Backup Tips

Applies to: [x] C&P Classic 4.x, 5.x [x] C&P Pro 4.x, 5.x [x] Job Tracker 4.x, 5.x [x] C&P SQL 1.x, 5.x [x] My C&P! 1.x, 5.x Related links: Dantz

SUMMARY: Tips and hints for making backup safety copies of your Clients & Profits database. There is nothing more important to Clients & Profits than backing up your database. Without a reliable backup copy of your work, any kind of threat: power failure, system crash, fire, flood, theft--can leave you desperately trying to recreate jobs, costs, time sheets, and more from scratch. There's no excuse for not making daily safety copies of your Clients & Profits database--it's something that has to be done, or else you're tempting fate. When should I restore a backup copy of my Clients & Profits database? If the database is damaged and can't be repaired by the automatic Quick Check, then you only have two choices: restore yesterday's copy of the database from the backup, or perform potentially lengthy repairs. Restoring a backup is far better, faster, and more reliable. Database repairs can potentially take days, while restoring the backup usually takes less than an hour. "We back up the database by making a copy on the server. Is this ok?" No -- it's not going to help you if (1) the file server crashes, (2) there's a fire, or (3) the file server is stolen during the night. The point of making a safety backup is to limit your risk to a catastrophe like a disk crash, a fire, or a theft. The only way to prevent a big loss is to copy the database from the server to a backup media, like a tape -- then store that tape away from the office. "Last night's backup didn't work because someone didn't quit Clients & Profits. Can I automatically force the software to quit?" Yes, Clients & Profits can be set to automatically quit itself after a certain hour after 5 PM. The setting is made in Setup > Users, Access & Passwords, then edit > Set Automatic Quit Times, separately for each user. For example, if you set Clients & Profits to automatically shut down at 11 PM, the program will look to see if anyone's still using it at 11:01. If so, the user is warned that Clients & Profits is about to quit. If they're working on an important job (like entering their time sheet on Friday!), they can cancel that automatic shut down -- which means they might interfere with the backup. But the program will remind them to quit Clients & Profits as soon as possible. "How do I know everyone's quit Clients & Profits before I start the backup?" The User List window shows everyone who's still using Clients & Profits. To see the user list, go to Setup > Users, Access & Passwords, then choose File > Print User List. You'll see a column for "started" and "stopped." Anyone who's still using the database won't have a stop time--that tells you they're still working. However, the stop time is updated only when users quit Clients & Profits. If their computer freezes, or they simply turn of the computer's power, the stop time isn't updated--and they'll appear as an active user in error. "Is there any way to remotely quit any copy of Clients & Profits that's running?" Besides using the automatic shut down option in Users, Access & Passwords, there is no way to remote shut down (unless, that is, if you use Timbutku or PC Anywhere -- but that's a relatively expensive and complicated option). "What's best for backups: Zip-like disks, DAT tapes, CD-Rs, or Jaz-like cartridges?" It depends on the size of your database, as well as how many files are being backed up. Tapes work best for backing up your entire file server, since they can store lots of information. Disks and cartridges are better for quick backups of single files, like the Clients & Profits database. They're easier to use because they don't require a backup program like Retrospect. To back up your database, simply drag it onto the disk. However, disks and cartridge are more delicate and prone to dust, which can make them less reliable. "What is Retrospect?" Retrospect is the leading backup software. It is widely-used and has proven reliable for many years. Contact Retrospect at (510) 253-3050 or on the web at www.dantz.com. TYPES OF BACKUP MEDIA AND CAPACITIES Below is a brief list of the commonly-used backup systems. There are lots of choices, so this list is far from complete: -- Iomega Zip: 100mb disks (about the size of a floppy disk) -- Iomega Jaz: 1 gigabyte cartridges (one of the best choices) -- DAT tapes: 2 gigabytes (cheap, but don't use longer than a year) -- CD-Rs: 450mb (reasonably priced, but slow; stores less than DATs) BACK UP TIPS 1 Back up your Clients & Profits database every day. 2 Use a different media (i.e., tape, cartridge, or disk) for each day of the week. 3 Store your backup media in a fireproof safe designed especially for computer disks (a regular safe won't protect your media from heat or moisture). 4 Make a special weekly copy on Saturday, and store this media off-site in a safe-deposit box or media safe--not in your briefcase or glove box. 5 Don't skimp on tapes, disks, or cartridges. 6 Avoid unreliable media like Syquest 44mb, 88mb, or 200mb cartridges. Use only proven, high-quality media like Iomega Zip disks, Jaz cartridges, CR-Rs, DAT tapes, or optical disks.