Creating and Storing Backups
You are able to backup your Intelligent Trucking Software data within the ITS program. It is a good idea to schedule regular backups, in order to ensure that your information will be saved in case of an emergency, such as a power outage or server failure.
NOTE: Regular backup software does NOT backup this database because it is a MS SQL server. Typically, SQL servers require special agents in the backup software to manage shutting down the server, backing up the data, and restarting the server. The ITS backup program has this software built into it, so no special agent is needed. Additionally, the backup created by ITS is stored on the hard drive ONLY. This data needs to be archived to a safe location, including offsite backups. The backup data MUST be saved onto external media, such as a CD or a tape!
To Backup Your Data:
1) Click on "Backup Database" under the Tools menu.
2) A screen will pop up detailing the Intelligent Backup Schedule.
3) Clicking on "Refresh" in the bottom right corner of the main Intelligent Backup Schedule menu will refresh the schedule.
4)If you click on "Backup now!", your ITS will be backed up immediately onto the ITS server. A window will pop up confirming the success of the backup job.
The Intelligent Backup Schedule
This is the main window for detailing the backup schedule. It shows when the next backup will be done, and when the last one was successfully completed.
Clicking on "View job schedule" will bring you back to the main screen of the "Intelligent Backup Schedule" menu. Check this periodically to make sure that backups are running smoothly.
Creating New Backup Jobs
If you click on "Create new job", you can schedule periodic backups.
It is a good idea to schedule backups when nobody will be logged into the server. For example, it is recommended to schedule backups outside of the work day. However, if you turn your servers off at night, it may not be wise to schedule a backup at 2 am. Also, make sure to regularly check to make sure that the backups are performed as desired by reviewing the schedule.
By clicking on the "Create job" button in the lower right corner of the "Intelligent Backup" menu, you will set the schedule for backups.
A window will pop up confirming that the job was created.
Restoring Your Database
Restoring your database will return the user data back into the database. For example, if an entry was accidentally deleted, if will be returned back to your database.
1) In order to start the database restore, click on "Restore database" WARNING: You will lose all data that has not been backed up, because restoring the database effectively writes over all of the changes that you have made since the last backup!
A window will pop up displaying this warning. To continue, click "Yes".
2) You will be then prompted to open the backup file that you are currently saving all of your backups to. This file should be in the "Backup" folder in the "Intelligent Trucking Solution" directory. Open this folder.
The full path to the file should be something similar to: C:\Program Files\Aperion\Intelligent Trucking Solution\Backup
3) Open the file with a .BAK extension.
4) If there are other users logged into the server, you will receive a prompt asking you to log these users off in order to continue the backup restore. Make sure these users are exited out of the program, and then try the restore again.
5) Go back into the program to make sure that your data was properly restored.
Use Our Servers to Backup Your Data!
When you click on "Learn about the Remote Backup option", you will be taken the the Intelligent Trucking Software Automated Backup Service webpage (http://www.truckingsolution.com/ftpbackup/), where you will be given the price options for a service provided by Aperion to back up your data onto our servers.
The FTP backup option takes your scheduled backup and transfers it to one of our servers over the Internet for an off-site backup of your data. The frequency of the backup is determined by the plan you choose. Our server will verify that we have received a file and then check the size of the backup file.
Email notifications are sent if a file is suspected to be incomplete. Our servers also use tape backup to futher secure your data. A full-time high speed Internet connection is recommended for this option.