Hi all–
Curious if anybody has been using DevonThink Pro Office 2 with Mozy backup. Specifically, wanted to know if Mozy is clever enough to recognize the new DTPO2 file structure, and back it up incrementally instead of saving the entire database whenever there’s been a change/addition to it. I’m using DTPO 1 right now, and considering the upgrade.
Thanks,
-Wes
I use Mozy to backup my databases and it appears to me from the Mozy logs that it can see inside DTPO2 structure.
When Mozy starts the backup process it will send a Dialog box that indicates that the backup process will take a number of days and hours if you have large amounts of in your databases (I have terrible upload speeds also) but it normally takes only hour/s depending on the number of changes I have made and the size of the documents added.
Happy to send you copies of my logs.
Thanks much for sharing your experience. Glad to hear that I won’t have to wait the requisite hours it currently takes to upload a my entire DT DB. I think I’ll wait for the next beta and then shift boldly.
-Wes
Further to my previous post:-
I have finally got around to testing my DTPO backups on Mozy. I deliberately chose my smallest database to test. This database contained only three web archives and when I tried a restore using Mozy from the Menu Bar it failed to restore all three files. The database would open but it was missing one of the archives. I tried several times and it failed to restore properly each time.
Thinking it might be something in that small database I moved on to testing a larger database restore. The results were exactly the same. This time there were a number of files missing but the database would open without problem.
At this point I sent an email off to Mozy Support and received a prompt and polite reply asking me to try again as While restoring there are chances where the server drops the connection and the computer lost enough packets that it wasn’t able to build the Database correctly. I did this but the results were the same. Files were missing from the database.
I decided to do a bit of experimentation and zipped the database then backed it up to Mozy and restored the zipped file. This worked without any loss of any web archives.
Mozy also offers access to your back ups via the web. If you chose this method you use your web browser to log in and then navigate to your backups then you are able to request your restores. I used this method and the restore is downloaded as a .dmg file. This method of restore was also successful.
I have sent another email to Mozy Support relating my results and hoping to get an explanation of what is happening although I think it relates to the DTPO ‘package’.
There is an article concerning MobileMe and uploading ‘packages’ at support.apple.com/kb/TS1179
which I feel is related to what is going on.
In summary:-
Doing restores using the Apple Finder Menu Bar Mozy Icon doesn’t work and you only get a partial data restore.
Archiving your files prior to backup will enable accurate restores.
Using the Mozy web restore option and downloading the restore in a .dmg file allows correct restores.
Will post more when Mozy gets back to me.
Graham.
Comments.
We recommend that a database be closed before making a copy of it in the Finder (including a zipped archive).
If you have DT Pro 2 or DT Pro Office 2, Backup Archive (Scripts > Export > Backup Archive) will not only produce a compressed and dated archive of your entire database, but also verify and optimize it and produce a current internal backup as well. The archive file sounds like a good candidate for storing on Mozy. The filename includes the date the archive was created.
From the reports I’ve read so far, I would be skeptical of both MobileMe and Mozy for backup of actual database files, and even more so for ‘synchronization’ to allow use of a database on another computer, e.g., switching from a desktop to a laptop using the same database.
Some users seem to be reporting success using DropBox, with the cautionary note that a database must be closed on the first computer before attempting to use the same database on a second computer. (I would anticipate a lag time before the database on the second computer has been fully updated.)
So far, I’m sticking to physical media for backups. But I’m watching user explorations of the ‘cloud’ with interest. 
Thanks for the comments Bill. Good advice as always.
I agree that using ‘the cloud’ for backups is still in its infancy.
My primary backup strategy is a Time Capsule and Time Machine.
My secondary back up strategy is an external HD and Synchronize! Pro X which has a bootable copy of my HD and is stored in a building separate from my office.
I have been experimenting with doing back ups of selected files on Mozy.
I would not advocate that Mozy be the primary, or exclusive, backup system at this time (perhaps never) but I must say that I am encouraged by what I see and it could be a viable adjunct to other systems IMHO.
I’ve been using Mozy for quite a while now. I find that the using the web restore function is faster and more reliable than the “Restore” option within the Mozy application. I have about 13GB backed up using it. However, I maintain Time Machine and SuperDuper backups as well.
I find that Mozy is nice for off-site backups because it is pretty unobtrusive and has good options for scheduling and throttling bandwidth, but restore is pretty painful for more than a few things at once. That said, it does work, but it’s slow if you have a lot backed up.
Further to my previous post re Mozy support:
I have been waiting for a conclusion before I write a report but basically after dealing with first line support (friendly & prompt), my problem was eventually escalated to a second tier support person where I was informed that there was an updated client due for release in the end of May. Just before the end of May the support person emailed me to say that the date had shifted to June. As soon as it is released I will download and test it to see if it addresses the problem of the missing database items when doing restores via Mozy in the Menu bar.