One solution is to protect each and every document using a password. Many programs have such a capability built in.  For many one, two or three person organisations this solution could work; the people would password protect every file using a phrase that is shared amongst colleagues. As the number of employees increase, guaranteeing that everyone is obeying the rules makes this solution one that is too problematic. Besides certain file types cannot be password protected.

The script I am sharing is one that addresses this problem. It makes use of the commercial product WinRar to archive an entire directory (including subdirectories) into a RAR file. The RAR file name is user definable and is placed in a folder under C:\RSB. The RAR archive is password protected using a password passed to the script. The script is called rsb.cmd.

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The example below would archive everything starting from D:\Personal Docs\Articles to an archive called C:\RSB\Documents. The password used to encrypt the archive is 123456.

rsb Documents “D:\Personal Docs\Articles” 123456

If you have another folder you would like to archive, simply call the command above with a different archive name and a different directory. Using a different password is up to you.

Below is the script to perform this task:

@echo off
:: This script archives a directory and all its contents with a
:: password for storage in online backup service. It adds
:: recovery information to the archive thereby increasing the
:: chance of it being opened up if the archive is damaged.
:: This script compresses files thereby reducing the storage
:: requirements as well as upload times.
:: Written by Alan C. Bonnici (email chribonn@gmail.com) 2010/05

set r_Version=1.0

rem This script takes three parameters:
rem  1. The name of the archive
rem  2. The directory (and its sub-directories) that are to be archived
rem  3. The archive password
rem The archive will be placed into a directory called RSB. Your
rem online backup program should backup all files in this
rem directory

rem All 3 parameters are mandatory
if [%1]==[] GOTO :Error
if [%2]==[] GOTO :Error
if [%3]==[] GOTO :Error

set r_Archive=%1
call :DeQuote r_Archive

set r_Dir=%2
call :DeQuote r_Dir

if EXIST C:\RSB\NUL GOTO :DirExists
md C:\RSB

:DirExists

echo The contents of this archive are intended only for the person or entity to whom they belong and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. > "%TEMP%\comment.rsb"

if EXIST "%TEMP%\output.rsb" del /q "%TEMP%\output.rsb" > NUL

"%PROGRAMFILES%\winrar\winrar.exe" u -as -av -cfg- -ow -r -rr10p -inul -ilog"%TEMP%\output.rsb" -t -hp%3 -z"%TEMP%\comment.rsb" -- "C:\RSB\%r_Archive%" "%r_Dir%"
set r_Err=%ERRORLEVEL%
if %r_Err%==0 GOTO :EndCmd

rem An error occurred. Dump the file if it exists
if EXIST "%TEMP%\output.rsb" type "%TEMP%\output.rsb"

echo.

if %r_Err%==1 echo Warning. Non fatal error(s) occurred.
if %r_Err%==1 GOTO :EndCmd

if %r_Err%==2 echo Error. A fatal error occurred.
if %r_Err%==2 GOTO :EndCmd

if %r_Err%==3 echo Error. CRC error occurred when unpacking.
if %r_Err%==3 GOTO :EndCmd

if %r_Err%==4 echo Error. Attempt to modify a locked archive.
if %r_Err%==4 GOTO :EndCmd

if %r_Err%==5 echo Error. Write error.
if %r_Err%==5 GOTO :EndCmd

if %r_Err%==6 echo Error. File open error.
if %r_Err%==6 GOTO :EndCmd

if %r_Err%==7 echo Error. Wrong command line option.
if %r_Err%==7 GOTO :EndCmd

if %r_Err%==8 echo Error. Not enough memory.
if %r_Err%==8 GOTO :EndCmd

if %r_Err%==9 echo Error. File create error.
if %r_Err%==9 GOTO :EndCmd

if %r_Err%==255 echo Error. You aborted the process
if %r_Err%==255 GOTO :EndCmd

rem Undefined error.
echo Error. Undefined error %r_Err%

goto :EndCmd

:EndCmd
rem Clean up
if EXIST "%TEMP%\comment.rsb" del /q "%TEMP%\comment.rsb" > NUL
if EXIST "%TEMP%\output.rsb" del /q "%TEMP%\output.rsb" > NUL
set r_Archive=
set r_Dir=
set r_Err=
set r_Version=

goto :EOF

:Error
echo This script takes three values:
echo    1. The name of the archive
echo    2. The directory (and its sub directories) that are to be archived
echo    3. The archive password
echo The archive will be placed into a directory called RSB (it will be created if it does not exist).
echo Your online backup program should backup all files in this directory.
echo RSB Documents "C:\Users\ACBonnici\Documents" Pa$$w0rd
goto :EOF

   :: Removes the outer set of double quotes from a variable.
   :: Written by Frank P. Westlake, 2001.09.22, 2001.09.24
   :: Modified by Simon Sheppard 2002.06.09

   :: Usage as a function within a script:
   ::   CALL :DeQuote VariableName
   ::
   :: Calling as a function from another batch file:
   ::   CALL DeQuote.cmd VariableName
   ::
   :: If the first and last characters of the variable contents are double
   :: quotes then they will be removed. This function preserves cases such as
   ::   Set Height=5'6" and Set Symbols="!@#
   ::
   :: If a variable is quoted twice and has delimiters then you will
   :: need to run the function twice to remove both sets.
   ::   Set var=""Two Quotes;And,Delimiters=Fails""
   ::
   :: If the variable name itself contains spaces the routine will fail
   :: e.g. %v_my_variable% rather than %my variable%

   :DeQuote
   SET DeQuote.Variable=%1
   CALL Set DeQuote.Contents=%%%DeQuote.Variable%%%
   Echo.%DeQuote.Contents%|FindStr/brv ""^">NUL:&&Goto :EOF
   Echo.%DeQuote.Contents%|FindStr/erv ""^">NUL:&&Goto :EOF

   Set DeQuote.Contents=####%DeQuote.Contents%####
   Set DeQuote.Contents=%DeQuote.Contents:####"=%
   Set DeQuote.Contents=%DeQuote.Contents:"####=%
   Set %DeQuote.Variable%=%DeQuote.Contents%

   Set DeQuote.Variable=
   Set DeQuote.Contents=
   Goto :EOF

If you would like to download this script rather than copy and paste it from this article point your browser to http://www.RemoteStorageBackup.com/downloads/RSBArticleCode.rar. What remains is to set your online backup program to backup everything in the c:\RSB directory. Don’t forget to periodically test that everything is working well.

Next time I’ll delve into the code and explain what it does and how it works. This will allow you to customise it to your needs.

If you have any observations or questions send an email to chribonn@gmail.com.

Last 3 posts by chribonn

• When Green Is Bad - July 5th, 2010
• What your backup solution should be and do - June 27th, 2010
• Backing up, Restoring and Tweaking Sage Pastel Evolution - April 5th, 2010

Preston starts his article by pointing out the major setback of remote online backups that is the first full backup execution time and mentions the seating option. The seating option is when a service provider offers the customer to shift a complete set of all data through a physical means such as, removable drives. In addition, he mentions the long backup time that the initial full backup job would take and the bandwidth limitations associated with large uploads of data. This is true and I would consider these factors as the only limitations of remote online backups as we stressed out in our previous articles – click here for more articles - In fact, we both agree that home users and SMBs are the ideal customers of these services.

In my opinion Curtis missed one important benefit here, the off-site functionality these services provide! One should not forget the time taken to transfer a backup set off-site using the conventional services! Using tapes to backup all data takes time, having a service provider collecting tapes from different locations means that your backup tapes spend a good deal of time in a vehicle until they arrive to their destination. Then what about the retrieval arrangement? In case, you want to recover some data from the off-site tapes how fast can you get them?

Furthermore, Curtis tackles the backup requirements and mentions SLAs but forgets to add one important requirement! I would definitely include security requirements in the SLA – what type of security mechanism is the service provider willing to offer – are they going to provide me with a security key and how are they going to transfer me this key, etc. In my opinion these are the main concerns and hence, would require major attention than the frequency of backup/restore times. Connection speeds are hard to get them black on white in SLAs, as these are subjective to the full network path from your host to the provider’s location. Here, the best approach would be to test run the selected provider for a trial period and compare with other providers’ overall connection.

One of the major pitfalls as Curtis correctly points out is the restore test runs. If you do not verify that the backed up data can be actually recovered then you are good as having no backup at all. I came across some providers that allow an optional direct access to the backup location. That is, the provider would be managing your account, logging all activity and providing a fast backup mechanism but with the added functionality of direct restores from the backup location. This added functionality would allow you to download/restore your data when the provider is partially down or in some cases completely down. Such case exists where a service provider uses a third-party storage provider (ex: Amazon’s cloud) and they act as the middle-ware between you and the storage location, however, you need to negotiate direct access functionality prior to signing any agreements! In the articles to follow, I will write more about remote online backups :)

Last 3 posts by George

• Backup considerations for Microsoft SharePoint - July 26th, 2010
• What is Cloud Computing? - July 19th, 2010
• Is Cloud computing getting safer? - July 13th, 2010

Nevertheless, SMBs and households should not forget to backup their data locally first and then use a remote storage location as a second means of protection - my advice is:

1. To perform regular Data backups locally, on some reliable and inexpensive media but most importantly is to use a different storage media other than the local drive.
2. Then move/archive this data off-site – again using a reliable, secure and economical solution

I have come across a couple of online backup providers that lack comprehensive management tools. When I say comprehensive I mean ample features that allow end users to monitor the backup/restore process and check for errors, costs and edit account details.

Such as, a user-friendly Web-based GUI (graphical user interface) that provides the following information:

1. That shows and logs the successful completion of backup and restore jobs
2. For failed jobs one should be able to view a brief but complete explanation of what went wrong in plain English and not a series of error codes
3. That shows the storage space consumed and the remaining space if the account is limited by space quota. Graphical statistics would give a good overview such as, usage per day, month, etc
4. Timestamps for the backed up data that will help the end user identify the right data in case a data recovery is needed
5. A section (tab) with all the billing and payment details without disclosing any critical information
6. A personal account section where one can change passwords, email address, quota settings if any and other account related settings.

Last 3 posts by George

• Backup considerations for Microsoft SharePoint - July 26th, 2010
• What is Cloud Computing? - July 19th, 2010
• Is Cloud computing getting safer? - July 13th, 2010

Online backups offer cheaper costs per GB for the same functionality because you only pay for what you use. :) The costs include the storage used, bandwidth consumed and other related services. Data security is based on the latest encryption algorithms and adequate auditing features would place the end-user’s mind at rest!

A typical SMB that generates a full backup of say, 600GB of data would need an initial expense consisting of an entry level LTO-3 storage drive and an entry level server plus a couple of LTO-3 tape cartridges. Such setup would permit the full backup to be completed in about three hours and the need of one IT staff to be present to swop the tapes if compressing the data is not good enough to fit all data on one tape.

The Initial capital or better the total purchase cost for a similar tape solution would be about $3600. Therefore, the initial cost per GB would be of $6 per GB. If we assume that the above mentioned setup would run for a period of three whole years without entering into additional expenses such as, maintenance and repair costs (which is highly unlikely), then the cost per GB would be much lower. However, one would need to include the IT staff, space requirements and electricity expenses into the costs equation.

On the other hand, an online backup solution requires a good and stable internet connection, especially with regards to upload speeds. Various service providers provide services to move the initial large volumes of data through other means and hence, at cheaper rates. However, if an SMB had to implement this solution, it would cost him/her about $360 to transfer the initial 600GB of data which would yield a cost of 0.60c per GB. As already noted, an adequate internet connection is a must since an internet connection with an upload speed of 2Mbps would take a month to upload a full data backup of about 600GB. This may not be practical; however, alternate arrangements can be made with the provider to shift the initial data!

Conclusion: – An online backup solution has a lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) when compared to an internal solution.

Last 3 posts by George

• Backup considerations for Microsoft SharePoint - July 26th, 2010
• What is Cloud Computing? - July 19th, 2010
• Is Cloud computing getting safer? - July 13th, 2010

I have, over the past year and a bit discussed this topic with my students. My students are normal people taking an office productivity computer course. Their computer is shared by at least one other member of the family. They come from all walks of life and a considerable portion of them have been the victim of some sort of data loss. The loss may have been as a result of a virus, an incompetent relative trying to tinker something on the computer or a hard disk failure. All of them reminisce about lost photos, assignments and other important electronic material once held on the computer.

Outside the dominion of what it is one should or should not do, the fact of the matter is that backing up to CDs, DVDs or other media is a non starter with the absolute majority of commoners. Some may take up the hobby right after a disaster but as soon as the memory of the event starts fading into the background so does the backup regime.
With the internet being consistently stable and fast the possibility of being able to backup your important stuff to an offsite server is bliss. Imagine a solution that is easy to setup and intuitively selects your important folders automatically. When you open the program it gives you a Windows Explorer type interface with the important folders already selected but lets you customize the backup list. When you hit the Backup button, the selected files and folders are copied in the background to a fast, safe and secure server. If the software cannot backup a file because it is currently being used, it prompts you about the matter and tries again later. Once a backup has been completed the programs sits quietly in the background monitoring changed files which it will update automatically. The program would keep deleted and prior versions of modified files for a specified number of days just in case you need to revert back to them.

If something happens to your computer and you lose everything, you simply install the program again and after typing in your username and password, the program automatically downloads saved backup settings so that you do not have to recreate them. This time round, when you hit the Restore button, the Windows Explorer type window comes up and you simply transfer the files from the remote server to your local computer. Similar reasoning would apply if you delete an individual file or need to revert to an earlier version of a document.

There are people who are rightfully concerned about their privacy. Most office productivity products allow you to password protect documents making them unreadable to anyone without the password. Certain file types such as images and audio files cannot be password protected at the file level although there are free programs that will create password protected archives. 7-Zip and Truecrypt are two products I have used frequently for this purpose.

Last 3 posts by chribonn

• When Green Is Bad - July 5th, 2010
• What your backup solution should be and do - June 27th, 2010
• Securing your online backup archives - May 12th, 2010

Why online backups are the way forward – because they provide:

1. User friendly backup/restore applications
2. Native off-site and archival services
3. Reduce secondary storage requirements through data de-duplication concepts
4. Intelligent data transfer methods through hashing algorithms
5. Safe – same data protection means such as, encrypted storage and connection
6. Scalability for future growth
7. Cheaper TCO (total cost of ownership)
8. Introduce pay-per-use concepts
9. Data retrieval anywhere-anytime concepts