Backup - Setting up a Free Remote Backup Account on Mozy.com

Mozy.com Remote Backup

Mozy.com offers a free 2 Gigabyte backup service. They offer both Mac and Windows desktop software clients to this service. To sign up for a free home account, click on the Home Users 'Sign Up Now' button on their main web page.

Sign up for a Free Account

Fill in the requested information. It is recommended that you use a company email address, so it can be referenced in the future. That is, use info@yourcompany.com, instead of your own personal email address. That way, if you leave the company, the person following you can still get access to the system.

Choose a strong password and ensure that it is recorded somewhere that other members of the management team can access it.

Email Confirmation

Shortly after filling in the Mozy sign up form, you should receive an email something like the above with a confirmation that your account has been setup. With this in hand, you can get started setting up a remote backup with Mozy.com.

Downloading the MozyHome Client

Mozy offers a nice little desktop backup application that takes care of scheduling and uploading your backup to their service.

In your browser's address bar, type https://mozy.com/login, then press Enter.

Specify your email address and password in the appropriate fields, then click Log In.

In the left-hand navigation, click Download Mozy.

Click Download for Mac.

Browse to the location where you want to save the file, then click Save File.click Save File.

Download the Mozy Backup Client Software

Installing the Client

Once you have downloaded the MozyHome .dmg file, double-click the file to create the Mozy folder on the desktop.

Double-click the Mozy folder to open it, then double-click the Mozy x.x.x.xInstaller.pkg file to start the installation.

Click Continue, then click Continue again to continue the installation.

Read the License Agreement, click Continue, then click Agree to continue the installation.

Select the destination volume where you would like MozyHome to be installed, then click Continue. MozyHome for Mac is installed to the Applications folder of the selected volume.

Once you have verified the installation location, click Install.

In order to install Mozy, you must authenticate with your Mac's administrator name and password. Enter the administrator's name and password in the appropriate fields, then click OK.
Figure 1. Authentication Window

Once the installation is complete, click Close to launch the Mozy Setup Assistant.

Using the Configuration Wizard

Start the MozyHome Setup Assistant.

Depending upon your selection when you finished the installation, you have two choices for starting MozyHome.

The MozyHome Setup Assistant might have already started automatically after the installation.

If the MozyHome Setup Assistant is not running, click the MozyHome icon in the menu bar, then click Configure Mozy.

Specify your username (this is your email address) and password in the appropriate fields.

Click Next.

Configuring Encryption

You can select from mulitple encryption types:
Use Mozy's key
Use a personal key

Select one of the following choices:
Use Mozy's key
Use a personal key

It is recommended that you select the Mozy key.

Selecting Backup Sets

Backup sets have been prebuilt for file types that are common to most users. By default, each of these backup sets that pertain to your files is selected for backup.

Right click the Mozy icon in the system tray, then select Configure.

Click the checkbox next to the backup set to include it in your backup. You can double-click the name of the set to view a list of files that is included in the backup set.

To select exclude backup sets from the backing up, deselect the checkbox next to the backup set.

You can also edit the backup sets from this screen by double-clicking the name of the backup set. For instructions on editing custom backup sets, see Creating Custom Backup Sets.
Once you have finished selecting your backup sets to include, click Save Configuration.

Creating Custom Backup Sets

MozyHome also allows you to create custom backup sets for your specific needs.

Click the Mozy icon on the menu bar.
Click Configure Mozy.
Click the + button below the backup sets panel.
When the Edit Backup Set window appears, specify a name for your new backup set in the Backup Set Name field.
Click Browse to browse to the location that the backup set should search for the files and folders that match the Spotlight query.
Click Save to save your new backup set. The newly created backup set appears in the list of available backup sets in the Backup Sets window.

Selecting Files and Folders

The Files and Folders tab allows you to select or deselect any files or folders on your system to include with your MozyHome backup. This method differs from backup sets because instead of searching for a file type, MozyHome searches for individual files and folders to back up. MozyHome does not support "unfixed" or removable drives such as thumb, flash, or external drives. If you want to back up data from a removable drive, first copy the data onto one of your fixed drives, then select the data for back up.

Click the Files and Folders tab.
Figure 1. Files and Folders

Select the folder or file to include in the backup.
Select the Back up checkbox next to the file or folder that is selected below the browse panel.
When you select a folder, all its subfolders and files are included as well.

About Deleting, Moving, and Renaming Files

After you remove files from the backup by deselecting them, on each subsequent backup, the files that you unchecked are marked for deletion on the MozyHome servers. When a file is unchecked, MozyHome immediately releases the quota used by that particular file. The most recent version is kept for the amount of time allotted to your account, after which the files are irretrievable. Previous versions of files do not count against your quota.

MozyHome recognizes when you delete, move, or rename files on your system, and updates the copies on the Mozy server with each backup. MozyHome keeps an exact copy of your selections on the Mozy servers, meaning that all changes (deletions, moves, etc.) of files on your system are mirrored.

When you rename a file on your system, MozyHome treats it as a deletion of the old file and a creation of a new file with the same content. If you need to restore the file, and the restore date is prior to the renaming, the file bears the old name. After the date of renaming, the file carries the new name. All versions are kept as long as they are selected in the file list.

When you move a file from one location to another on your file system, MozyHome treats this in the same manner as a renaming.

Restoring Files

In the event of a catastrophic computer failure or loss, you might need to restore backed up files from Mozy's online site. There are three methods for performing a file restore:

Options
In-Client Restores:    Allows you to restore from the menu bar.
Restoring from the Web:    Allows you to download files from the Mozy Web site.
Restoring from DVD:    Allows you to order DVDs of your files from the Mozy Web site.

Unless you are restoring from a DVD, Mozy restores your files to their original location on your hard drive.

Important: You cannot perform a restore when the machine is in the process of a backup.

Restoring Files using the Desktop Mozy Client Software

This is the preferred mode of backup. Only use the web backup if for some reason this route does not work.

Click the MozyHome icon in the menu bar, then select Restore Files. The Restore Files window appears.
Figure 1. Restore Window

In the Backup Date drop-down list, select the date and time that correspond to the backup you want to restore.

Click the name of the folder in the left panel and the files in the right panel to be restored.

Click Browse, then browse to the location that you want to restore the files.

Click Restore to restore the files.

If the destination directory is not empty, then you receive a warning informing you that any files with the same name will be overwritten. To continue with the restore, click Continue.

Restoring from the Web

When you request a Web restore, Mozy gathers your files and sends an email with a link to download your files. Your restored files are only available to download for 7 days. Once those 7 days expire, the files are no longer available for download. Additionally, once you download the files the first time, they are no longer available for download. Once your restore request has expired, you can peform another restore request.

When you restore files from the Web, you have the option of downloading the files or paying to have the restored files copied to DVDs and shipped to you.

In your browser's address bar, type https://mozy.com/login, then press Enter.

Click My Computers.

Click Search / List Machines.

Click the name of the computer from which you want to restore files.

Click Restore Files.

From the Restore Options page, click Choose Files To Restore.

When restoring from the Web, Mozy does not preserve your file metadata, such as Date Created or Date Modified. To restore your files with metadata, perform a restore through your MozyHome client.

Choosing Files to Restore

Click the button called "Choose Files to Restore".

Navigate to the File

Use the tree structure on the left to navigate down to the file or folder you wish to backup. Then click the selection box to the left of the selected item in the right hand panel. Finally, click 'Continue' to begin the download to your computer.

Waiting for it...

Select Restore Option

Depending on the size of the restore, you may want to get it shipped on DVD (not). Click the Web Restore button.

Email response

Once the system has extracted the file, Mozy will email you with instructions on how to download your backup. As you can see, using the Mozy Desktop Client software is much more straightforward approach to restoring backups.