Top Tips for Better Backup

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This way you can have a backup stored on-site for quick access, and off-site to protect against fire, theft or other site-based disasters.

This will reduce the chance of open files causing errors in your backup.

Retrospect runs a basic check as it backs up your files, so you can safely schedule the more thorough media verification to run during the day.

To simplify your media rotation, you can set up a script to schedule each destination for use on specific days; for example, you can have a Monday backup set that is only used on Mondays, Tuesday only being used on Tuesday, etc.

Performing a Snapshot Transfer copies your most recent backup to a media of your choice for removal off-site. What’s more, just like backups, Snapshot Transfers can be automated to run on a schedule convenient to you. For example, you may choose to run scheduled backups every day, and once a week you can perform a Snapshot Transfer to an external drive that will be then moved to offsite storage.

It is best to encrypt any backup media that you plan to take offsite for storage; that way, if that media is lost or stolen, you do not need to worry about someone gaining access to your data.

This filter allows you to opt out of backing up needless cache files, or any other files that you feel are unnecessary to include in a backup.

Retrospect for iOS allows you to manage multiple Mac and Windows backup servers. Connect over Wi-Fi or cellular to keep tabs on all aspects of your Retrospect installation.

The option is found under Configure>Selectors. Click the checkmark icon after you edit the selector.

Edit your backup script and click “options” to turn on this setting. The operations log will show you how much space you saved during each backup.

On Windows, go to Configure>Licenses; on Mac, go to Preferences > Licenses.

This will allow you to see what changed recently and needed to be copied in that most recent backup session.

Proactive backup searches out new computers or computers that recently entered the network, and will typically find a client within 5 minutes of connecting to the network and initiate a backup.

The Open File Backup add-on gives you the greatest level of protection for critical files that are often left open for extended periods of time.

The default location for your catalog files is a catalogs folder inside My Documents on Windows or /library/application support/Retrospect/catalogs on the Macintosh.

It is located in Preferences.

If you use the tape drive every day, perform a head cleaning once a week.

Many people keep their offsite backups in the trunk of their cars; while convenient, this is one of the worst places to store backup media. Wide temperature shifts and humidity can damage the media, potentially making your valuable data files un-restorable.

Even if you back up every day without a single error, it is important to test the restore of a handful of random files on a regular bases. This way you will be familiar with the restore process and a restore during an emergency will not be as stressful. Knowing that the data is back up is only part of your job. Knowing the backup can be restored is just as important.

While Retrospect supports the backup of data over filesharing, the Retrospect client is designed to connect to your computer without file sharing being involved, making your backups faster and more reliable.

If you Recycle Media Set A, you should have a copy of the data on Media Set B. This way you are protected until you complete the next backup onto the recently recycled media set.

Retrospect will show you the type of backup operation for each scheduled event and the name of the backup set that will be used.

Last Update: July 16, 2015