How Server Backup works

1.  Install the Client

This is how you control your  backup system.  It's an application that runs on your computer with a user-interface for easy configuration.

It allows you to upload selected files to our backup server and runs scheduled, automated backup jobs.  You can create different backup sets for different purposes. 

Plus, the Backup Client can back up a list of applications like MS Exchange , MS SQL, Oracle, MySQL, Lotus Domino, and much more.

2. First save

You only need to do a full backup, once.

All data is compressed and encrypted before being uploaded onto the Backup Server.  You can select any level of backup from basic files to system state backup.

The average compression ratio for text-based files is 4:1.  If you’re backing up a variety of files, you can assume a compression ratio of around 2:1.

3. Automatic backup

Now that the basics are there, the automated system makes sure the most recent version is always available.

Your Backup Client will compare time stamps of files on the server with the corresponding copies on your machine.  After the initial upload, subsequent backup jobs will only transfer new or modified data to the Backup Server - known as incremental backup.  It depends a little on the nature of your data, but typically less than 5% of all data is modified.

4. Recovery system

Everything you need is now stored on our Backup Server at our London data centre.

You can fully access your data by logging onto your Management Console on your desktop - or online, from anywhere

Here, you can browse through your files, as you would on your own server, and choose which items to review or reinstate.  You can recover everything, or pick individual files.  And if you've chosen to backup regularly, you could choose to restore from any point in the last 365 days.

5. How data is stored

We keep our Backup Servers in the UK's top data storage centre - Global Switch in London's Docklands.  It's high security measure include bullet-proof glass and 24/7 monitoring.

And we take our own advice, and backup our own systems: meaning your data is copied to our Replication Servers in our second site at Reading.
Find out more about the safety of your data