The Computer Collection properties are used to specify what data to back up, where to store backups, and how many backups to keep for each computer that belongs to the Computer Collection.
The Computer Collection properties include options used for performance tuning, such as bandwidth throttling, CPU usage throttling, parallel backup tuning, and data compression.
The Computer Collection properties also include advanced backup options, such as accessing target computers with a special account and storing additional backup copies in an alternate location.
The properties of a newly created Computer Collection are the same as the current default properties. After a Computer Collection is created, its properties can be modified using the Properties dialog box. All settings in the Properties dialog box are related to the given Computer Collection. Each Computer Collections can have unique settings.
The Properties dialog box for a Computer Collection includes the following tabs:
On this tab, you can use the following elements:
Backup type - There are two backup types available:
Active Directory Backup - Select this option to create a standard Active Directory backup.
Bare Metal Recovery Backup - Select this option to create Bare Metal Recovery Backup. The storage for BMR backups is specified on the Remote Storage tab. Bare Metal backups require Recovery Manager for Active Directory Disaster Recovery Edition license.
Encrypt and protect backups with password - Select this option to encrypt backups and protect them with a password. You will be prompted to specify a password for backup protection immediately after you select this check box.
When restoring data from a password-protected backup, Recovery Manager for Active Directory prompts you to type the corresponding password. The password you specify using this option is case-sensitive and can contain any combination of letters, numerals, spaces, and symbols. If you forget or lose the password, you cannot use the corresponding password-protected backup.
Set Password - Click this button to modify the password for backup protection.
Backup description - Provides a space for you to enter an optional description of the backup. The description may include expressions such as %COMPUTERNAME% or %DATETIME%.
| NOTE |
Options on this tab are not supported for BMR backups. BMR backups must be saved to remote storage locations and are configured on the Remote Storage tab. |
This tab includes the following elements:
Save Backups on the Recovery Manager console computer - Select this check box to save backup files on the Recovery Manager for Active Directory (RMAD) computer. Enter the location for backup files in the Primary backup path box. If you specify a UNC share, backup files will be streamed to that share via the RMAD computer.
Primary backup path: - Use the provided space to specify the format for the paths and name of backup (.bkf) files. The path format may include optional expressions that enable the automatic creation of subfolders. The file name format may also include expressions. For example, you might specify C:\%BACKUPS%\%DOMAIN%\%COMPUTERNAME%-%DATETIME%. As a result, backups for different domains will be saved in separate subfolders. In addition, the file name of each backup will be composed of the computer name and the date and time of the backup creation.
Expression - Click this button to specify optional path and file name notations in Backup file name format. You can choose the following expressions:
Default backup storage (%BACKUPS%) - Path to the default backup storage folder. The default path is as follows: %AllUsersProfile%\Quest\Recovery Manager for Active Directory\Backups.
Domain (%DOMAIN%) - Name of the home domain of the computer being backed up.
Computer name (%COMPUTERNAME%) - Name of the computer being backed up.
Date and Time (%DATETIME%) - Date and time of the backup creation.
Browse - Click this button to locate the folder where backups are to be stored.
Note: The recommended format to use for Expression is %BACKUPS%\%COMPUTERNAME%-%DATETIME% as this allows any backups related to a computer name to have all associate backups in the same folder and be identified by the date and time. Backups are first copied to the Primary Backup path and then to the Additional Backup path. If a backup fails to written to the Primary Backup path, then it will never appear in the Additional Backup path.
Sample path and file name matching the specified format: - View an example of the path and file name that matches the format string supplied in Primary Backup Path.
Additional backup path (optional): - Select this checkbox to store a copy of each backup in an additional location.
Sample path and file name matching the specified format: - View an example of the path and file name that matches the format string supplied in Additional backup path(optional).
As a result, copies of backups for different computers will be saved in separate subfolders. In addition, the file name of each backup will be composed of the date and time of the backup creation.
**For each computer, delete all backups except the last: - Select this check box to retain a number of backups for each computer. Specify the number of backups to maintain. It is recommended to configure a backup retention policy to maintain backups created in the last two weeks. If you create backups on a daily basis specify 14 to maintain backups for each domain controller for two weeks.
This check box can be selected only when RMAD stores backups separately. To ensure that RMAD does so, add the %DATETIME% expression to the path or file name in the Primary backup path: box.
| IMPORTANT |
When the backup is triggered and a specified backup path is not available, no backup is created. The backup creation session will fail. |
This tab includes the following elements:
Save backups on the backed up DC or UNC share - Select this check box to save backup files either on the domain controller being backed up or on the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) share you specify. Enter the location for backup files. If you specify a UNC share, backup files will be directly streamed to that share from Backup Agent installed on the DC being backed up. Backup Agent accesses the DC being backed up and/or the specified UNC share under the account specified on the Agent tab.
Primary Backup path: - Use the provided space to specify format for paths and names of files where to store backups. If you want to store backups on remote computers, the path must include UNC names. The path format may include optional expressions that enable the automatic creation of subfolders. The file name format may also include expressions. For example, you might specify \\RemoteHost\ShareName\%COMPUTERNAME%-%DATETIME%.
Expression - Click this button to specify path and file name notations in Backup path or Alternative backup path (optional). You can choose the following expressions:
Domain (%DOMAIN%) - Name of the home domain of the computer being backed up.
Computer name (%COMPUTERNAME%) - Name of the computer being backed up.
Date and Time (%DATETIME%) - Date and time of the backup creation.
| Note |
The recommended format to use for Expression is %BACKUPS%\%COMPUTERNAME%-%DATETIME% as this allows any backups related for each computer name to have all associate backups in the same folder and to be identified by the date and time. |
Sample path and file name matching the specified format: - View an example of the path and file name that matches the format string supplied in Backup path or Alternative backup path (optional).
Additional backup path (optional): - Backup Agent copies the backup to both the primary and additional backup path locations independently. This differs from how these paths work on the Local Storage tab.
| IMPORTANT |
According to the Forest Recovery best practices, the RMAD Active Directory® backup should be stored on a domain controller. At the same time, the Additional backup path option allows you to store the same Active Directory® backup on remote backup storage. This can be useful if the DC is destroyed and you want to restore it from a BMR backup and the latest Active Directory® backup. The retention policy is applied to both backup paths. So, if you set it to 10, and you have both paths configured - it means that there will be 5 backups on DC and 5 backups on the remote storage. |
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| IMPORTANT |
Integrity checks are not performed on backups stored on the Additional backup path. |
| NOTE |
The backup storage account is used to access all remote storage backup locations. Currently, separate access accounts are not supported. |
For each computer, delete all backups except the last: - Select this check box to retain a number of backups for each computer. Specify the number of backups to maintain. It is recommended to configure a backup retention policy to maintain backups created in the last two weeks . If you create backups on a daily basis specify 14 to maintain backups for each domain controller for two weeks.
This check box can be selected only when RMAD stores backups separately. To ensure that RMAD does so, add the %DATETIME% expression to the path or file name in the Backup file name format box.
| IMPORTANT |
When the backup is triggered and any specified backup path is not available, no backup is created. The backup creation session will fail |
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