How To Provide Great Backup Service

Think of all the times when backups are essential. Installing security updates or new software can leave systems in unworkable or unstable states. Users can edit or delete Windows registry entries, change critical configuration settings, or delete key files, leaving their systems crippled or inoperable. Uninstalling applications, whether to make room for new versions or to remove unwanted software, can also leave systems in less than perfect order. Even some service packs can't be "undone" once installed, despite the presence of uninstall utilities and backup directories.

Given that various forms of software and human error may require intervention and system repair, system builders and consultants will find good backup solutions invaluable. Yet a backup is only good if it can be restored. All too often, backups are skipped or overlooked.

Here's an opportunity for system builders. I recommend you take advantage of a terrific backup product called InaQuick Rescue (IQR) from Inasoft Inc. Use it to help you customers recover from all kinds of potential Windows system problems. It works with everything: unwanted or incompatible updates, lost files, mangled registries, and much more.

(Note: Though the product names for IQR show up on the Inasoft Web site as InaQuick Enterprise Suite, InaQuick Professional, and InaQuick Standard, the name that appears on your PC's screen as the machine boots to indicate that IQR is working reads "InaQuick Rescue." Hence, the abbreviation used here: IQR.)

As an independent system builder or consultant, you can either build or equip systems with backup software, or use it to help your clients recover from all kinds of errors or problems. This is especially true if you include the IQR package. IQR only uses unique sector-level imaging technology that can build a backup image in less than a minute, even for large drives. It can also restore from one of multiple such images in less than 15 seconds. Speed, convenience, and ease of use can make you a hero and provide valuable peace of mind for your customers.

Though IQR may seem to fall under the heading of "too good to be true," my experiments on Windows 98, 2000, and XP machines quickly convinced me otherwise. If you need convincing yourself, try a 30-day evaluation download.

In short, I believe IQR is a must-have piece of software. It's amazing how much headache, tedium, and wasted time it can help you and your customers prevent or avoid. IQR can be a tremendous value-add that will create strong and ongoing opportunities for repeat contact and business with your clients or customers. Basically, IQR works by taking one or more detailed, low-level snapshots of a hard disk's contents,called a checkpoint, because it represents a complete capture of a disk's state to which the software can later return,that it manages for users, and can restore upon request.

Interested? There are numerous ways you can use this product to help clients undo system changes, updates, uninstalls, and more. In fact, IQR is well-suited for the following situations:

• Undo changes or updates: By taking a checkpoint before changes, security updates, service packs, or hot fixes are applied, it's quick and easy to return to that stable prior state.
• Return to System Baseline: By taking a checkpoint on a clean install, you can create a loaner pool or manage test machines. You can also completely wipe out any changes made afterwards. By the way, this is great for test labs or teaching labs where clean installs may be required daily.
• Simple Registry Restore mechanism: When manual registry editing is required, taking a checkpoint before you begin means it's quick and easy to return to the same state afterwards. This makes backing up changes quick and easy.
• Quick Recovery from Virus and Worm Infections: As long a checkpoint prior to infection is available, returning to that checkpoint automatically cures any and all side effects and wipes out all traces of infection.

In fact, in all circumstances where hardware problems aren't involved in system problems or errors, IQR can replace numerous built-in Windows mechanisms that include Windows XP's System Restore, Windows Backup, and various registry backup/restore techniques. (For more on this, see "Understanding IQR Limitations" at the bottom of this page).

Regardless of how you choose to use IQR—or train your clients to use it themselves—you must first perform three tasks to get started:

• Take an inventory of both your client's Windows PCs and their current backup capabilities.
• Work with your customers to decide which machines will benefit from IQR's capabilities. It's especially helpful on mobile PCs. But it's also good for desktops, where productivity can be enhanced with quick problem-recovery or repairs.
• Install the software on all designated machines and set up a regimen for taking checkpoints as a preamble to any general updates, upgrades, or new software installs.

In the sections that follow, you'll find a recipe for using IQR, starting with the required tools and ingredients and continuing with step-by-step instructions for the various tasks and activities outlined above.

To get ready to use IQR, you must not only install the software on target machines, but also document proper procedures, and train users, as required.

IQR Ingredients

• IQR: IQR Professional is available from several outlets, with pricing starting at $80 a seat. If you need more than 10 licenses at once, volume discounts are available from LANSafe Systems. This version supports up to 10 checkpoints. The standard version costs $50 a seat without the volume discount, but supports only one checkpoint.
• Clean Install Checkpoint. The best initial checkpoint is a clean install. IQR can accommodate up to 10 individual user-named checkpoints, each of which can be managed separately. This provides the ultimate backup and undoes all subsequent changes. It's best applied after a standard system configuration or baseline has been installed.
• Checkpoint procedure document. IQR is password protected, and access to the package is best limited to those with administrator privileges (if not only to yourself or your company). It's important to explain to customers when to make checkpoints. Basically, it should be done just before new software, updates, hot fixes, or service packs are applied. Also, explain how to name checkpoints so they can be easily identified and applied as needed. It's also a good idea to train administrators to use the package and to work with their users by phone or instant messaging (IM) if additional help is needed. Especially important are techniques to recover data from a current system state into a good checkpoint.
• Snapshot scheduling. IQR can be scheduled either manually or automatically in Windows. Or it can run as a DOS TSR (terminate and stay resident utility) outside of Windows. It's important to create a schedule for taking checkpoints that manually or automatically precedes system changes.
• Address general backup needs, tools, and strategies: IQR isn't a complete backup solution, because it doesn't duplicate files on other storage media. Your customers will still need to duplicate and safely store sensitive and valuable files. They'll also need techniques for rebuilding systems when drives or other hardware must be replaced.

Undo Changes or Updates, Step-By-Step

Now that we have our components assembled, let's take a look at the five steps involved in performing undoing changes or updates with IQR:

• Make sure to create and label a checkpoint immediately prior to applying any updates or other changes to a system.
• Apply all updates or changes as per usual methods.
• To reverse those updates or changes, reboot the system. Then press the F9 function key.
• Enter the proper password to access the checkpoint list.
• Select the pre-change checkpoint, then apply it.

Because IQR is so fast, this short sequence probably takes longer to read than to execute on a target PC!

Return to System Baseline, Step-By-Step

A slight variation on the preceding sequence permits a return to your system baseline. But this capability presupposes that IQR is installed on a clean system and that a checkpoint is taken immediately thereafter. Here are the four steps:

• Check your documentation to get the name of the system baseline checkpoint.
• Reboot the system and strike the F9 function key.
• Enter the proper password to access the checkpoint list.
• Select and apply the system baseline checkpoint.

Simple Registry Restore, Step-By-Step

This method is essentially the same at the undo changes or updates method, with only minor variations:

• Make sure to create and label a checkpoint immediately prior to editing or otherwise altering the Windows registry.
• Make all desired registry changes, either in a registry editor or using some other software tool.
• To reverse all changes, reboot the system and strike the F9 function key.
• Enter the proper password to access the checkpoint list.
• Select the pre-change checkpoint and apply it.

Quick Virus/Worm Recovery, Step-By-Step

Because virus/worm recovery capability is so important, IQR supports a special function key, F10, to automatically return to the most current checkpoint, which is presumed to be virus-free. Here is the entire process:

• Reboot the system and strike the F10 function key.
• Enter the proper password.

That's all there is to it!

Sidebar: Understanding IQR's Limitations

IQR, like any software package, has some limitations. Let's take a look at a few of them.

First, because IQR uses checkpoints, the drive where the checkpoints reside must be working. IQR can help affected systems recover from media, drive, or controller failures because storage hardware must be working for the IQR software to work itself. Alas, that means IQR provides no protection against hardware failures, so for best results it should be used with a more traditional backup product that can make and store copies of state and information on another drive, ready to take over should the drive being copied fail for any reason.

Also, because IQR checkpoints use low-level sector data, you must disable disk-defragmentation software before using IQR. Alternatively, you can first uninstall IQR, then defrag the disk, and then reinstall IQR. But that sequence doesn't permit you to return to a baseline or clean system checkpoint.

Finally, even if you use IQR religiously, it's still a good idea to create and store backups of important or sensitive data files elsewhere. Do this on tape, another drive, a CD, DVD, or other media. Without this separate backup, disk-drive failures or theft can mean that those files are lost forever.

ED TITTEL is a technology writer who has contributed to more than 100 computer books, trainer, and consultant who specializes in IT certification and information security. Ed has no commercial affiliation with any of the vendors or products mentioned in this article.

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