• What is an Online Backup Service?
• Can we try the software before we buy it?
• Is it secure to backup over the internet?
• Does it make sense to use Online Backup if you have a slow Internet connection?
• What files should you select?
• I have a large amount of data to backup and would prefer not to send the initial backup over the internet.
• How do you delete files from the Backup server?
• Should you also have a local backup in addition to online backup?
• What is the Personal Recovery DVD?
• What do you do if there is trouble connecting to the server or performing a backup?
• Can I backup open and locked files with the online backup software?
• What is a FastBIT backup?
• Why is FastBIT important?
• What platforms does Sound Backups support?
• Can you backup other platforms with my Sound Backups Client software?
• What is the secret key?
• If I change my secret key, can I still restore old data?
• How do I find out about service packs, new releases and updates?

Question not listed above?  Please contact our support department at support@bearitservices.com

1. What is an Online Backup Service?
An Online Backup Service is an Internet-based service that allows computer users to routinely backup and recover their important data using a secure and trusted server on the Internet.
If you use your computer to create and save valuable data for business or personal reasons, you should make some type of backup of your important data to prevent a total loss in the event of any kind of system failure or human error. Simple data backup can be done by saving your data to multiple locations, copying the data from its original location to removable media, another hard drive, or another computers hard drive on the network.
To make this task easier, specialized programs known as Backup Software exist to aid users in regularly making a backup copy of their data. Since some users are not interested in managing the tasks necessary for maintaining their own backups, a new breed of backup software was created, known as Online Backup Software. Online Backup software is designed to routinely copy your important files to a private, secure location on the Internet by securely transmitting your data over your existing Internet connection. We store your information redundantly across multiple data centers.

If you have a working Internet connection on your computer, you can use Sound Backups service to keep your important files safe from disaster on a daily basis.
<BACK TO TOP >

2. Can we try the software before we buy it?
Sure! You can download a 30 day demo of our client package and backup up to 250MB of data or you can contact us to discuss which of our packages are right for you.
<BACK TO TOP >

3. Is it secure to backup over the internet?
Yes, all files are encrypted before leaving your local computer and are sent over an encrypted connection. We have several encryption types that can be implemented.
<BACK TO TOP >

4. Does it make sense to use Online Backup if you have a slow Internet connection?
Depending on the speed of your connection and the size of your backup, your initial backup over the Internet may take several hours. Many people with large backup sizes and slower Internet connections will often run their first backup over the weekend. We can also come onsite to create the initial backup. Once the first backup is completed, each subsequent backup is usually a small amount of data that can be backed up in just minutes over a slower dialup connection.

Our software can also resume a canceled backup, so you can start the backup during your slow times and cancel it during your busy times. The next time you start the backup, it will pick up from where it was canceled until the entire backup is complete.
<BACK TO TOP >

5. What files should you select?
Since your entire hard drive is likely to be much larger than the amount of storage you have purchased on the backup server, you should be selective in the files that you choose for backup. In general, you can avoid backing up any programs that you can reinstall from a purchased CD, such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.). Why pay for storage for "stuff" you can easily re-install? Try to focus your selection on things like your "My Documents", "My Pictures" or "My Music" folders and data files of your important programs like accounting, income tax, contact management, etc. Your online backup software comes with predefined filters, which allow you to automatically select categories of files without knowing where all the files are located. See the software's Help section on Filters to learn how they can be used.
<BACK TO TOP >

6. I have a large amount of data to backup and would prefer not to send the initial backup over the internet.
Sound Backups has a portable server available for onsite backups. We can perform the initial backup at your location, and then transfer the files to our main data center.
<BACK TO TOP >

7. How do you delete files from the Backup server?
In order to control how much data is stored on the online backup server, your online backup software allows you to view all of the data stored on the server and selectively remove files from the server. To view the data stored under your account, run your online backup software and click on the folder tab labeled "Delete". In the left windowpane, Right-Click on the Desktop icon and select "Get Volume List from Server". This will show you each computer that has been backed up to your account. Now you can navigate the folders to see what data is stored on the server. To delete files, click on the button with the Red "X" to enable the Delete Files mode. Mark any files you wish to delete by clicking your mouse in the empty box next to the file(s) you wish to delete. Click the "Delete Files Now" to issue the command to delete the selected files from the server. WARNING: Once a file is deleted from the server, it can no longer be restored.
<BACK TO TOP >

8. Should you also have a local backup in addition to online backup?
It's up to you. We encourage people to do both local and remote backup for absolute protection. Users that want an added level of protection will perform local backups in addition to their online backup. Local backups can allow you to backup ALL of your files, while the online backup is a great way to automatically store your critical files off-site. When it comes to your important data, you can never be too safe.
<BACK TO TOP >

9. What is the Personal Recovery DVD?
The Personal Recovery DVD is a service that offers copies all of your data from our servers onto DVD(s). This allows you to restore the archive of your data from a DVD without requiring an Internet connection. This is great for keeping long-term archives of your data or restoring large amounts of data without connecting over a slow Internet connection. Inquire about the availability of Personal Recovery DVDs with our sales department.
<BACK TO TOP >

10. What do you do if there is trouble connecting to the server or performing a backup?
Contact our technical support group for assistance during normal business hours (8am - 6pm). You can also view the technical support section of our web site for some helpful information. Visit the support page
<BACK TO TOP >

11. Can I backup open and locked files with the online backup software?
In the case of many backup software programs, files and databases that are in use during the backup may not get backed up successfully because they are locked to prevent any other program from altering the data. To solve this problem, Sound Backups can be used with the SQL and Exchange Plug-ins to make sure that these open and locked database files get backed up successfully. Additionally, Online Backup now has Open File Backup protection which takes advantage of Microsoft's VSS Option ensuring open files are not skipped.
<BACK TO TOP >

12. What is a FastBIT backup?
The FastBIT patching process is the core technology behind our speedy backup service. The patching process involves the comparison of two different versions of the same file and extracting the differences between the files. When the differences are extracted from the two files, they are saved into a new file and compressed into what is known as a Patch. The patch file is often 85% to 99.9% smaller than the file which the patch was extracted from originally.

In order to perform a FastBIT backup, the software has to backup the files 3 times: the first backup is a full, the next backup will perform an incremental, and the third performs the first FastBIT backup.
<BACK TO TOP >

13. Why is FastBIT important?
If you are an end-user, the efficiency of FastBIT will dramatically reduce the time required to backup your data from any network location, include slow dialup connections.
<BACK TO TOP >

14. What platforms does Sound Backups support?
The client software can be installed on any Windows 98SE, Me, NT, 2000, 2003 (.NET), XP or Vista computer. The Sound Backups Client software communicates to the Sound Backups Server using the TCP/IP protocol.
<BACK TO TOP >

15. Can you backup other platforms with my Sound Backups Client software?
Sound Backups Client software will only run natively on Windows 98SE, Me, NT 4.0, 2000, 2003 (.NET), XP and Vista. If you want to backup computers with other operating systems, it is possible. Here's how... Since Sound Backups Client supports mapped network drives and the Network Neighborhood, it can backup data from any computer that is accessible via the network. A single Sound Backups Client can backup the local computer and any number of local or remote network computers using our powerful user interface.
<BACK TO TOP >

16. What is the secret key?
The secret key is a special text string used to encrypt all data that is stored on the server. The secret key can be changed at any time in between backups or restores. If the secret key is forgotten or lost, the Backup Server administrator may not be able to recover the data on the server.
<BACK TO TOP >

17. If I change my secret key, can I still restore old data?
When you change the secret key, the previous secret key (and all keys before it if any) are encrypted together using the latest secret key. This way, you need only remember the latest key and do not have to be troubled with remembering, potentially, many keys from past changes.
<BACK TO TOP >

18. How do I find out about service packs, new releases and updates?
Sound Backups will automatically update when a new version is released.
<BACK TO TOP >