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Are there plans to address missing functionality associated with the new TIBX format?

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In reading through the posts here since the release of ATI 2020, it seems like there are several features which have been part of ATI for years now which are not yet implemented (or are only partially implemented) for the new file format. This is somewhat concerning in terms of the maturity and stability of the new format, but it's also a shame to have to lose some of the features that have made ATI a favorite over the years. 

So I'm wondering: can anybody at Acronis share whether there are plans to add back this missing functionality for the new format?

Things I'm seeing so far that are missing:

1. Mounting of images
2. Conversion to and from VHD
3. Cleanup of only portions of a backup chain
4. Automatic cleanup to maintain a certain backup size
 

Also, other than more efficient cloud backups, are there other advantages to the new backup format that would suggest one should upgrade despite the (hopefully temporary) issues above?

I've been an ATI user and recommender since 2007, so hoping that my favorite tool will not take a significant step backwards :)

Philip.

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Philip, I'm hoping some of these are just temporary too - due to the change in the format and needing to catch up with some of the features.

My understanding is the new format will offer better stability (less chance of data corruption in incrementals over long periods of time) and that it will make the backups compatible across all of the Acronis backup platforms so that you can recover say a True Image backup in Backup 12.5 AND vice-versa (too be determined).

I'm also hoping that we will see a few more updates at the beginning of this year to address some of the remaining bugs and missing features, so that we don't have to wait 3-4 months on the normally scheduled updates.  Last year, we did see a couple of more frequent updates after the initial release of 2019 too.

I think it would be a good idea to submit feedback requesting the missing functions.  I assume some of the functions (such as mount) are just a matter of including support for the new format in the existing processes.  Other functions may require deeper changes.  Feedback may help Acronis prioritize the work.

 

I believe programming code probably needs to be updated to accommodate the new format.  I am looking not only for feature compatibility but function improvement in features like replication to local and network storage locations in addition to the cloud.

We can get some idea of the complexity of the task by looking at the comparable features in Backup 12.5 - if they are not there then the task will be more substantial. If they are it will merely require porting the feature. 

A complication is that ATI is a 32 bit app whereas Backup 12.5 is a 64 bit app.

Ian

"A complication is that ATI is a 32 bit app whereas Backup 12.5 is a 64 bit app." this is something I put on the wishlist during the beta :) 

A 64 bit version may be upon us.  I would like to see that as most platforms today are 64 bit.

I was browsing through various Acronis related folders this morning and sure I saw several executables (or could have been DLLs) with names indicating they were 64bit - last two characters were 6 and 4. Possibly direct import from Backup 12.5.

Ian

Hello Philip,

First 2 points are planned (currently I presume, to the second update). Number 3 is already available with a slight detail which you can check here: https://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATI2020/index.html#… (Cleaning up local backups manually has the following scheme).

Number 4 will not be supported yet due to the architecture of the new technology. 

Renata Gubaydullina wrote:
Number 3 is already available with a slight detail which you can check here: https://www.acronis.com/en-us/support/documentation/ATI2020/index.html#…

From that link I see

Incremental backups:

  • If it is the last backup chain, then any incremental backup can be deleted to free up the space.
  • If it is not the last backup chain, any incremental backup version can be deleted only together with all other incremental versions of the same chain.

I assume that first point means "an incremental backup al all more recent incremental backups".  We cannot delete the 1st incremental backup but leave, for instance, the 2nd and 3rd incremental backups, can we?   (If we can, this new format has some very interesting properties.)

The second point seems like an unfortunate loss of function.  I believe Ian mentioned (in some other thread) of deleting all incremental backups of old chains and saving just the full backups.  While I haven't done that, it seems like a good way to maintain historical backups.

Renata Gubaydullina wrote:
 

Number 4 will not be supported yet due to the architecture of the new technology. 

This also feels like an unfortunate loss of function to me, but clever users could possibly fake it if we had the ability to force the start of a new chain even though the Backup Scheme specifications had not been met.  Is there a way to do that (without creating a new backup task)?

Enchantech wrote:

A 64 bit version may be upon us.  I would like to see that as most platforms today are 64 bit.

 yes that is true

 

Steam Stats:
Windows total: 96,28%
hereof
Windows 10 32 bit: 0,19%
Windows 8 32 bit: 0,0%
Windows 7 32 bit: 1.06 %

MacOS / Linux: all 64bit
https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/Steam-Hardware-Software-Survey-Welcome-to-Steam

 

Firefox: ~75% of all users use Firefox 64bit
https://data.firefox.com/dashboard/hardware

 

I plea the Microsoft Insider Team to drop Syswow64 for more than a year now, means getting the OS nearly half the size and half the registry size, and implement Syswow64 as optional feature for those that still need any 32bit apps.
Bascially I could run a system with 64bit only if I select my apps and drivers (driver related apps) carefully.

 

Processes that still run 32 bit on my main system:
ATIH 2020
Citrix Workspace App (could live without it) and use the windows store based or HTML5 based one
PDF24
Edge Dev Updater
Teamviewer 14
Onedrive
Samsung Magician
Reinert SCT cyberJack