Initial backups
The DS‑Client service is designed to perform automated backups to an off-site location. The DS‑Client service backs up only incremental changes after the first backup. This requires an adequate communication link between DS‑Client and DS‑System that will allow backup of any modified data in the given time frame.
The first, full baseline backup often requires transferring a large amount of data. If the communication link between the DS‑Client and the DS‑System cannot handle this large transfer in a reasonable amount of time (for example, a few days), you can consider using the initial backup feature.
Two tools are available to help you to determine the size of your baseline backup and whether initial backup will be a more efficient method.
• You can use Statistical backups to calculate the amount of data to transmit. Divide this number by your communications bandwidth to estimate how long the first backup will take.
The initial backup feature allows you to back up to local buffer locations that are either directly connected to DS-Client or visible on the LAN and then to ship that media (for example, disks) to your service provider. Your service provider will import the initial backup data from a media that is either attached to DS‑System or connected via a LAN connection. Once the initial backup data is imported into DS-System, you can perform subsequent scheduled and on-demand backups.
When running initial backups, consider the following best practices:
• The path specified must accommodate the size of the incoming data.
• The file system on the initial backup buffer must be able to handle the size of the incoming files.
• When running several initial backups at the same time, ensure the device where the initial buffer is located can handle the I/O load. If too many initial backup processes are sending data to the same path at the same time, the sessions might stop and errors will be reported.
• All Initial backups written to the same initial backup path must be completed before the physical media is sent to your service provider. To verify, click Status on the Initial Backup menu.
• Always check the DS-Client Activity Log and the Event Viewer at the end of every initial backup session to ensure that no errors are reported.
• If the initial backup session is interrupted, it can be resumed by starting another backup session. However, you must first synchronize the backup. The other option is to reset the backup as Incomplete (on the Initial Backup menu, click Status, select the backup, and then click Mark Incomplete), and then rerun the initial backup from the beginning.
To use the initial backup service:
1. Ensure that your DS-Client is already registered with DS-System.
2. Configure the initial backup path.
3. Create an initial backup.
4. Perform a on-demand backup of the initial backups.
5. Monitor the status of the initial backups.
6. Ship the initial backup buffer media to your service provider.