Simple Backup Utility
Simple Backup Utility is the solution for enterprise clients who are unable to utilize Apple's Time Machine because of its limitations in routed environments. While there are many known "hacks" that allow Time Machine to function in unintended scenarios, the results are often unreliable.
Simple Backup Utility is highly reliable and extremely unobtrusive. It lives in the menu bar and displays its status with colored icons and tool-tip notices that are only visible when you hover the cursor over its icon.
It is important to note that this utility runs in the "user context" and therefore only has access to the same files and folders as the user. Selecting files or folders that are inaccessible will generate errors.
When launched, Simple Backup Utility will display the following prompt if it is not set to automatically run at login. Click Yes to ensure consistent backups.
Once launched, clicking on its icon in the menu bar will reveal the following options.
- To configure Simple Backup Utility, select Preferences from the drop-down menu.
- Click the browse button next to the Source path field to select the folder to backup.
- Click the browse button next to the Destination path field to select the folder where the files will be backed up.
- If the backup source is a network share, click the checkbox next to the Auto-Mount Network Volume option to enable it.
- Enter a valid AFP or SMB path in the field provided. If entered correctly, Simple Backup Utility will attempt to mount the specified share. If credentials are required, the user will be prompted. Choosing to store the password in the keychain will allow the process to be seamless.
- By default, Simple Backup Utility will backup the specified data every 2 hours. Acceptable settings for the backup frequency are from 1 to 168 hours.
- The last successful backup time can be viewed at the bottom of the Preference window.
When the Simple Backup Utility is actively backing up data, its icon in the menu bar will turn green and animate in a clock-wise direction to indicate its current activity.
Upon successful completion, the icon will cease animation and return to black. Hovering the cursor over the icon will reveal the last successful backup time.
If the Simple Backup Utility is unable to successfully complete a backup within 7 days, its icon will turn yellow. Hovering the cursor over the icon will reveal the number of days since the last successful backup.
If the Simple Backup Utility encounters an error during the backup process, its icon will turn red. Hovering the cursor over the icon will reveal the error message from the backup process. It may be necessary to contact your Helpdesk to resolve any errors.
Advanced Settings:
Since the Simple Backup Utility makes use of a standard preference file, its settings can be configured remotely using Managed Client settings (MCX) within OS X. Below is a list of settings used.
| sbuSourcePath | string | The source path must be a valid POSIX style path to an accessible folder whose contents are to be backed up. While shell variables are not directly supported, they can be used to set the path using the defaults command. |
| sbuDestPath | string | The destination path must also be a valid POSIX style path to a folder where the backup files will be copied. |
| sbuAutoMount | boolean | The auto-mount settings must be a boolean value. TRUE indicates the auto-mount feature is to be enabled. FALSE indicates the auto-mount feature is to be disabled. |
| sbuNetPath | string | The network path must be a valid AFP or SMB path that will be auto-mounted when enabled and available. |
| sbuBackupFreq | number | The backup frequency needs to be an integer between 1 and 168 that indicates the number of hours that will pass between automatic backups. |
| sbuArgs | string | Simple Backup Utility makes use of the underlying UNIX command rsync. By default the parameters being passed to the command are -Caz. You can change the default settings by substituting your own rsync parameters. However, only simple parameters that can be strung together in a sequence will be recognized. |
Simple Backup Utility also recognizes the exclude.txt file contained within the application bundle. It contains a number of popular video, audio and compressed file extensions that can be easily enabed by removing the semi-colon (;) from in front of the appropriate setting. Other file extensions or folder names that you want Simple Backup Utility to not backup can be added to the list. Administrators should edit this file before deployment to ensure its permissions are not adversly affected.
# -- skipped directories # -- skipped file types # -- audio # -- video # -- other |
Simple Backup Utility logs all of its activities to the system log. To review its current progress or to trouble-shoot errors, open the system.log file in the Console application and filter for "Simple Backup Utility".