1311 - How to back up a machine using the RedApp

Page contents

• Introduction
• Requirements
• How to back up a machine using the RedApp
  • Step 1: Create a folder
  • Step 2: Deploy an agent
  • Step 3: Install the agent
    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
  • Step 4: Start backing up
• Windows installation troubleshooting

 

Introduction

Backup and recovery of machines form part of our cloud service. To back up a machine, follow the steps below. If you have already downloaded an agent installer file, skip to here.

Please note: An installer file deployed from the RedApp is valid for 48 hours and can be used on unlimited machines.

If you need help recovering a machine, see Article 1316.

 

Requirements 

The main criteria for a successful installation of our backup agent from the RedApp are as follows:

1. There must be no other Redstor installation already in place on the machine. Uninstall any previous agents, and remove any leftover directories. If the installer detects an existing agent on the machine, the installation will not complete.
2. The installer must have been deployed from the RedApp no more than 48 hours before installation. Any older installer will create an empty agent instead of creating a backup account automatically.
3. The machine where the agent is being installed must have connectivity to the storage used to supply the credentials, which are temporarily held in here (as detailedin the Redstor Network Requirements).
4. There must be sufficient storage and licenses available in the target group to allow the creation of the new account (and the target group must still exist, i.e. must not have been deleted). For most customers, storage and licences should both be set to unlimited, so this is unlikely to be an obstacle.
5. The backup agent must be able to save its settings to configuration files within its installation directory. Sometimes these settings file changes are blocked or quarantined by antivirus software. Please see Article 008 for more information.
6. There should be no other accounts with names that match the machine's hostname.

 

How to back up a machine using the RedApp

Step 1: Create a folder to house your machine's agent

1. In the RedApp, locate the relevant customer name in the sidebar and click on it.

2. Click on Machines in the sidebar.

3. Click on Add folder at the top.

You will be asked to provide a name for your folder.

Note:

• A folder refers to what is known as a group in the Storage Platform Console. Multiple folders (groups) form a collection.
• You can also choose to add a collection instead of a group by expanding the menu and clicking Add collection.
  
  

4. Once the folder has been created, you will see an overview of your new folder. 

5. Click the menu icon next to the Deploy button to expand the folder actions. Select Set storage limit.

6. Set a default storage limit for machines in this folder, and click the check mark to save.

 

Step 2: Deploy an agent to install on your machine

1. On the folder overview, click on Deploy at the top.

2. Select your operating system.

3. We recommend enabling Full system backup and Remote access.

• Enabling remote access means that once the agent is installed on a machine, you can open a remote connection to that machine any time, and from anywhere, as long as the machine is on/powered. To remotely access a machine from the RedApp, click the menu to the right of the machine listing and go to Download remote agent.
  
  
  
  
  You will need to download and execute the provided .exe file to create a secure tunnel to the agent. You can then trigger backups, manage files, etc. as if you were physically using the machine.

4. Enter an encryption key of your choice (minimum 8 characters), or type anything into the key field and then click the refresh button to generate a random, secure key. In either case, store this key in a safe place.

Click Download to get the installer file for the backup agent. This installer file will be valid for 48 hours and you can use it on unlimited machines.

 

 

Step 3: Install and set up the agent on your machine

Windows

1. Run the downloaded installer file on the machine you want to backup. If you get stuck at this step, see the troubleshooting tips at the bottom of this page.

2. Once the installation has completed, you can open the Agent from the Start Menu. If the application is not yet visible, you can open the tray application in C:\Program Files\Redstor Pro\Backup Client ESE from the File Explorer.

 

Mac

 

Linux

1. Replacing "filename" with the installer executable's name, run 

sudo chmod +x ./{filename}

then 

./{filename}

This will trigger a silent install of the agent into the default installation folder.

2. Once the installation has completed, you can start the Agent UI by launching "Redstor Pro ESE" from the desktop, or by running

backupprogui

from Terminal.

For more on ESE for Linux, see Article 1027.

 

Step 4: Start backing up

To run your first backup, click the Backup button at the top.

For more on how to manage your backups from the ESE user interface, see Article 105. You can also edit the backup selection if you do not want to backup the machine's full system.

If you need help recovering the machine, see Article 1316.

 

Windows installation troubleshooting

If you have trouble running the Windows agent installer, try the following troubleshooting steps.

1. Make sure that the Windows Installer service is running. You can do this by opening the Services app, finding the "Windows Installer" service, and checking its status. If it's not running, you can start it by right-clicking on the service and selecting Start.
2. Check if there are any pending updates or installations that are waiting to be completed. If so, finish those before attempting to install the agent again.
3. Try running the installation as an administrator. Right-click on the installer file and select Run as administrator.
4. Disable any antivirus or security software temporarily, as they may interfere with the installation process.