Introduction


This software contains an advanced technology called data "deduplication" or "capacity optimization". This technology can reduce standard business data by as much as a twentieth, or more, of the original size of the data during backup to disk. It achieves this level of optimization by removing all redundant data from the files being archived and storing only the unique data over time while allowing virtually instant point-in-time restore of the data. Additionally, the software enhances data reduction by performing LZ data compression.



Dynamic files and fixed files


Files on a computer may be classified generally as either fixed or dynamic. Fixed files are files whose content is created and never, or rarely, changes. Files such as video, music, images (pictures) and the like are examples of fixed content files. Files such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, projects and the like are examples of dynamic content files because they may be opened and edited.


As noted above, this software can reduce the size of your backups dramatically. This dramatic reduction occurs because during each plan run the software finds the changed bytes and metadata of each file and stores only those changes to the disk. Therefore, creating a Protection Plan that targets the largest number of dynamic files that are most likely to change over time will allow the software to achieve the greatest data reduction.



Backup scenarios


This software offers you the flexibility to create backup processes that fit your needs. You can create protection plans that match the way you organize your files.


For example, many applications save the files you create and change in default Windows folders. The Personal Data and Settings protection plan automatically selects the default Windows folders. This would enable you to automatically backup your local Outlook email files, documents and other files stored by your programs, desktop files and Internet Explorer favorites, among other files. Also, you may backup these folders often, even more than once a day.


Perhaps you organize your computer by projects, customers, or dates and these are stored in many different folders. You can choose exactly which folders to backup by using the Custom protection plan.


A simple method of backing up your data is to use the Everything protection plan. Using the Everything plan as the first backup will create a baseline from which future backups will only store the uniquely changed data for any file on your local hard disk. This method will require the most backup disk space, however.


If you have more data than can fit onto one disk you can place your dynamic content type files on one backup disk and your fixed content type files on another disk. Or certain projects, customers, etc., can be placed on different disks. The software allows you to designate specific disks for specific protection plans ensuring that you don't place files meant for one disk onto a 'wrong' disk.


When determining how you want to store your data using this software, it may help to think about what files you might need to recover most often or which are most important, and schedule the protection plans that protect those files to run most often.