controlled updates vs. scheduled updates

[wilbertnl]

One feature that I didn't get into is the scheduled copy of snapshots.
I understand the power and ease of that feature, but it didn't make sense to me that I was updating a recovery backup with a certain frequency.

When I think of recovery, then I want to be able to revert to a known functioning status. Basically a frozen status after I installed Windows with the software that I use and all the relevant settings.
The disadvantage is that I had to maintain security updates and driver updates for the frozen image. Which means loading the image, updating, and refreshing the image.

Now, I have a wife who insists in playing those online games that co-install spyware. And I don't want that to seep into my backup solution.
What Acadia is doing for his documents, I would do the same for software updates: Keep it strict separate.

When I need to apply some kind of update, I would update the work snapshot, reboot into the backup snapshot and apply the same update there.
Nothing else from the work snapshot seeps into the backup.

What do you think?

[Acadia]

Originally Posted by wilbertnl

What Acadia is doing for his documents, I would do the same for software updates: Keep it strict separate.

wilbertnl, just to clarify things because I may not have explained it properly in the past: I do not keep my Docs separate from anything; they are where they have always been, I just don't anchor them. I don't place any of my folders anywhere special, I just keep all 10 Snapshots separate or "unconnected" from one another by avoiding the use of Data Anchoring.

Acadia

[wilbertnl]

Acadia,

Does that mean that you use ISR strictly as backup solution, with possibly a snapshot for each businessday of the week?
That would make sense, On Friday you could easily revert to the status of last Monday in case of unexpected problems.
And you also would have all your documents with the 'Monday status'.

[TonyW]

I think Acadia uses FD as a recovery solution, but also as a means to test certain software. For example, one snapshot may contain the latest beta of a program, like say an anti-virus. It's possible then to go in and out of that snapshot when you're in the beta-testing mood.

The beauty of this program is that it has any number of uses.

[Acadia]

Originally Posted by TonyW

I think Acadia uses FD as a recovery solution, but also as a means to test certain software.

You nailed it, Tony.

Here is a break down of my ten Snapshots (I also have 6 Archived but since they are not bootable, I'll skip them).

Primary -- the one that I use most of the time.
Quarterly -- I backup my Primary here Jan.1, Apr.1, July 1, and Oct.1
Monthly -- backup my Primary the first of every month
Weekly -- backup my Primary usually every Friday evening
Daily 1 -- backup my Primary here every other day
Daily 2 -- backup my Primary here every other day, on the days Daily 1 is not being used
Experimental 1 -- to experiment with any new software
Experimental 2 -- also to experiment with any new software
Backup 1 -- use for absolutely anything, usually to backup my Experimentals
Backup 2 -- use for absolutely anything, usually to backup my Experimentals

So you see, if my system gets hosed, I have a choice: go back to yesterday, a week ago, a month ago, or 3 months ago.

Acadia

EDIT: Oh, yeah, before I "goback" I drag-and-drop any of My Docs, Email, or Bookmarks that I want to keep to another hard drive, then drag them back after the restore is complete.

EDIT again: And of course, right before I attempt something that might be risky, I backup my Primary to either Backup 1 or Backup 2, that way if something goes wrong, I only need to "goback" to a few minutes ago.

[crofttk]

Originally Posted by wilbertnl

...What do you think?

I think you may want to have a look at FDISRs "freeze" function if you haven't already. See "Introduction to Freeze" in the manual. I don't think it's as cumbersome as you describe maintaining a frozen status above.

[wilbertnl]

Originally Posted by Acadia

... Oh, yeah, before I "goback" I drag-and-drop any of My Docs, Email, or Bookmarks that I want to keep to another hard drive, then drag them back after the restore is complete.

This part of your disaster recovery plan would concern me the most. Some day you forget.

[Peter2150]

One of the beauties of the FDISR archives is refreshing is so fast. I keep two archives on external drives. One I use for beta test work and it has My Docu's anchored. The other is for backup disaster recovery, and it has nothing anchored. I refresh all 4 every day at the end of the day. Takes about me 10 minutes to refresh all of them and also my secondary snapshot on disk.

Pete

[wilbertnl]

Originally Posted by Peter2150

... One of the beauties of the FDISR archives is refreshing is so fast ...

I agree with that, it was discouraging to see that creating a copy or an archive is slow, way slower than what I'm used to with disk imaging.
But after using ISR for a little while now I learned that maintaining the copies and archives is reasonably fast.

I needed some time to understand the concept and to get used to the terminology (snapshot, archive, data anchoring), and I find myself developing my way of using this excellent software. It took me a little while to recognize the power of this software.
I'm watching my mailbox for the CD (they could just e-mail me the activation key instead)

[crofttk]

Originally Posted by wilbertnl

...they could just e-mail me the activation key instead

No such creature exists.