows Retrospect Client control panel’s preferences.

Mac OS: Click the Preferences button.

The Mac OS X Retrospect Client control panel’s preferences.

Wait at Shutdown determines what happens when a client user chooses Shut Down from the Finder’s Special menu. When this option is selected and Shut Down is chosen, the “waiting for backup” dialog is displayed until the backup takes place. By default, this preference is selected.

When this dialog is on the client Macintosh screen, the client user may click Restart to restart the client Macintosh, click Shut Down to shut it down, or click nothing and leave it for unattended operation. When the client computer is not used for thirty seconds, a screen saver appears until the user presses a key or moves the mouse to return to the dialog. When the backup computer finishes its operation with this client, it shuts down the client Macintosh.

Run in Background allows the backup computer to operate at the same time the client user is using the client Macintosh. If the check box is not checked, a dialog appears on the client during network operations. This preference is on by default.

When the dialog appears, the user of the client Macintosh can cancel the network operation to continue working or wait until the operation is finished. When “Run in Background” is checked, the dialog does not appear during backups, and the client user can set priority levels for local and network operations. See below for details.

Priority Preference

The priority preference allows the client user to make the client computer favor either the user’s task at hand or the operation requested by the backup computer. Under Mac OS, this applies only when the “Run in Background” execution preference is on.

This preference is not available for the Mac OS X client.

Drag the slider and set it to somewhere in the range between “User” and “Backup.” When the slider is set all the way to “User,” the computer devotes more of its attention to its user, slowing Retrospect client operations slightly. When the slider is set all the way to “Backup,” the client operation is given priority and the client computer is slightly less responsive to its user.

This setting has no effect until the client is actively communicating with the backup computer.

Under Mac OS, the Priority setting is ignored if the client Macintosh is displaying the “waiting for backup” dialog.

Access Restrictions Preferences

These preferences allow the client user to control access to the files and folders on his or her computer.

Read Access Only allows the client computer to be backed up across the network, but prevents writing by the backup computer. This means Retrospect cannot restore, move, or delete files on the client computer, nor can Retrospect be used to rename volumes. The options “Set Volume Backup Date,” “Move Files,” and “Synchronize Clock” cannot be used on the client. This setting is off by default.

Private Files/Folders/Volumes makes any files, folders, or volumes designated as private unavailable to the backup computer. This preference is off by default. Select the check box and designate private items as described below.

To designate an item as private under Windows or UNIX, click the Add button, browse to select the item, then click OK or Exclude. Click Add again to exclude more volumes, folders, or individual files. The privacy feature uses the literal pathnames you specify. If you move or rename a file or folder it may no longer be private. If you mount a volume to a different location, its files and folders may no longer be private.

To designate an item as private under Mac OS, type a bullet (“•”, Option-8) at the beginning or end of its name (placing it at the end will preserve its sort order in the Finder). For example, you could designate the folder “Personal” as private by renaming it “Personal•”.

Notification Preferences

These two preferences allow client users to specify how they are informed about Retrospect network operations.

Notify after Backup directs the client to display a message after the completion of a backup or other operation. The client user can click OK to dismiss the message.

Notify if no Backup in n days directs the client to display a message after 9:01 a.m. if the client has not been backed up within the number of days specified in the entry box. By default, this preference is selected and the number of days is seven.

Report HP Compaq SMART hard drive errors (Windows client only) requests an immediate backup from Proactive Backup (if applicable) when Retrospect learns of errors on the client’s HP Compaq SMART hard drive volumes. By default, this preference is turned on.

Controlling Proactive Backups

There are two ways to control Proactive Backup scripts from the client computer:

• Scheduling from a Client
• Deferring Execution

Scheduling from a Client

If a client is included in a Proactive Backup script, you can use the client control panel to influence when the client gets backed up.

Proactive Backup is known as the Backup Server on Mac OS client software.

Mac OS X: The Backup Server preferences appear in the Retrospect Client preferences window.

Windows/UNIX: Click the Proactive Backup tab to bring its controls to the front.

These controls let the user determine when the client computer can be backed up by the backup computer (using a Proactive Backup script). The user would normally use it to initiate a backup or defer a backup, but the user can also revert the Proactive Backup back to its normal schedule for this client. The Proactive Backup options are:

• As soon as possible makes the backup computer back up the client computer as soon as the Proactive Backup is available to do so.
• According to normal schedule makes the backup computer back up the client computer at its regularly scheduled time in the Proactive Backup script. (This is the default.)
• After prevents the backup computer from backing up the client computer before the specified time and date, up to one week from the present time. (Click on the time and date and type or click the arrows to change them.)

Click OK to accept the settings.

Deferring Execution

When Proactive Backup is about to back up a client, a dialog appears on the screen of the client computer.

Windows/UNIX client Proactive Backup countdown.

Macintosh client Backup Server countdown.

The dialog gives the client user three ways to control the execution of the impending Proactive Backup operation:

• Waiting for the countdown to reach zero allows the Proactive Client Backup to execute.
• Clicking Backup executes the backup immediately.
• Clicking Defer lets the user set a later time for the backup to operate.

Deferring the Proactive Client Backup from a Windows or UNIX client.

Deferring the Proactive Client Backup from a Macintosh client.

When a user defers, Retrospect makes an entry in the backup computer’s Operations Log.