User`s guide

8.1.2 What data can I back up and recover?

You can back up files, volumes, disks, or the entire physical machine as often as you wish. Unlike

most online backup solutions, Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Online enables bare metal recovery

directly from the online storage. Files can be recovered from disk-level backups as well as from file-

level backups.

For information about backing up virtual machines see "How to back up virtual machines to the

online storage? (p. 380)"

8.1.3 How long will my backups be kept in the online storage?

Your backups remain in the online storage until you delete them or until the subscription expires.

Recovering data from the online storage is possible for 30 days following the subscription expiration

date.

For effective use of the storage space, you have the option to set up the "Delete backups older than"

retention rule.

Example

You might want to use the following backup strategy for a file server.

Back up the critical files twice a day on a schedule. Set the retention rule "Delete backups older

than" 7 days. This means that after every backup the software will check for backups older than 7

days and delete them automatically.

Run backup of the server's system volume manually as required. For example, after the operating

system updates. Manually delete the backups that you do not need.

8.1.4 How to secure my data?

Backups can be encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cryptographic algorithm

and the password you set. This guarantees that your data is not accessed by anyone else.

8.1.5 How to back up virtual machines to the online storage?

Use either of the following methods or both.

Install Acronis software onto the virtualization host

This approach comes in handy when the virtualization product installed on the host server is VMware

ESX(i) or Windows Server 2008 with Hyper-V or Microsoft Hyper-V Server.

You will be able to back up entire virtual machines or their volumes using a single subscription for

virtual machines. The subscription applies to all machines hosted on the host or to the entire vCenter

cluster. File-level backup and recovery is not possible for virtual machines, but is possible for a

Windows host.

Installing the software, backing up, and recovery are described in the Quick Start Guide for Acronis

Backup & Recovery 10 Virtual Edition. When installing Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 for online

backup only, you do not need to enter a license key during installation.