ShadowProtect - BDR Builder for ShadowProtect Setup Utility Guide

The BDR Builder setup utility allows Axcient partners to quickly and easily create a Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) appliance using the latest supported version of ShadowProtect software. This guide will provide an overview of the installation process.

The hardware and software requirements for the server are shown in the following table

Windows Server must be installed prior to using the BDR Builder setup utility.

During installation, the BDR Builder setup utility will check for minimum system requirements.

 Required

• Internet connection
• Windows OS type is NT Server.
• Windows is at least 6.1 (2008 R2+)
• At least 8,192 MB (8 GB) of physical memory is installed.
• Windows is installed to the C: drive
• 10 GB of free hard drive space on the C: drive
• An X: drive exists
• PowerShell major version >= 2.03.0
• Hyper-V must not be installed on ShadowProtect BDRs
• No pending restarts

During  installation, the BDR Builder setup utility installs the following components:

• BDR Software: Axcient integrates directly with StorageCraft ShadowProtect BDR software.
  For details on the specific versions of BDR software installed, refer to the Installer Actions section of Appendix A.
• Axcient Backup Client is used for cloud backup and/or monitoring. The Axcient Backup Client allows you to instantly backup and restore data locally and remotely, monitor the status of backups for all accounts using the Axcient Backup Portal, and receive instant notifications of errors/warnings, lack of backups, and unexpected disk usage changes. You will also use the Axcient Backup Client software to send backup images to the Axcient Cloud.
• Axcient Brand Converter Wizard converts the Axcient brand to your custom brand. The wizard copies the settings, logs, and incremental backup cache from one brand to another.
• VirtualBox is a cross-platform virtualization application that simplifies the installation on the BDR appliance.
• TeamViewer QuickSupport is a highly secure remote maintenance solution. TeamViewer allows the Axcient technical support team to provide remote support to you.
• UltraVNC  is an open source application for Windows that provides an encrypted client/server remote connection. We only install the UltraVNC client which allows you to remotely connect to a server (much like remote desktop).
• Sysinternals Suite is a collection of system utilities used to manage, troubleshoot, and diagnose Windows systems and applications.
• Chocolatey is a package manager for Windows that Axcient uses to distribute and install application binaries and documentation.
• EFS Repo Updater  provides the capability to update the BDR software after the initial installation.
• (optional) Kroll Granular Protection Recovery for Exchange (GRE) is a Microsoft Exchange mail recovery software that expedites recovery of mailboxes, folders, messages, calendar items, and tasks. 

In addition to installing BDR related software, the BDR Builder setup utility makes the following modifications to the Windows Server environment: 

• Disables hibernation on Windows Server 2008.
• Creates Firewall RulesAdds sites to Internet Explorer Trusted Sites List.  Trusted sites are needed to access management interfaces and vendor websites. 

Note: The BDR Builder setup utility is around 600 MB in size. Please plan appropriately by using a high speed internet connection to efficiently download the files.

Once the BDR software has been installed, the shared folder C:\Appliance\SetupPrograms will be accessible from your server. This folder contains setup programs that you may find useful. It is accessible to all users (including guests) but is only writable to users in the Administrator group.

If you chose to install ShadowProtect, the two network shares X:\LocalVolumeImages and X:\VolumeImages will both be accessible by users in the Administrator group.

The BDR Builder setup utility will create different firewall rules depending on the software installed.

Troubleshooting

While the BDR Builder setup utility installer has been rigorously tested, it simply isn't possible to test every possible combination of hardware and software. For the highest success rate, here are some tips for installation:

• Install .NET 4.5 and .NET 3.5 prior to running the BDR Builder.
• Run the installer from an administrator account and verify that you have permission to install programs to the C: drive
• Determine whether your X: drive is accessible from the administrator account by trying to navigate to the drive in an administrative PowerShell console and confirm that you have permission to read and write files in it.

For assistance with issues that arise during installation, please submit a ticket at https://axcient.com/partner-support/ and include your installation logs.