Backup on Windows

This guide is for users at DTU Compute only

This howto describes how to back up data stored locally on Windows PC's (desk- and laptops).

For a description of the general backup concepts please refer to this link.

The information found on this page is specific for windows PC's. Linux, Mac or other *NIX PC users should refer to the 'rzyncbackup' guide found here.

General information about the DTU Compute backup program

This backup program is run the first time each day a Windows user logs on to the Windows domain. Therefore remember to logout when you leave DTU Compute. DTU Compute backup may also be run on demand. For this setup please contact ITSupport . Please note, that your laptop/PC must be connected to the cabled network at DTU Compute (not wireless) and your laptop/PC must be registered by ITS.

The program is especially useful for Notebook users that can not use our file servers for general storage of data, but need local copies when they are outside DTU Compute.

Customization

As default the backup program uses a server side initialization file for defining the files and directories to backup. The program can be customized to special needs, see below under 'How to'. Per default Documents, Desktop plus various "settings directories" are being backed up (Internet Explorer bookmarks, Firefox settings, etc.).

Technique

The backup is using Robocopy for creating a server side copy of your local data. This server side copy is always online and is included in the nightly backup to tape. Robocopy is a Microsoft utility that can synchronize files and directories. The synchronization method is used in order to only copy data that has changed since the last backup.

To check what has been backed up

The files are backup to the share \\nas1.compute.dtu.dk\backups under username -> machine name . The structure is rather self-explaining.

Note: please do not manually write to this share - files here should only be written by the immbackup utility.

How to

...make sure that a backup is performed

Whenever the user log on to the PC/notebook and the PC is attached to the DTU Compute network immbackup will be executed. However, if the user already logged on earlier the same day no backup will be performed, i.e. at most one backup per day. If an extra backup is desired, run immbackup.exe manually without any arguments. Do this by going to \\nas1.compute.dtu.dk\util and finding the immbackup.exe and run it.

...run backup when not at DTU

[One time only] Start a VPN connection. Next press Windows r. Type \\nas1.compute.dtu.dk. Go to the folder util and find the program immbackup-vpn.bat and copy it to the desktop
[Daily] Start the VPN connection. [Preferable] close down most programs with open files. Run the immbackup-vpn.bat on your desktop simply by double click on it.

Hints: Best to run the command with all programs closed because open files can not be copied. Backup time can be significant longer due to limited bandwith and latency. Typically it takes approx. 1 min per 50.000 for scanning (and plus the time needed for transfer).

...add folders to the backup set.

If there is no local immbackup.ini file, the default ini file with a standard set of folders to back up is used.

If you need to change which folders are included (or excluded) in the backup, you have to edit a local ini file. This file will be used instead of the default ini file.

If c:\util\username\immbackup.ini does not exists, copy \\nas1.imm.dtu.dk\util\immbackup.ini to
c:\util\username\immbackup.ini (username is your logon name, e.g. 'abcd')

Edit the sections [robocopyfolders2include], [robocopyfolders2exclude] and [robocopyfiles2exclude] according to need.

...restore files which have been backed up.

Look for the files under \\nas1.compute.dtu.dk\Backups\username\pcname\robocopy\driveletter\...

If the files are not there (because the desired file(s) is not from the most the recent robocopy session) you might find it using snapshots: look for the folder \\nas1.compute.dtu.dk\Backups\username\pcname\robocopy\~snapshot and go to the folder nightly.0 for how it looked last midnight, nightly.1 2 nights ago, etc. For older versions than one week, please contact ITSupport who will then restore from tape. Describe which files/folders and from which day.

More Background Information

See the following document.