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Bucky Backup

About

Why use Bucky Backup?

The data on your computer represents a huge investment of time, energy, and money. But it's a fragile resource that can disappear with a clumsy keystroke, a misplaced disk, or a crashed hard drive.

Security and long-term reliability

Bucky Backup is based on TSM, a client/server storage management product from IBM that provides the highest level of backup and recovery protection now available. In fact, Bucky Backup's automatic scheduler enables you to meet auditor's requirements for certifiable backup and recovery.

The need for systematic backup is growing as rules for record retention become more strict. Records collected by some long-term epidemiology studies and atmospheric research projects, for example, must be kept for decades. Bucky Backup provides a campus-based option for off-site, long-term, reliable retention of digital records.

Bucky Backup's client registration and encrypted password features ensure that your data is secure and cannot be corrupted by unauthorized access to the system and your files.

Convenience and ease of use

Bucky Backup is easy to install and use. You can install it yourself from the Bucky Backup web site or upon registration select help from DoIT Repair and Desktop Support (RADS).  They will install the software at no charge).

Bucky Backup's automatic scheduler takes all the guesswork out of data protection. Backups follow a fixed schedule that you specify. You just leave your computer powered on and connected to the backup server, and the backup takes place overnight. You can also back up your data manually if an immediate need arises.

Bucky Backup is available for most of the computing platforms in use at UW-Madison, including Windows, Macintosh, Solaris, UNIX, Linux, and Novell NetWare. The backup client software on your desktop displays your platform's familiar graphical interface, making it easy for you to review backup settings or request backups and recoveries as needed. Bucky Backup offers many options for backup and retention to fit individual user needs.

Bucky Backup is fully supported by DoIT, including the services of Repair and Desktop Support and the DoIT Help Desk. DoIT also provides documentation tailored for UW-Madison users (all documentation is available at the Bucky Backup web site).

Who can use Bucky Backup?

Anyone who can provide a University requisition or UDDS direct charge information can subscribe to Bucky Backup. Colleges, departments, research centers, and other units can process a requisition or provide a UDDS to purchase the service (see "How to subscribe"). TAs, RAs, PAs, and other graduate students who might be supported by departments or research activities can subscribe.

What about restores?

Bucky Backup users are responsible for restoring their own data if the need arises. If only a few files or a subdirectory need to be restored, you simply use the Bucky Backup client on your desktop to list your backed-up files and select those you want to retrieve. (Please note that DoIT may have to limit access to the restore function during periods of peak network demand.)

In the event of a disaster, such as a damaged machine or hard drive, DoIT suggests that you have Repair and Desktop Support restore your data when they rebuild or replace your hardware.

What about other backup methods?

Even if your computer is connected to a local area network, you can’t assume your work is safe because you are "on the LAN." With today’s robust desktop tools and powerful PC and Mac hardware, faculty and staff are doing a lot of work on their local hard drives, which they seldom, if ever, back up. With Bucky Backup, you can systematically protect your data.

What about external and removable storage devices? Zip drives, for example, are becoming increasingly popular and can be a good backup solution for some users. But cost and reliability might make Bucky Backup a better choice.  Bucky Backup costs as little as $68.00 per year (for  backup and storage of 500 MB of data; see Bucky Calculator selection). The IBM-based Bucky Backup system has never failed to recover lost data for its users — a record unmatched by other storage options. Finally, Bucky Backup provides safe, off-site storage of your important data. With zip drives and other storage options, disks of backed-up data are often tossed in desk drawers or briefcases, sometimes with disastrous results.

Maintenance Window for Bucky

DoIT support staff have defined a weekly maintenance window every Monday afternoon beginning at 1:00pm and ending at 3:00pm. All scheduled server maintenance will occur at this time. All maintenance affecting client performance will be preceded by an e-mail announcement to all users alerting you to any potential problems.

What does this mean to users of Bucky Backup? Users should plan that all Bucky Backup services will be unavailable at that time. No restores or manual backups can be initiated during the maintenance window if the maintenance window is needed. If the maintenance window is not needed, there will be no interruption of Bucky Backup services. It is unlikely that all maintenance windows will be used.

Missed/Failed Notification

The notification system will detect that a node has missed its scheduled backup window or that its scheduled backup has failed after it has started. An e-mail notification will be generated and sent to the backup administrator or node owner only if the node is in a schedule with the character string 'PROD' in the schedule name. Nodes residing in a schedule with the word 'TEST' in the schedule name will not receive notification of a failed or missed backup. If you are unsure if you are in a notification schedule, please use the 'query schedule' command from the command line interface to determine the name of the schedule your node is in. If you find that your node is in a 'TEST' schedule (non-notification) and you would like notification, please e-mail to SYSOPS@DOIT.WISC.EDU and request that your node be placed in a 'PROD' schedule. Be sure to include the name of the node in your e-mail.

It is important to stress that although this notification system is a valuable tool to help determine the status of your node's backups, it cannot replace the value of a watchful backup administrator. It is the backup administrator's responsibility to ensure that backups are occurring at the time and interval expected.