Features and Scenarios

Note: ImageManager policies apply only when you are using continuous incremental backup jobs created by ShadowProtect or SPX. Standard weekly and monthly backup schedules (all job types except Continuous) should use ShadowProtect, or SPX retention policies. For more information, see "Creating Backup Image Files" in the ShadowProtect User Guide, or Creating a Backup Job in the SPX User Guide. ;

ImageManager has the following basic features:

• Verify: Based on a frequency that you define, ImageManager automatically verifies, and re-verifies, the integrity of backup image files. This is similar to manual verification when using the Verify Wizard in ShadowProtect.
• Consolidate: Based on a policy that you define, ImageManager automatically consolidates incremental backup image files. This limits the risk of having large backup image file chains where one bad file can render a whole backup image useless.
• Retain: Based on a policy you define, ImageManager automatically deletes and/or retains image files after a selected period of time. These policies apply to intra-daily, daily, and weekly image files. You can also define how long to keep consolidated monthly images (-cm) (1 to 120 months) before cleaning them up. This creates a rolling consolidated image file (-cr) that consists of the number of specified -cm image files.
• Replicate (Local): Based on a profile that you define, ImageManager automatically creates redundant copies of backup image files to locally-attached hard drives. Smart replication technology evaluates the consolidation policy to avoid transferring unnecessary or obsolete backup image files.
• Replicate (Network): Based on a profile that you define, ImageManager automatically creates redundant copies of backup image files to a network share.
• iFTP Replication (Off-site): Based on a profile that you define, ImageManager automatically creates and sends copies of backup image files to a remote server using intelligentFTP for off-site replication.
• HeadStart Restore: HeadStart Restore (HSR) is the ability to restore a backup image while ShadowProtect continues to add Incremental backup images to the same backup image chain. For information about using HeadStart Restore, see HeadStart Restore Scenarios.

Beyond these basic features, ImageManager offers additional premium features available with the purchase of a job license:

• Replicate (Cloud Services): Starting with ImageManager 7.9, Cloud Services is no longer a replication target because of Cloud Services End of Life.
• ShadowStream Replication (Off-site): Based on a profile that you define, ImageManager automatically creates and sends copies of backup image files to a remote server using high-speed ShadowStream replication for off-site replication.

For more information about licensing ImageManager or its premium features, see Activate ShadowStream.