CALS - How to Use Crashplan


Introduction

Crashplan is a data backup service that is available to all College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Faculty and Staff.  It's also available for graduate students with departmental approval.  The college requires that all CALS computers use a backup service to prevent the loss of university data.

Prerequisites

Instructions

 

How to Manually Restore Data

  1. Open Crashplan from Start Menu (Windows) or Launchpad (macOS)
  2. If prompted, login using your VT email address and VT account password
  3. In the top right select Restore Files and select the machine name where the files are located.

    Crashplan Restore files button

     

  4. If needed click As of Today and change the date to a previous date where you know the files are located. Place a checkmark next to the file(s) you want restored and select Restore Files.

    Crashplan choose restore dates

     

  5. Choose options in next menu and click Go

     

    Restore Options Box

     

    **If select Downloads under Save Selected Files To:, all your files will be sent to a folder in your Downloads folder.  If you select Original Location, your files will be placed exactly where they were originally. (Ex. If a file was on your desktop, it would be placed back on your desktop). If you select Other, you will be able to select a specific location for your files to be restored.

 


 

How to See/Change What Data is Being Backed Up

  1. Open Crashplan from Start Menu (Windows) or Launchpad (macOS)
  2. If prompted, login using PID and Hokies password
  3. Select Manage Files

    Manage Files button

     

  4. Files and Folders that have a check mark next to them are currently backing up.
  5. If you wish to change what data is being backed up navigate to the drive, folder, or files that you want to add/remove, then:
    1. Deselect the check box next to any item you want to delete from your backup.
    2. Place a check box next to an item to add it to your backup.
  6. Click Save

    Manage files selections

     

 


 

What is a Backup Report?

The backup report is a weekly email you receive that displays an overview of your specific backups.  Below is an example of the report:

Email status report

 

 

The information provided in this email will inform you of how much data is being backed up on which machine, what percentage of your data has successfully been backed up, and when the last backup occurred.  Below is a more detailed description of the information included.

**Devices listed in black text have completed a backup.  Devices listed in red text have not completed backup and need attention.