Paragon not intuitive

JosephB,
I have just run the wizard once (today); please be patient for a reply, but I shall try this wizard more, scheduling and housekeeping seems to be fine.

I have not had any difficulties with “housekeeping”. I manually delete old archives from time to time; I have a 3TB USB drive for backup purposes.

 

I have today created two Retention Wizard test tasks:

1. Full Backup (daily at noon, with a locked WS): "Keep only 2 backups"
2. Full and Differential Backup (daily): "Keep only 1 of the last full and differential backup sets and keep only 2 images per set"

The delete function should be verifiable on Monday for both tests.

 

How is it that you now have the Retention Wizard? Purchased one of the products that it comes with or what?

 

wptski,

From what I understand, so far from reading this thread, until Paragon_Matt confirims, it appears that the "Retention Wizard" only currently comes as an addon with HDM 12 and 14 - Professional Version (not "Suite", not "B&R 12") and also comes with the Enterprise Versions.
... And John Doe Genius owns the HDM xx Professional versions and as a result the "Retention Wizard" addon shows up as a download in his my account/downloads page for his HDM xx Professional versions.

 

John Doe Genius,

1. Does your above statement mean that a "Set": consists of 1 Base Image and 1 Differential Image" -- OR -- "a Set": consists of 1 Base Image and 2 Differential Images" ?

2. Does the Scheduler Option of the "Retnetion Wizard" allow you Schedule the Base to be "Created And Re-Created" each "Weekend - Sunday" and Schedule the "Differentials to created "Daily" Mon - Sat ?

 

Oh! He owns two products, I missed that.

 

JosephB

1. Full/Diff set
I think it is like this:
1 full (Saturday) + 1 diff (Sunday)
On Monday: The images from Saturday & Sunday are deleted (?), and a new full set is created.

We'll see on Monday.

2. Scheduler options:
Daily: You can select "Every 1 days", "Every 3 days" up to "Every 99 days"
Weekly: You can check what day(s) you want, Monday to Sunday; or all of them.
Monthly: You can select "day of the month", 1-31

I find the Retention Wizard very intuitive!!

wptski
Yes, I am running HDM Pro (post #24)

 

So, but only vice versa, the script first creates a new backup, then recalculates existing, and if the amount exceeded the limit - deletes the oldest.

 

John Doe Genius, or fireworker,
So, just to confirm is sounds like it creates 1 Daily Script to Schedule and that Script has all the logic in it to do the Full + differential backup processing.
... Is this correct ?

 

1?
John Doe Genius did 2 different, not 1. Isn't it?
You can create 10 different scripts, each of which will have its own logic and its timetable. Full backup, full + diff, full + increment, daily, weekly, monthly. All will work, each in his own time perform his task.

 

I hope the attached screenshots give you the answer you want. fireworker is right, I am performing 2 tests and of course there are 2 scripts.

 

firewalker, John Doe Genius,

What I meant to say is that when I took a quick browse of the pdf manual for the "Retention Wizard" that John Doe Genius linked to in the thread and trying to read between the lines and based on the pictures in the pdf manual, it looks like the "Retention Wizard" generates just 1 Daily Script , when you choose the "Full and Differential" Option and depending on the number of times (days) that it has executed the Script knows when backup Images created have exceeded the number that was set for Differential images and when to thus start creating a New base and thus a new Set (of Base + differential) all within the logic of 1 Scheduled Daily Script.

... So, I just wanted to confirm from John Doe Genius that I was correct in my guess that the "Retention Wizard" is actaully generating just 1 daily scheduled script ,for when you choose the option of "Full and Differential Image set" in the "Retention Wizard. (I do Not think that the "Retention Wizard" is generating 1 base image script and 1 differential script, when you choose the 'Retention Wizard" option of "Full and Differential Image".)

 

None of my two scripts started today; I had to run them manually.

HDM14 Schedule tab displayed 'Last run 07.12.2013” and “Next run 09.12.2013”. Yesterday “Next run” was 08.12.2013. Both scripts are found in Windows Task Scheduler, I cannot see what is wrong.

Anybody with more experience can give me a clue ?


Amendment: The Full script DID RUN at 12:00.; only the Full_Diff script did not start at 07:35 today (the computer was turned on).

 

To test, I created a script with the start-up time - five minutes later than the current, it worked.

 

John Doe Genius,

I just noticed your screenshot. I posted before viewing it.

Just to double confirm ....
So, the "Full_Differential" - Wizard Choice, does then create only 1 Script (that has both the Full and Differential Image creation logic in it) and you scheduled for Daily execution.
... Is this correct ??

 

Thanks, the same script worked yesterday, it started two minutes after the creation (in accordance with the schedule).

I should like to know how I can find the reason for not starting today. I cannot find any limitations or special conditions for this script in Windows Task Scheduler. The log contains only data for yesterday; the other script, which worked, has log entries for both yesterday and today.

Edit:
I found the two scripts were not identical in Win Task Scheduler, the first tab (General):

Full_Diff script has "Run whether the user is logged in or not"
Full script: "Only run if the user is logged in".

I gave the same information for both scripts in the Retention Wizard. In step 7 I entered User Name and Password for both of them.

 

Yes, one single script for the "Full-Diff" daily backup; one single script for the "Full" daily backup.

 

John Doe Genius,

1. That confirms what I thought. Thanks.

2. BTW, I now feel that the downside of 1 Daily Script performing the "combined" Full + Differential Backup Processing logic is if during the Week (i.e. Mon to Sat.) there is 1 or more days skipped (schedule is suspended for day or so, pc is off, etc), then the "Next Creation" of a "Full Image Backup" is Not assured to occur on the same day of each Week (i.e. originally Sunday, now it might occur on Mon, Tue ...).


3. ... So, I think I will revise my Script that I wrote a year go (in another Scripting Language) which currently only works with "Full Image Backups"to also work with a "Base + Differential" Set, and make it more flexible than the current version of "Retention Wizard", in terms of being able to choose the Day to *always* run the Full Image Backup verses the Days that *only* a Differential Backup should run.

... This way a "Full Image Base Backup" will always be created on the same day each week (for example, Sunday) and "Differential Backups only on all the other days which is not a Sunday. With this setup should I need to suspend Differential backups for a day or 2 during the week, I still would be assured that come a Sunday a Full Base Backup will be performed and not ocurr on a different day of the week, just because I suspended the daily Differential Backup for 1 day.


BTW, the Script that I wrote a year ago, has a - "Choice" of Retention Policies - For Full Image Backups only (at this point), and are as follows.
(If anyone has a need for it, let me know and will compile into an .exe command with command-line parameters/switches. )
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


My "Retention - Script" has the following "Retention Policies" ...............


Retention Policies (offered by My Script, for Scheduled "Full Image Backups"):
----------------


A) RetDays - Specifies the "Number of Days to Retain" the Backup Archive.

- Once, the Backup Archive is "Past the Retain Days", the Backup Archive will be "Deleted".



B) MaxGen - Specifies the "Maximum Number of Backup Generations to keep.

- Once, "Exceeded", the "Oldest" Backup Generation will be "Deleted".



C) MinGenRetDays - Specifies the "Minimum No. of Backup Generations to keep and the "Number of Days to Retain" each Backup Generation, (before allowing the Generation to be "Deleted").


- NOTES, for Policy = MinGenRetDays:

1. Starts out behaving like "MaxGen". However, when the "Number of Generations" specified is "Exceeded", the "Exceeded" (prior/old) Backup Generation(s) are checked against the "Number of Days to Retain" them.

2. The "Exceeded" Backup Generation(s) are ONLY "Deleted", when "past their Retention Days".



GENERAL SCRIPT NOTES:

1. Policy "RetDays" - The disadvantage with this policy is that if your Scheduled Backups have *not* been executing, when you run the next Backup you could end up having *some or ALL* of your Backup Archives "Deleted" because their "Retention Days" may have past.


2. Policy "MaxGen" - This is a very good policy to use.


3. Policy "MinGenRetDays" - This is an excellent policy to use.

- This policy provides an "Extra Safeguard" over the "MaxGen" policy, in the situation where you may accidentally "Manually Run" the Backup extra time(s), "out-of-cycle", before its next scheduled execution interval.

- (Under this situation, if the "MaxGen" policy is used, instead of the "MinGenRetDays" Policy, the "Oldest Generation" will end up being "Deleted", ahead of the normally executed Scheduled - Backup (and Deletion) Frequency Interval.

 

Conclusions from my two script tests:

Full_Diff script: Today a new set was created (Full), the previous Full BU (Saturday) and Diff BU (Sunday) are deleted.

Full script: Today a new full set was created at noon, the computer was turned on, but I was logged off. The BU set from Saturday is deleted.

My opinion:
The result is exactly what I ordered in the wizard. Paragon Retention Wizard is an intuitive and perfect working application; very useful.

I hope Paragon_Matt can confirm that this app shall be available for other users with a paid Paragon BU product.

PS: I understand why the script did not run at 07:35 yesterday [post #38]. The event viewer tells me that I powered on the comp at 07:53 (to late). I trust the event viewer more than my own memory.

@JosephB
I do not think I agree with your considerations in post #43. Why is it so important that the new full BU is created exactly on a Sunday? But our needs and expectations might differ. Personally have I used to start the BU manually “when needed”, before and after installation of a new app etc. Now I think I will go for a Retention Wizard plan (Full+Diff). I can always start the script manually (off the scheduled plan).

 

John Doe Genius,

1. I like the idea of always knowing that a Full Image Backup (of a Full + Differential Set) will always be created on the same given day of the Week (i.e. Sunday). ... Many other backup imaging pgms offer this (Macrium, Acronis, etc)

2. More importantly, I was thinking of implementing instead a - Scheduled "Base + Incremental" (instead of Differential) and always have the Long running "Full - Base Image" creation on the Weekend (Sunday) with Quick running "Incremental Image - Creation" Daily (Mon - Sat) during the Week.

So the usage would be for the following scenario ......

Laptop pc's, used through out the house during the week (mon - sat), get "quick" - Incremental Backup over "Slower - Wireless Connections to NAS drive -- and -- then on the weekend, always Sunday, laptop pc's are physically connected to the Faster - Wired Network Connection to the NAS drive for "slower", "Full Image Backups".

 

@JosephB
Good luck with your new strategy. Honestly I still do not understand why you cannot use the Retention Wizard. I am sure you know that the Paragon script is sent to Windows Task Scheduler. You can modify the settings (tab #4) if you want. No app is able to run when the computer is turned off?

And you have of course read seekforever's nice post #10 in the topic “Best Practices for HDM?”

Personally I am going to schedule a new backup plan with the Retention Wizard (Full + Differential)- I prefer to avoid incremental backups. But the choice is a personal issue.

 

What "Backup Imaging" Strategy do others use, for their Family's multiple windows Laptop pc's ?

1. It would be interesting to contrast and find out what Backup Strategy others have taken for periodically performing or scheduling "Backup Images" of a family's multiple laptop pc's (used most of the time wireless) within a home NAS hard drive setup ?

2. ... and what Backup Interval do the "Image Backups" get performed consistently at:

a. Full only, Full + Differential, or Full + Incremental ?
b. Scheduled Image Backups - what Frequency interval ?
c. If Manual Image backup Interval - how often do they all laptops consistently get backed up ?

 

@JosephB
Sorry, I am new to the Retention Wizard. Ver 3.0.2.7 has a “Based on day ..” option for Full & Diff and Full & Incr backups.

Maybe this is something for you?

 

John Doe Genius,

Very nice, perfect !!!
...Exactly what I was hoping for/looking for ! Thanks for investigating !


Paragon_Matt,

1. Now is there any way that you can "Lobby" Marketing/Developing teams to make the "Current -- Retention Wizard Vers. 3.0.2.7 available to the "Paid - "B&R 12 - Home" users, by making it available in our My Accounts/Downloads section

2. Or, are we forced to buyHDM 14 - Professional to get it ?

..... BTW, This Retention Wizard is what many users want to not jump ship to other products with "Retention" option equivalent.

..... The "Retention Wizard" is the best kept secret around !
..... Last I checked the Paragon web page, around Dec. 6, for "HDM 14 Professional", it does *not* even mention that it comes with the "Retention Wizard" addon. ... How was one suppose to find out ?

 

Paragon_Matt,

I like what John Doe Genius tested with the "Retention Wizard" and this "Retention Wizard" is what I am looking for tp stay with Paragon products, so do you have an answer about the above question of whether or not it will be made available to the Paid Users of "B&R 12 Home" ?

.... As I will have to make a decision of whether or not I need to either buy HDM 14 - Professional, by Dec. 31, when the recent emailed sales offer ends or switch to another vendor's product.
... I would not need to consider buying HDM 14 - professional, if "retention Wizard" is made available to paid "B&R 12 - Home" Users.

... So, I need a "time-sensitive" reply.

Thanks in advance.