Overview
What is IBM Cloud® Backup?
IBM Cloud Backup is a full-featured, automated, agent-based backup and recovery system managed through the IBM Cloud Backup WebCC browser utility. Using multivault technologies, you can more securely back up your data between IBM Cloud servers in one or more IBM Cloud data centers, worldwide.

Features
IBM Cloud Backup features
Always-on applications
Implement and monitor backup policies from anywhere.
Global support
Choose an IBM data center or go outside the network.
Multivaulting capabilities
Recover backup data from more than one facility.
Web-based GUI
Simplify management with central administration.
Scheduled backups
Plan backups for daily, weekly or custom intervals.
Plug-in software support
Enable compatibility with many third-party software apps.
End-to-end encryption
End backdoor access to data with front-end encryption.
System image and granular recovery
Restore from a previous backup or various other recovery points.
DeltaPro Deduplication
Reduce your front-end and back-end deduplication.
Intelligent compression
Helps ensure backup process is adaptive to data types.
How customers use it
Managing customer applications

Managing customer applications
Manage responsive, critical customer applications.
Supporting global applications

Supporting global applications
Roll out system maintenance using managed backups.
Securing trade secrets and regulatory compliance

Securing trade secrets and regulatory compliance
Manage backups of intellectual property and compliance.
Featured resources
Documentation
Frequently asked questions
How frequently can I back up my data with IBM Cloud Backup?
You can back up your data as frequently as you like. Within WebCC, backups can be made manually or can be scheduled as a single or recurring instance made daily, weekly, monthly or on a custom schedule. Schedules can be updated or canceled at any time.
How do the retention schemes work?
IBM Cloud Backup allows for data-retention depending on where you want to roll back to. Daily retention schemes hold data for seven days, while weekly schemes hold data for one month, and monthly schemes hold data for one year. At the end of each period, the oldest data set is rotated out and the first "delta backup" made becomes the oldest available restore point.
What is Delta Technology?
The first backup is a "seed" (a complete, full backup). The next and subsequent ones are "deltas" (changes only), and are equivalent to, and still considered a "full backup." You're able to restore all or individual files. This technology allows for "full backups" to be made each session but saves enormous amounts of space on the backup server and decreases the amount of time each subsequent backup takes to complete.
Are my backups secure?
By default, all encryption over the wire (OTW) is encrypted with AES 256-bit encryption. You can also choose to store data in encrypted format using AES 256-bit.
Note: You must remember your encryption password. Your data can't be restored without your password. If you lose your password, you won't be able to get your data back. Compression ratios allow for zero compression to a maximum ratios compression that, depending on file type, might be compressed anywhere from 20 percent to 30 percent.
What information is stored with system state backups?
The system state backups include, but aren't limited to, COM + class registration database, registry, boot files, system files and performance counter. It's all dependent on your system. System files vary by OS and service packs. Usually there are several thousand of them. MS Windows makes a dynamic list of these DLLs when you include them in the backup. Including the system files allows you to recover from corrupted system files, or if you accidentally uninstall some service packs, or want to recover with a bare metal restore. It allows you to return to the state of the backup without having to reinstall the OS from the installation kit, and then installing each service pack separately.
Note: No user data file is included in system state backup. A system state backup job should be configured as a standalone job. There should be no other data source included in a system state backup job.
What happens to open files?
By default, the base client has state-of-the-art technology to handle most open files running on the OS. In rare cases, if backups fail because of open file limitation, there are secondary plug-ins you can purchase to get improved open files handling. Generally, you don’t need the open-file plug-in unless you see errors in your backups for open files, in which case you can order the plug-ins.
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