Backups
The backup schedule is as follows:
- Email Servers: Backed up weekly, backups held for minimum of 8 weeks
- Web Servers: Backed up weekly, backups held for minimum of 8 weeks
- Database Servers: Backed up weekly, backups held for minimum of 8 weeks
Restoration
Because backups happen often, restoration of a file, directory, or mail spool for any given time period up to the oldest backup of that particular server can be done. With most services, a complete backup is always available as of the snapshot time the backup was taken. We can restore from any available backup.
Email poses special challenges. Because many subscribers use POP3 to check their email, every time they check their email it downloads all email off the server. Once it's removed from the server, it cannot be backed up, and therefore cannot be restored. Here is an example:
User joe@joesdomain.com receives an email from an important vendor at 2:00PM Monday, December 22nd. The next backup for this server is scheduled to run Friday evening (4 days later). If Joe checks his email via POP3 and downloads the message to his computer any time between 2:00PM Monday and Friday evening, the file will be deleted from the server and when the backup runs there will be no file to backup. If a request is made to restore this user's mail spool, it is very unlikely they will get many emails restored if they are using POP3 and have checked their email recently.
Users who want to ensure their email gets backed up should use one of the following methods:
- Set your POP3 application to leave messages on the server for 10-14 days.
- Use IMAP instead of POP3.
Reasons for frequent backups:
- in the event of a catastrophic hardware failure of the device/server the data is stored on, we can rebuild the device with all of its original data.
- Accidental deletion or mishandling of files by the Subscriber or olympus.net.
Costs
Backups of data have no cost to Subscribers. The costs of maintaining the backups are factored into our regular pricing for services.
Restoration of data related to a hardware failure on our end or mishandling of files by our staff is not charged. Simply put, if it's our mistake, there will be no charge.
Restoration of data related to the Subscriber mishandling or deleting the data does have a restoration cost. This could include accidental deletion of a file or an account.
To request restoration of files, please specify the files you wish to have restored and the ideal backup date of the restoration. For instance, if you deleted some files by accident a week ago, you would want to request a 2 week old backup to get the files prior to the point where they were deleted. Submit this request to customer.support@olympus.net.
During restoration, any files restored will replace the files already on the server. So if file joesfile.txt is requested to be restored, and there is already a joesfile.txt in the restoration directory, it will be automatically overwritten by the restoration process.
Pricing
Contact Customer Support for more information or ordering.
