Whitepapers
Our white papers document many of the features and functionality of BackupAssist.

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Restore Console Whitepaper
- Introduction to the BackupAssist Restore Console
- Backup catalogues explained
- Restore instructions
View:
PDF
Applies to v5.3
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Lock and load! - Why ZIP now means business for backups!
- Zip as a replacement for NTBackup on Windows Server 2008
- Benefits of ZIP for business uses
Applies to v5.3
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Zip Engine Whitepaper
- Introduction to the BackupAssist Zip Engine
- Advantages, features, limitations and requirements
- Setup instructions
- Restoring from a Zip Engine backup
View:
PDF
Applies to v5.3
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Rsync Whitepaper
- How Rsync works
- Best practices
- Options for data hosting
- Setting up Windows and Linux Rsync Servers
View:
PDF
Applies to v5.1
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Rsync-enabled NAS Hardware Compatibility List
- Options for turnkey backup to NAS
View:
PDF
Applies to v5.1
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File Replication Whitepaper
- How File Replication works
- Single Instance Store
- Creating and configuring File Replication jobs
View:
PDF
Applies to v5.1
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How to get years of good use out of your existing tape backup setup with Server 2008!
- How to use tape for maximum effectiveness and value
- Cost comparison between BackupAssist and other major competitors
View:
PDF
Applies to v5.3
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Backup hardware showdown: Tape vs. Disk
- Identify the causes of data loss
- Advantages of tape vs disk
- How to identify the right software to support your hardware
Applies to v5.3
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BackupAssist Scenarios
A guide to picking BackupAssist engines and schemes organized by common backup requirements.
- Disaster Recovery - Windows 2000, XP, SBS, 2003, 2008
- Exchange Server, SQL Server backups
- Hyper-V, VMWare backups
View:
PDF
Applies to v4 and v5
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How to Slash $4131.49 off your Server 2008 Backup Costs Without Cutting Corners
In this white paper, we present an alternative approach to make it easy and cost-effective to protect the Windows Server 2008 family – SBS 2008, EBS 2008 and Server 2008.
Applies to v4 and v5 |

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Backup Device Speed Testing
A comprehensive series of tests of backup devices. The aim is to help I.T.
consultants decide what backup devices to use, and what speeds can be expected from each device.
Applies to v5 |

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7 Critical Steps to a Bullet-proof backup system
70% of companies that suffer serious data loss go
out of business within 12 months. This is the definitive guide on how to avoid being a statistic.
- The statistics - how easily data loss can bring down a business and why
you need to be protected
- The 7 Critical Steps essential for the protection of important data
View:
PDF
Applies to v4 and v5 |
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BackupAssist on Server 2008
Configuring BackupAssist on Windows Server 2008
- Added functionality with BackupAssist
- Windows Imaging backups
- Disaster Recovery
View:
PDF Applies to v5 |
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Disaster Recovery Backup Plan
3 Easy Steps to Complete Disaster Recovery
- Recommended Procedures For BackupAssist & Automated System Recovery (ASR)
- Complete System Backup and Recovery
- Individual File Restoration
View: PDF
Applies to v4 and v5
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The Definitive Tape Drive Success Blueprint
Information you need to know before selecting a tape drive for your backup strategy
- 3 Simple tips to ensure that your tape drive and tape media remain reliable
- How to choose the tape drive that satisfies your backup needs and avoid making the common mistakes that would jeopardize your investment
- Tape Drive Reference Sheet - capacities, transfer rates and duty cycles of a range of tape drives
View:
PDF
Applies to v4 and v5 |
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Advanced Open Files Add-on: Overview
How the Advanced Open File Add-on works to backup open files
- The Problem With Open/Locked/In-use Files
- What does the Advanced Open Files Add-on do?
- Who Needs the Advanced Open Files Add-on?
- More Information
View: PDF
Applies to v4 and v5 |
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Open File Backups with BackupAssist
How BackupAssist improves on NTBackup's handling of Open Files
- CHAPTER 1: Introduction and Overview
- CHAPTER 2: Snapshot Technology
- CHAPTER 3: Conventional File Copy
View:
PDF
Applies to v4 and v5
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Basic Exchange Server Backup and Restoration
A step by step guide to backing up and restoring Exchange Servers
- Steps to backing up Exchange Servers
- Steps to restoring Exchange Servers
View: PDF
Applies to v4 and v5
Note: Also see our article on How to backup Exchange Server 2007
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Exchange Brick-level Backup and Restore
How to backup and restore individual Exchange Server mailboxes quickly using our brick-level backup and offsite archiving solution
- How the Exchange Mailbox Add-on works
- Backing up Exchange mailboxes
- Restoring Exchange mailbox data
View: PDF
Applies to v4 and v5
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Exchange Mailbox Backup - Quickstart guide
Quickstart guide for using BackupAssist Mailbox Backup capabilities.
- PST formats: advantages / disadvantages and requirements
- Setup instructions
View: PDF
Applies to v5.2.5 and later
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Advanced Exchange Restoration
How to restore individual Exchange Server mailboxes manually from the Information Store (not required if using the Exchange Mailbox Add-on).
- Using a Recovery Storage Group
- Restoring mailbox store to a Recovery Storage Group
- Merging recovered mail with regular mailboxes
View:
PDF
Applies to v4 and v5
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Advanced SQL Add-on Whitepaper
How to backup and restore SQL Servers using the SQL add-on
- Local and Remote SQL backups
- Restoring SQL backups
View:
PDF
Applies to v4 and v5 |
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Centralized Monitoring
Learn how to monitor multiple BackupAssist installations
- Monitor backup outcomes, data growth and usage
- Create personalized backup reports for clients
View: PDF Applies to v5
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Notifications in BackupAssist
Learn how to setup BackupAssist to send reminder, report and maintenance notifications
- Adding notifications
- Managing notification recipient addresses
- Troubleshooting notifications issues
View: PDF Applies to v4 and v5 |

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Custom scripting in BackupAssist
Learn how to write scripts to perform specific commands either before or after your backup job runs.
- Overview of scripting in BackupAssist
- Sample scripts
- Reference guide for variables that can be used in scripts
View:
PDF Applies to v4 and v5 |
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[ + ]Version 3 documentation (archive)
The materials listed below apply to a previous version of BackupAssist, and are included here for reference purposes. If you are unable to find the answer you are after please visit our
Support Center.
Most of these documents are available in both PDF and HTML formats for convenience and ease of accessibility.
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Backup Strategy Guide
How to protect your small business from data disaster
- Introduction to tape backups
- Tape rotation systems
- Implementing a backup system
View: HTML |
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Bare Metal Restoration with ASR
How to perform bare metal system restorations using Automated System Recovery in Windows XP & 2003
- Introduction to ASR
- Backing up and restoring with ASR
- ASR Considerations
- Additional ASR Resources
View: PDF | HTML |
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Tape Drive Troubleshooting
How to set up your tape drive for use with NTBackup and BackupAssist
- Interference from other backup software products
- Installing the Windows drivers
- Running Windows Backup, NTBackup
- Setting up BackupAssist
View: PDF | HTML |
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Windows Media Management Troubleshooting
Removable Storage and Media Management in Windows
This is essential reading if you are having problems with media management and removable storage under Windows.
BackupAssist will manage the media automatically, but if you are migrating from a different backup system and you are
using old tapes, then you may need to do a few additional tasks. This document explains how.
View: PDF | HTML |
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File backups with BackupAssist
Backing up To File, HDD, DVD / CD, ZIP Drive, Removable HDD or Network
- How BackupAssist backs up to hard drives, DVDs, CDs, ZIP drives and network drives
- How to setup BackupAssist
- Recommended configurations
View: PDF | HTML |
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Iomega REV backups with BackupAssist
Using BackupAssist with the Iomega REV Drive - an excellent solution for small businesses
- How to setup BackupAssist to backup to your REV drive
- General notes and recommendations
View: PDF | HTML |
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External Hard Drive Backups with BackupAssist
Using BackupAssist with External USB Hard Drive Devices
- External USB HDD Introduction and Overview
- Configuring BackupAssist for use with external USB hard drives
- External USB HDD usage scenarios
View: PDF |
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Backing up Network/Shared Data
How to backup network drives using UNC paths or drive mappings
- How to setup BackupAssist for network backups
- Using UNC paths
- Using mapped network drives
View: PDF | HTML |
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SNAP / NAS device backups with BackupAssist
Using BackupAssist with SNAP Servers and other NAS Devices
- How to setup BackupAssist to backup to your SNAP Server
- How to setup BackupAssist to backup data stored on your SNAP Server
- Recommended configurations
- How to authenticate to your SNAP Server
View: PDF | HTML |
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Advanced Open Files Add-on: Overview
How the Advanced Open File Add-on works to backup open files
- The Problem With Open/Locked/In-use Files
- What does the Advanced Open Files Add-on do?
- Who Needs the Advanced Open Files Add-on?
- More Information
View: PDF | HTML |
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Open File Backups with BackupAssist
How BackupAssist improves on NTBackup's handling of Open Files
- CHAPTER 1: Introduction and Overview
- CHAPTER 2: Snapshot Technology
- CHAPTER 3: Conventional File Copy
View: PDF | HTML |
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Advanced Exchange Restoration
How to restore individual Exchange Server mailboxes manually from the Information Store (not required if using the Exchange Mailbox Add-on).
Summary:
- Using a Recovery Storage Group
- Restoring mailbox store to a Recovery Storage Group
- Merging recovered mail with regular mailboxes
View: PDF |
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Exchange Mailbox Add-on
How to backup and restore individual Exchange Server mailboxes quickly using our brick-level backup and offsite archiving solution
Summary:
- How the add-on works
- Restoring mailbox data
View: PDF |
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Online SQL Server Backups Using BackupAssist
How to use BackupAssist to backup live SQL Servers
Summary:
- How The SQL Backup Works
- Setting Up BackupAssist For Online SQL Server Backups
- Remote SQL Backup
- Checking the Backup Logs
- How To Restore A Database
View: PDF | HTML |
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Customizing schedules in BackupAssist
How to Schedule Custom Schemes - Full, Differential, Incremental backups, Overwriting / Appending Tapes
Summary:
- The capabilities of BackupAssist, the backup schedule and media pool
- 5 practical examples of customized backup schemes
- Screenshots of how to setup BackupAssist
View: PDF | HTML |
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