Configuring True Image for Rotating Backup Media
I know this has to be documented somewhere, but I just can't find it. I must be searching on the wrong words.
I have True Image set to backup all drive partitions to an external USB 3.0 drive. I have three such drives that I rotate out and store offsite. My intention is that each of these backup drives be completely independent, so that I can restore from any one of them without requiring any of the others.
I have the back up project configured to run automatically in the wee hours of the morning, set to use a custom scheme with incremental backups. Up to now, I've just disconnected the current drive and connected a new drive, formatting the new drive and setting up the folder for the backup, then letting True Image do it's thing when next scheduled.
Then I just continue on using the same back up project, assuming that it is doing a full backup then incremental backups.
But the more I learn about True Image, the less I'm sure that's right. What is the correct way to do this? I don't think creating a new back up project for each drive is correct, because won't that just continue with incremental backups when I change drives and back ups? Is True Image doing a full back up when I change drives? Is the database updated in such a way that I can restore from just one of the rotating drives? If not, how do I accomplish that?
Maybe I should use a different backup scheme, and limit the number of incremental back ups? But I don't see anywhere that changing the media will automatically cause a new full backup to be done.
Thanks!
Don
There isn't any AGH-2. I assume you mean AGH-3?
If so, hmmm. Two follow up questions.
1) So, when I swap out the red for the blue, then the yellow for the blue, and so on, I need to format the new drive, right? And then that drive starts over with a fresh full backup, then incremental backups? And I can use each resulting drive for a full restore, without needing the others?
2) This is clearly a workaround for something that Acronis didn't design TI to do. So is there a better way to accomplish what I want? I want to have two archive backup drives independent of each other so they rotate. Or am I just not thinking about this correctly?
Thanks!
Don
Yes, #3 was correct. If you want to use multiple drives for backup storage, there is no other method which will work (see exception).
Each disk requires it own task due to match the specific disk id.
Read and re-read what I feel it takes to make it work.
The disk does not need to be formatted but you do need adequate storage space. Each task needs its own storage folder.
The first time each each disk is inserted and the matching task is used, the first backup for that combination will be a full backup.
The next backup will be whatever the backup scheme calls for based on the task and disk in use.
If the blue task is in use and the red disk is attached, the backup should fail due to the lack of a matching id.
Each disk is a standalone backup and can be restored without any dependency on other disks.
The frequency of switching is up to the user but the switch must be both the task and the matching target disk.
Exception: the program does have an advanced disk backup option (Backup reserve copy) whereby a 2nd backup (alwayis a full backup--never an inc or dif) can run and the target can be wherever the program has pre-arranged (at task creation) as the target location. There is no cleanup on this extra. It is up to the user to delete any of the extras full'sthat he does not want.