R1Soft Continuous Data Protection
R1Soft Continuous Data Protection is a near continuous backup application for Windows and Linux computers, developed by R1Soft. The software provides user scheduled near continuous disk-based online backups for one or more Windows or Linux servers. Each time a user scheduled backup is performed, Delta encoding deltas are transmitted to a backup repository effectively creating a virtual Disk image. Continuous Data Protection can restore previously captured disk images to another disk effectively replicating the structure and contents to a new disk. Individual files inside of a disk image can be restored to their original location or an alternate computer.
Operation
The first time the R1Soft Continuous Data Protection application is used on a new backup target computer it CREATES a replica of all data and structure on disk to a disk-based backup repository. After this initial replica the application uses a volume filter device driver to track block level deltas between scheduled synchronizations. The next scheduled backup operation involves creating a point in time snapshot and reading the deltas as tracked by the volume filter device driver. Synchronizations can be scheduled as frequently as every 15 minutes for an entire server. The application is known for its simple web based interface. Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service is used on Windows to take a point in time snapshot. On Linux a proprietary Linux kernel module is used.
Supported File Systems
File systems supported by software:
- NTFS
- ext2
- ext3
- ext4
- ReiserFS
- Linux Swap
Structure
R1Soft Continuous Data Protection is designed to move backup data over a TCP/IP network and store it on disk using at least two servers:
- CDP Agent: a daemon backup agent that is required in order to make backups of a computer or restore files to it. The agent is installed on Windows or Linux computers and listens for backup or restore requests from the CDP Server.
CDP Server: a daemon that initiates backup requests, stores backup data on disk, and provides a web-based user interface
Limitations
R1Soft CDP Enterprise EDition 3.0 can only store up to 64 TBs of backup data per protected disk or volume.
Market Share
- November 2008: 90,000 servers
- June 2010: 185,000 servers
See also
- Near Continuous Backup
- Continuous data protection
- Backup software