Version Chain suggestion
I'm a relatively new True Image 2014 user and so far True Image 2014 is GREAT!!!! After using Carbonite for three years, I decided to go with a local backup scheme. I run a RAID 10 (1+0 for the purists), so my disk loss risk is low. I have lost two drives over the past two years, but my RAID keeps going - in fact my system is degraded to three drives now as I write this.
Don't get me wrong, if you don't mind slow data transfers, there is nothing wrong with Carbonite, but if I lost my four drives to a natural disaster or a burst pipe, it would literally take weeks to download everything from Carbonite. By the way, Carbonite does support image backup and "emergency" delivery of your backup via USB drive, but not for RAIDed systems.
Anyway, I'm rotating a backup through two USB 3.0 drives, using Version Chain as the backup scheme. So far so good.
My suggestion is that Acronis modify the "Recover Files" box graphics to indicate which backups are Full and which are Differential. As a user, does knowing this really affect anything? Not that I know of, but it would be a nice graphical representation of the backup chain.
Ah ha!
The first URL must be for a previous version as
True Image 2014 Premium Build 5560
doesn't have the display shown. Instead of the list, it has graphics showing how a version chain works. The graphic animation was very good and made perfect sense. The tabs at the top of the dialog are the same.
The second URL was much better for me as it made me think to hover the mouse over the different backups. Hovering over each backup shows you full / differential. That is fine. I was hoping that instead of a box with the date/time for the backup, it would have different symbols for the different backups, so you can see them at a glance, without hovering.
My request was simple, change the graphic. The functionality is already there, just not as I expected, graphically.
Hi David,
As another user, I like your idea.
Why not resubmit your suggestion at this link (or use the new link and point to your original posting) where there is a better change of it being seen by Acronis development.
http://forum.acronis.com/forum/44509
My only purpose in showing the visuals was to make sure you were aware of what already existed. Having different synbols to indicate backup type files would certainly be a improvement over the rectangles shown in my attachment 2 above.
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My first attachment above was a duo. The top half was an the settings of how to achieve the bottom half. The attachment below represents the top half of that picture.
I would recommend that you consider the below as an alternative to the Version Chain backup scheme you are considering using. The below enables you to set controls over retention and makes for more frequent creation of a full backup. This is the type of Backup scheme which created the bottom half of picture 1 above. If you choose this method, start over with a new task. Do not edit the old task.
If you have some spare reading time, you could find signature link #2 below to be of interest. The visual below is from that link.
Figure 11-Dif: -Example of custom/differential backup method settings
If using differential type backups (which is full + X Diff), the 11-Diff illustration is my recommended method. Change the 6 or 4 to fit your available storage.
These automatic cleanup settings will provide for automatic deletion of the oldest backups after the "Store no more than X number of chains" quota has been reached.
In this example, deletion of oldest backup chain will occur immediately following creation of backup #29.
Allow space for 1 more full backup in addition to "Store no more than X number of chains" as the program will NOT delete the oldest full until its replacement has been successfully created.
In this example, one chain or one recent version chain =1 full plus 6 diff or 7 files per chain.
If keeping 4 recent version chains (4 chains of 7 each) retention would be 28 files. Deletion begins after backup 29.
When restoring, a single diff file is selected and that specific diff plus its full backup base will be restored (2 files restored).