Getting started with automatic backup

The optional backup module lets you automatically keep a history of your AtikTeam application on your own server. With it, you can browse your data regardless of the state of the network, of the service or of your subscription.

Activation

First, you need to order this optional module to activate it in the interface. To do this, go to your management console and modify your subscription. Contact us for any question about this.

Principle

A dedicated program installed on your machine takes care of making periodic backups. You can browse this data with a simple web browser.

Important notes:

  • all projects are backed up, enabled and disabled
  • no access control is applied in the backup when viewing data. Indeed, this system is designed as a static backup of online data, it is not a local version of the application. As such, all the dynamic features of the application (data access permissions, full-text search, dynamic generation of schedules etc.) are missing from the backup.

You can keep multiple backups if you want, in order to guarantee traceability and the possibility of going back "in the past" to view data that has changed since.

The data retrieval and storage technique is very fast. Only the differences from one version to another are downloaded and stored. Thus, a new backup uses only little bandwidth and storage.

Installation and launch

You must download the AtikTeam Backup Agent, which takes care of backups automatically from a computer on your own network. This component exists for MS Windows (10+), as well as for Linux as a static build.

This agent is self-contained and does not require any installation procedure. Place the file wherever you want to run it. Remove the file if you no longer need it.

Download AtikTeam Backup Agent from GitHub

MS Windows

If you run Microsoft Windows, you must download the version with WINDOWS in the filename. Save this program in a safe folder.

Download AtikTeam Backup Agent from GitHub

To launch it, just click on it: a dialog window opens to inform you of the program's operating status.

To start the program automatically when you start your system, follow this procedure:

  • right click, then create a shortcut.
  • open the Start menu, then Applications
  • add your shortcut in the Startup menu

GNU/Linux

You can download the Linux version of the agent for your Linux system from this page.

Download AtikTeam Backup Agent from GitHub

  • Save the executable to a folder of your choice
  • make it executable: chmod u+x atikteam-backup-agent...
  • run it from a terminal: ./atikteam-backup-agent...

For a summary of options, use the -h option.

Daily operation

The backup program must run in the background to perform new backups and serve the data. To stop it, close the dialog window.

Browse your backups

Access your backup software with your browser, typically at http://localhost:5500. To change the port, see the settings documentation below.

Enter the backed up application, and choose the date to browse. You can navigate the past thanks to the incremental backup system.

The data display is minimal, so that you can quickly find your information.

Use the menu at the top of the pages to go back, and click on the date to navigate to another date.

Backup system settings

You access your backup software with a web browser, at http://localhost:5500.

If this port is not available on your system, add the -p PORT setting to the launch command of your program, and log on to http://localhost:PORT.

Start backing up your application

An authorization key is required to start backing up your application. You will find this key in the Admin section of your AtikTeam application (your online application, not the backup). See the admin documentation. Copy this key, paste it into your backup application, then validate.

Warning: this security key is a secret token used to authorize the software to access and back up your data. Like your own password, do not share it, as anyone who has it would be able to download your data just like you.

Backup settings

Set the parameters in the form of your application, and click save.

First backup

The first backup may take several hours, depending on the size of your application and the speed of your network. Leave it running as long as necessary. You can stop it without issue, it will resume downloading automatically at the next launch.

Next backups

The following backups will be much faster thanks to incremental backup, and will be done automatically in the background while the program is running.