Cloud Deployment - Getting Started with Retrospect Backup on Google Cloud Compute

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Google Cloud is Google’s cloud platform with a wide variety of services. Retrospect Backup is a flexible backup solution that you can deploy to Google Cloud in a virtual machine instance and connect to your on-premise network using a site-to-site connection and a virtual private network.

• Account Setup
• Cloud Deployment
• Remote Backup
• Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)

Account Setup

Follow these steps to quickly create a Google Cloud account. It requires an existing Google Account. If you do not already have one, create one for free at Google Accounts.

1. Visit Google Cloud and click "Try it free".

1. Complete the form with contact information and payment information.

1. Visit Google Cloud Platform to see your new account.

Cloud Deployment

Retrospect Backup can be installed on any modern Windows OS, both server-level and endpoint-level, including Windows Server 2019. To deploy in Google Cloud Compute, you will need to create a Windows virtual machine and install Retrospect on it.

1. Google Cloud Console: Visit "Compute Engine" and click "Create Instance".

1. Google Cloud Console: Create an appropriate Windows virtual machine.

1. Instance: After the instance is started, log into it using Connecting to Windows VMs by using RDP.
2. Instance: Download Retrospect Backup onto the instance and install the package.
3. Instance: Run Retrospect Backup and add your license key. You are now ready to use Retrospect. Please see Retrospect Documentation if you need further assistance.

Remote Backup

Retrospect supports Remote Backup. This feature allows Retrospect to back up clients from anywhere in the world, regardless of NATs or firewalls. You can set up Retrospect to protect your servers and endpoints using this while Retrospect is running in your Compute Engine instance.

1. Record the public-facing IP address or DNS name of the server where Retrospect is running.
2. Create a public/private key in Retrospect to distribute with your Retrospect Client for authentication.
3. Download the Retrospect Client onto the server or endpoint that you wish to protect with the public key included.
4. Open Retrospect Client preferences.

1. You will need to ensure port 497 and port 22024 are open on the server where Retrospect is running.
2. Create a ProactiveAI script with "Remote Backup Clients" item selected.

For more details, see How to Set Up Remote Backup.

Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)

Google Cloud provides Virtual Private Clouds (VPC) for creating a virtual private network in their cloud. You can use this to connect multiple VM instances, and you can also use this service to extend your on-premise network with a site-to-site connection. Follow Google’s Cloud VPN Overview.

Use Google Cloud VPC to set up the appropriate virtual network for your business, including a site-to-site connection if it’s needed.

Note that multicast traffic is not supported by Google Cloud VPC, so you will not be able to auto-discover clients with that method. You will need to manually add IP addresses.

Last Update: August 9, 2021