Auto Mirror

1. Overview

2. Getting Started

3. Configuring OFH – Open File Handler

4. Configuring Auto Mirror

5. Registration

6. Technical Support

1. Overview

Auto Mirror (Amirror) is real time backup/mirror utility. While copying/mirroring files and directories Auto Mirror copies everything that belongs to the file/directory: file data, file attributes and file security.

To minimize impact on the system performance Auto Mirror does not copy entire file if only part of it has been changed, instead it copies only the bytes that were modified by the system or another program.

System Requirements: Windows NT 4.0, Service Pack 3.

Amirror consists of the following applications:

Amirror.exe GUI application designed to configure Auto Mirror

software.

Amserv.exe Auto Mirror service that performs backup/mirroring and

updating files from source directory (SrceDir) to the selected destination directory (DestDir).

OFH Open File Handler - set of kernel drivers and services to provide support to Auto Mirror service.

Once Amirror starts it performs a complete backup of files from the source directories into destination directories. These directories must be specified in Auto Mirror configuration. Amirror continues to monitor changes in the SrceDir and simultaneously update respective files in the destination directory (DestDir).

2. Getting started

2.1 Download the current version of Auto Mirror from http://www.swatcon.com

File to be downloaded – amXYY.exe – self extracted Auto Mirror setup program.

Where: X – major version

YY - minor version

Sample: am227.exe Auto Mirror version 2.27

You can also download am.zip - ZIP file for most recent version of Auto Mirror.

2.2 If you downloaded ZIP file, unzip the file into the preferred directory on your local drive.

2.3 Run setup.exe if you downloaded ZIP file or amXYY.exe if you downloaded self extracted setup program. Follow the steps in Auto Mirror Setup to install and configure the software.

2.4 During the installation you will be asked to “run the software for the first time”. This would be a good time to configure your Auto Mirror software. For details on how to configure OFH and Auto Mirror see corresponding chapters below.

2.5 Restart the computer

3. Configuring OFH (Open File Handler)

If you run OFH for the first time “Supported Application” and “Locked Files” lists will be empty. List “Devices to Monitor” will display all the local disks OFH finds on your computer. By default OFH will monitor all of them. To disable some of the disks select the disk and double click on OFH column (YES will change to NO).

4. Configuring Auto Mirror

4.1 “Include” tab.

On the Main Screen choose “Include” tab.

4.1.1 Configuring Source Directory

Click the right mouse button on the “Source Directory” to bring up the SrceDir menu.

Select “Add Source Directory” to add a new SrceDir and then specify a DestDir.

Amirror allows for multiple destination directories. These directories can be either on a local drive, or on the drive on the remote machine. Select “Add Destination Directory” to add DestDir to the currently selected SrceDir.

Select “Remove Source Directory” to remove SrceDir and all DestDir associated with it.

Select “Add directory to Exclude” -this option allows to exclude any unwanted subdirectories from the SrceDir. For example, if the SrceDir is c:\winnt\system32 and you do not need to backup the subdirectory c:\winnt\system32\drivers you can simply exclude it by using ExclDir option.

4.1.2 Configuring Destination Directory:

Click the right mouse button on “Target Directory” to bring up the DestDir menu.

Select “Remove Destination Directory” to remove the selected DestDir.

Double click on DestDir to show information about the disk on which DestDir is located. If DestDir is on the network drive Amirror asks to provide a network logon information (user name and password). If a local machine is a member of a domain specify the domain name, user name, and password for Amirror to be able to access the remote drive. If a local machine is not a member of a domain check “This account is on local machine” for Amirror to use the local user database to access remote DestDir.

To set multiple DestDir on different remote machines provide network information for each remote DestDir.

Note: To access DestDir you must enter valid logon information.

4.1.2.1 Destination Directory Options:

Each destination directory can be configured it’s own way. Check boxes “Backup” and “Mirror” – define whether selected destination directory is for backup and/or mirroring.

Backup can be done:

“Manual” - scheduler will not start backup automaticaly

“Hourly” - scheduler will start backup every hour

“Daily” - backup will start every day at the specified time

“Weekly” - backup will start every week on the specified day

“Monthly”- monthly backup

“Yearly” - yearly backup

Mirroring can have different options set for different destination directory:

“Save previous mirror” – will make a copy of the previous mirror, before the new mirroring process started

“Cleanup target” - will delete all the files from the target before new mirroring process started

“Delete target if original deleted” – will delete files and directories from the target drive when files or directories on source drive deleted

While “Backup” and/or “Mirror” some options for the way the file copies may apply:

“Overwrite file always” - will copy file to the target even if the same file already exists. If this option is not checked Amirror will perform quick comparison of the source and target files. It checks for file size, attributes, time and file security. These parameters are the same Amirror will not update the destination file. This may be useful if files on the target have not been changed since last mirror session. This approach saves time and system resources while first synchronization

“Copy security on FAT” – allows to copy file security attributes from NTFS to FAT. This does not actually set security on FAT, rather saves the security information. This information will be used when restore process is taking place.

4.2 “Options” tab.

On the Main Screen choose “Options” tab.

To “Start mirroring on boot” use default settings. To start mirroring manually uncheck the box.

“Spool Q size” defines the size of the storage for unprocessed messages from the file system. Usually it is needed for “rush hour” traffic.

4.3 Saving and selecting configurations.

To save configurations press “Save Config” button. Amirror allows to have multiple configuration settings depending on varying needs. To activate a specific configuration press “Load Config” button and select the desired settings.

To set the current configuration active press “Set Active” button. This configuration will be used every time Amirror starts.

To activate new settings restart Amserv by either rebooting the computer, or by pressing “Stop Mirror” and then “Start Mirror”.

Press “Backup Now” to initiate a one-time backup for the current configuration.

4.4 Run Auto Mirror.

Amserv automatically starts and performs the necessary operations (as defined in the active settings) as the computer reboots. To view/reconfigure the software run Amirror.exe.

The current version of Amirror.exe monitors Amserv on the local machine only. The future versions will be designed to view/reconfigure remote machines on the network.

4 – Registration

Free trial period extends for 15 days after which Auto Mirror will cease functioning. To purchase the product, please visit us at http://www.swatcon.com and follow the instructions to obtain your registration key.

To enter the registration key before the trial period is over, click “Register” in the “Help” menu and enter your user name and registration key.

5 - Technical Support

Should you have any questions, please contact our technical support at tech_support@swatcon.com.