NetWorker Laptop

Enterprise Protection and Availability

NetWorker Laptop completes the NetWorker product line by providing a highly scalable data protection solution for small to enterprise level, multi-site businesses. Windows-based mobile laptops and LAN-attached users safely back up their data using advanced delta block technology and state-of-the-art 112 bit DES encryption.

NetWorker Laptop empowers the IT administrator and help-desk operator by providing auditing tools, automatic company-wide PC upgrade capabilities, and remote assistance functionality. Behind the scenes and on the server, HSM and Mirroring capabilities offer the highest level of data availability.


Features & Benefits

Transparent Data Protection

    Hands-Free Backup requires no user intervention

    Occurs automatically on a schedule or when a network connection is detected


Open File Management

    Open files can be processed during a backup

    Open files actively in use are tagged for capture as soon as the file closes


Efficient and Secure Data Transmission

    Delta block significantly reduces the time and amount of data transmitted

    Compression occurs prior to transmission and continues to reduce the time and storage needs

    Triple DES 112-bit encryption occurs prior to transmission - data is stored encrypted

    Incomplete backups will resume at the point they were interrupted


Simple User Interface

    With a few mouse clicks users can roll back their entire system or an individual file to a specific point in time

    Web-based management tools allow administrators and help desk operators quick and easy access to their information


Requirements

    Laptop Data Center Server: Windows 2000 / SQL 2000

    Laptop Operating Systems: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP


NetWorker Laptop Frenquently Asked Questions

Recovering Files / Backup and Restore Processing
Q: How does NetWorker Laptop handle a dual-boot laptop?
A: Just like most backup systems, NetWorker Laptop can only see what the OS can see. NetWorker Laptop cannot backup an NTFS when running in Win98, nor can it backup a FAT32 partition when running under NT – these are OS limitations, not product limitations.
Q: Is it possible to install NetWorker Laptop onto an existing production MS SQL 7.0 server?
A: Possible, yes; recommended, no. A clean installation of SQL Server is recommended to insure that the settings are known.
Q: How do I create the NetWorker Laptop database into MS SQL without affected other existing databases?
A: The installation will create three databases upon installation – NetWorker Laptop does not affect or modify any other databases (besides master).
Q: How does NetWorker Laptop handle backups of open files?
A: If a file is open and locked exclusively at the time of backup, NetWorker Laptop attempts to analyze the file at 2 different points in the scan. If the analysis at the 2 distinct times is a match, the file is deemed “quiet” and determined to be a valid copy to backup.

If the analysis does not match (i.e.. because you were downloading new e-mail and the file is in fact changing) the file is skipped and the backup continues. If a file is skipped, it is monitored to for its release or close. When it becomes available, delta block analysis is performed and the changes are stored locally (the client has an Openfile subdirectory). At the time of the next backup, if the file is open and step 1 fails again, we backup the snapshot from the day before.
Q: Can a NetWorker server and a NetWorker Laptop server be installed on the same machine? Are there any conflicts and restrictions?
A: It can. There are a few things to watch for, like not backing up your backups!
Q: Will it be able to handle changing IP Addresses for laptop users who use DHCP?
A: Yes – the client ALWAYS initiates the backup, not the server. This eliminates DHCP, WINS, and DNS problems.
Q: How about backups through a firewall?
A: Supported, either via Proxy or opening 16384. Note that since the client always initiates the backup the firewall does not need to be open for inbound requests.
Q: Will it handle dial up backups?
A: Yes, the client can detect an IP connection and perform a backup based on number of hours since last backup.
Q: How does it work with VPN?
A: Since there is not Domain authentication required, the client does not need a VPN connection, but it works fine over one.
Q: What happens to an interrupted backup?
A: When the user’s next backup is initiated the backup resumes from the point of termination.