Zmanda Pro user configuration
Overview
This section explains who can adjust different settings in Zmanda Pro. There are two main roles: administrators and users.
Administrators
Administrators have more control over Zmanda Pro and can change settings for:
User accounts: This includes creating new users, deleting users, and changing user permissions.
Protected Items: These are the things you back up, like files or folders. Administrators can decide which items are backed up and where they are stored.
Storage Vaults: This is where your backups are stored. Administrators can create new vaults, delete vaults, and choose where they are located.
Devices: Devices are the computers or servers that Zmanda Pro backs up. Administrators can add new devices, remove devices, and configure how backups are run on those devices.
Policies: Policies are sets of rules that define how backups are run. Administrators can create new policies, edit policies, and assign policies to devices.
Users
Users can make changes to their own backups. They can adjust settings for:
Protected Items: Users can decide which of their files and folders are backed up.
Storage Vaults: Users can choose where their backups are stored, though the available options might be limited by administrators.
How to Change Settings
Both administrators and users can make changes through the Zmanda Pro web interface. This is a website that you access through your web browser. Additionally, users can change their protected item and storage vault settings through the Zmanda Pro client application installed on their computer.
In short:
Administrators control everything.
Users can manage their own backups to a certain extent.
The Zmanda Pro web interface is the main place to make changes for both administrators and users.
Profile
Username
This section explains what makes a valid username for Zmanda Pro.
Username length: Should be at least 6 characters long.
Allowed characters:
Lowercase letters (a-z)
Uppercase letters (A-Z)
Numbers (0-9)
Underscore (_)
Period (.)
At sign (@)
Hyphen (-)
Remember: Usernames are case-sensitive, so "John" is different from "john".
Password
This section dives into password rules and two key privacy settings in Zmanda Pro.
Strong Passwords are Key:
At least eight characters are required in passwords.
There are no restrictions on what characters you can use, including spaces, symbols, and international characters.
Make sure your password is complex and unique to keep your account secure.
Password Reset by Administrator:
This option allows administrators to reset your password if you forget it. This is helpful for account recovery.
If privacy is a major concern, you can disable this option. However, a disabled option cannot be turned back on remotely by the administrator. You can check the status of this setting in the Zmanda Pro under Accounts.
Remote File Browsing by Administrator:
This option allows administrators to remotely control your Zmanda Pro app through the Zmanda Pro Server web interface. This lets them:
See filenames from past backups.
Browse your files while setting up what gets backed up (Protected Items).
Browse your folders when choosing where to restore files.
Similar to password reset, you can disable this feature if privacy is a big concern. Disabling prevents remote access, and it cannot be re-enabled remotely by the administrator.
Two-factor authentication for end-users
This section explains an optional security feature called two-factor authentication (2FA) for Zmanda Pro users.
What is 2FA?
Think of 2FA as a double lock on your account. It adds an extra step to logging in, making it harder for someone else to access your backups even if they know your password.
How does it work in Zmanda Pro?
Zmanda Pro uses a method called TOTP (Time-Based One-Time Password.). Here's the process:
Set it up: You'll enable 2FA through the Zmanda Pro web interface. Only the user, can enable 2FA, not the administrator.
Get the code: During setup, you'll use a smartphone app to scan a QR code provided by Zmanda Pro. This links the app to your account and generates unique codes.
Enter the code: Whenever you log in to Zmanda Pro, you'll need to enter the code displayed on your smartphone app along with your password.
Zmanda Pro's 2FA protects specific actions, not the entire backup process. This means the code won't be required every time a backup runs. Here's what 2FA secures:
Adding new devices to your backup.
Opening the Zmanda Pro desktop app.
Logging in to the Zmanda Pro web interface.
While it doesn't cover everything, 2FA adds a valuable layer of security for these important actions. Enabling 2FA is a personal choice. If you're looking for an extra level of protection for your backups, setting up 2FA is a simple and effective way to do it.
Language
You are free to select the language you wish to use!
Available Languages:
English (en_USD)
Danish (da_DK)
German (de_DE)
Spanish (s_ES)
French (fr_FR)
Croatian (hr_HR)
Italian (it_IT)
Dutch (nl_NL)
Brazilian Portuguese (pt_BR)
European Portuguese (pt_PT)
Russian (ru_RU)
Hebrew (he_IL)
Thai (th_TH)
Traditional Chinese (zh_TW)
Changing Your Language:
Look for the language setting, typically located in the top right corner of the interface.
Click on the language indicator, usually displayed as a dropdown menu.
Select the language you want to use from the list.
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Items Tab:
For detailed settings for each Protected Item type, refer to the Protected Item documentation.
Managing Schedules
Zmanda Pro can automatically run backup jobs on a schedule. It's best to set up regular automated backups.
Adding a Schedule: Click the plus button to create a new schedule.
General Schedule Options:
When it's time for a schedule to run, the backup job will start automatically to the chosen Storage Vault.
You can set advanced options like skipping the backup if another is already running, setting a time limit, or limiting the backup speed.
Skip if Already Running:
Enabling this option allows Zmanda Pro to skip a backup job if another job for the same Protected Item and Storage Vault is already running.
This helps prevent overlapping backup processes and ensures smoother operations.
Cancel if Still Running After:
You can set a time limit for each backup job. If the job exceeds this set limit, Zmanda Pro will automatically cancel the backup.
This feature prevents backup jobs from running excessively long, aiding in resource management and maintaining efficient backup schedules.
Limit Storage Vault Speed:
This option enables you to control the total speed at which Zmanda Pro reads and writes data to the Storage Vault.
By limiting the read/write bandwidth, you can manage network resources more effectively, especially in scenarios with limited bandwidth availability.
Limit Backup to Use Only 1 Disk Thread:
Zmanda Pro typically utilizes multithreading when reading multiple files from the local disk for backup. However, on some machines, this multithreading can impact system performance.
Enabling this option restricts backup operations to a single disk thread, which may alleviate performance issues on certain systems.
Prefer Temporary Files Instead of RAM (Slower):
This option adjusts the backup process to prioritize using temporary files over RAM, even though it may slow down backup job performance.
It can be useful in scenarios where system resources are constrained, and minimizing RAM usage is necessary to maintain system stability.
Allow Backup of Zero Files to Succeed:
By default, if a backup job completes successfully but includes no files, Zmanda Pro marks the job as an "Error".
Enabling this option allows backup jobs with zero files to succeed, which can be handy in specific situations where backups without files are expected.
These advanced runtime options provide flexibility and control over your backup operations, allowing you to tailor them to your specific needs while ensuring efficient and reliable data protection.
Schedule Times:
You can choose when the schedule runs. You can set up multiple times for the same schedule.
Available Schedule Frequencies:
Hourly: Runs every hour at a specified minute.
Daily: Runs every day at a chosen time (in 24-hour format).
Weekly: Runs every week on selected days and times.
Monthly: Runs every month.
Once only: Runs just once at a specific date and time.
Periodic: Runs regularly, with an offset option to stagger multiple devices.
Event-Based Schedule Frequencies:
When PC starts: Starts when the PC boots up.
If the last job was Missed: Runs when a missed backup job needs catching up.
Random Job Delay:
Adds a random delay to scheduled backup jobs to spread out CPU load.
Commands (Schedule):
You can set up commands to run before or after a schedule runs, similar to commands for Protected Items or Storage Vaults.
Retention
Retention determines what data to retain, for how long, and when to remove it to free up space.
Retention (Protected Item):
Set up retention rules for a specific Protected Item backed up to a Storage Vault.
Default rules apply if no specific policy is set.
Retention (Storage Vault):
Default rules govern all data stored in a Storage Vault unless a Protected Item has its own rules.
If a Protected Item has no rules, it adheres to the Storage Vault's rules.
Retention Pass:
Cleans up data from the Storage Vault based on retention policies.
Automatic and manual retention passes are available.
Automatic Retention Passes:
Runs automatically after each backup job or according to a predetermined schedule.
Rules vary depending on device type, uptime, and configuration.
Manual Retention Passes:
Can be initiated manually from the Comet Backup application or Comet Server web interface.
Raises an error if the job fails to execute.
Preferences:
Configure retention rules for a Storage Vault or a specific Protected Item/Storage Vault pair.
Rules for the pair override rules for the Storage Vault alone.
Retention Policies:
Two types of policies: keeping all data forever or specifying retention ranges.
Ranges include options like retaining a specific number of backups or backups within a specified timeframe.
Understanding Retention Ranges
Retention ranges define the duration or number of backup jobs that should be preserved within your backup system. Each range offers unique parameters and functionalities tailored to your data retention needs.
Available Retention Ranges:
Last [...] Backups:
Parameters: Specify a number of backups to retain.
Description: Keeps the most recent X backup jobs, ensuring a defined history of recent data backups.
Last [...] Backups, at Most One per Day:
Parameters: Specify a number of backups to retain.
Description: Retains the most recent backup job for each day, up to a maximum of X backups. This ensures that only the latest backup for each day is preserved.
Last [...] Backups, at Most One per Week:
Parameters: Specify a number of backups to retain.
Description: Similar to the daily retention, but retains one backup per week for each day, up to a maximum of X backups. This ensures a weekly snapshot of data.
Last [...] Backups, at Most One per Month:
Parameters: Specify a number of backups to retain.
Description: Retains one backup per month for each day, up to a maximum of X backups. This provides a monthly snapshot of data.
All Backups in the Last [...]:
Parameters: Specify a number of days, weeks, and/or months.
Description: Preserves all backup jobs that occurred within the specified range, ensuring comprehensive coverage of recent data backups.
All Backups Newer Than a Specific Date:
Parameters: Specify a specific date.
Description: Retains all backup jobs that occurred after the specified date, allowing for precise control over the retention of recent data backups.
One Backup Each Day, for the Last [...] Days:
Parameters: Specify a number of days.
Description: Retains the first backup job from each of the most recent days, ensuring a daily snapshot of data over a defined period.
One Backup Each Week, for the Last [...] Weeks:
Parameters: Specify a number of weeks and a day of the week.
Description: Retains the first backup job that occurred on the specified day of the week for each of the most recent weeks, providing a weekly snapshot of data.
One Backup Each Month, for the Last [...] Months:
Parameters: Specify a number of months and a calendar date.
Description: Retains the first backup job that occurred on the specified calendar date for each of the most recent months, ensuring a monthly snapshot of data.
These retention ranges offer flexibility and customization options to meet your specific data retention requirements, providing granular control over the preservation of backup data.
Storage Vaults
General Tab:
The General tab allows you to name the Storage Vault. It's advisable to choose a name that reflects the content or purpose of the vault, especially if you have multiple vaults.
Additionally, you can configure a retention policy here. This policy determines how long data is kept within the vault.
Quota (Storage Vault) Tab:
In this section, administrators can set a quota limit for the Storage Vault. This restricts the total amount of data that can be stored.
Quotas can be set individually for each Storage Vault. For example, you might limit data on a costly network storage account while allowing unlimited storage on a local hard drive.
During a backup job, the system measures the total size of the Storage Vault and compares it against the quota. If the limit is reached, the backup job will stop and emit an error.
After a Quota has been Exceeded:
If a backup job fails due to reaching the quota, the uploaded data chunks remain in the vault.
You have two options:
Increase the Storage Vault quota and retry the backup. This reuses existing chunks, speeding up the backup.
Use the "Apply retention rules now" feature to clear unused chunks, reducing the vault's size for future backups.
Neither action is automatic; you must decide based on the situation.
Storage Tab:
Here, you can specify the storage location for the Storage Vault. Options include local disks, network accounts, and cloud storage providers.
Commands:
The Commands feature allows executing actions on the Storage Vault, similar to Protected Items or Schedules. It's detailed in the Overview and Concepts section.
Encryption:
Zmanda Pro automatically encrypts all Storage Vaults for security. This encryption is non-customizable.
Encryption is initialized upon first use, and details about initialization are recorded in the user account profile.
Encryption keys are stored within the Storage Vault settings, ensuring data security.
Devices
User accounts can be logged in from multiple devices. Each device has its own private Protected Items but shares Storage Vaults.
Administrators can revoke devices from accounts and rename them.
Limitations can be set on the total number of devices in an account.
Policies
Administrators can impose additional restrictions on user accounts using Policies in the Zmanda Pro web interface.
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