How do I secure my timeSensor LEGAL data?
This article has been machine translated. If you find any errors, we would be grateful if you could report them to translation@timesensor.com.
Don't leave the security of your data to chance! A carefully set up and monitored data backup is not only good for your peace of mind, but can save you hundreds of man-hours in an emergency.
This article describes how to set up and monitor the backup of your timeSensor LEGAL data.
General
All timeSensor LEGAL data is stored in a folder called timeSensor DataFiles. This folder must be backed up regularly.
In multi-user operation, you will find this folder on the server computer.
If your server runs under macOS, you will find it under the following folder:
- Users - Shared - timeSensorProgram - timeSensor DataFiles
If your server runs under Windows, you will find the folder under the following storage location:
- ProgramData - timeSensorProgram - timeSensor DataFiles
In single-user mode (i.e. macOS), you will find the folder on your computer under the following folder:
- Users - Shared - timeSensorProgram - timeSensor DataFiles
These are the recommended installation locations for your timeSensor LEGAL data. In individual cases, however, the data may be located elsewhere. If in doubt, consult your IT supporter.
Securing
The timeSensor DataFiles folder must be backed up at least once a day. Back up your timeSensor DataFiles folder to a separate hard disk. This copy is called the primary backup. The primary backup has the advantage that it is carried out quickly and that you can also retrieve the data quickly in the event of a breakdown.
In addition, the primary backup should in turn be backed up daily to a remote location. This second backup is called the secondary backup. Here are some ideas on how to implement the secondary backup:
- Set up an encrypted cloud backup with a provider you trust. A well-known provider is, for example, the company Mount10.
- Copy the data via a standing VPN connection to the home office of the law firm partner responsible for IT.
- Use a NAS instead of a normal hard drive for the primary backup. The secondary backup is set up on a second NAS at a remote location, whereby the two NAS automatically synchronise. Well known are the products of the company Synology.
- You can further improve your backup by setting up generations. For example, at the secondary backup level, you could keep data back to several days. With a cloud backup, this option is often offered by the data centre as standard.
Monitoring
The best data backup is of no use if it is not monitored. Check the functioning of the backup regularly (at least monthly) and restore a backup from the secondary backup once a year as a trial, so that you are sure that everything works in an emergency.
Backup of a running database
Unfortunately, there is an additional problem when backing up a database. The database is usually in running mode and is therefore open. As with any open file, copying it while it is open can be problematic. Your copy may not contain the very latest data status, because at the time of the copy some changes are still in the working memory and have not yet found their way to the hard disk. In the worst case, the copy is unusable because it is not consistent.
In single-user operation, this is not a big problem:
- Simply exit the timeSensor LEGAL programme before you run the data backup. The database file is then closed and you can easily back up the timeSensor DataFiles folder.
In multi-user operation it looks different. You do not want to log off all users every day, close the database and perform the backup, because that would be too inconvenient.
That's why the 4D database server offers the option of backing itself up during operation. While the database is backing itself up, the users can remain logged in. During the backup, however, the database falters briefly, which is why this backup is best carried out during the night. The result of the backup is also stored in the timeSensor DataFiles folder under STUFF/BACKUP. This ensures that there is always a complete and usable copy of your data in the timeSensor DataFiles folder.
The configuration of the automatic backup is carried out by the responsible administrator directly in the administrator window on the server. The following image sequence shows the recommended configuration in the administrator window:
Leave nothing to chance when it comes to data security. If you don't feel confident setting up and monitoring your data backup yourself, commission your IT supporter to do it for you or book a server monitoring service from timeSensor AG, which also includes this work.
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