MultiSite Manager
User guide

The All Sites tabs

When the All Sites tab is shown, the tabs below it will be the Reports tab and Licenses tab, which provide information for the sites displayed under the All Sites tab.

All Sites

The All Sites tab displays the BackupAssist sites that have been registered to the MultiSite Manager. A site is a set of grouped computers (BackupAssist installations) located in the same local area network Computers from different networks cannot be grouped into the same site.

The example below shows three sites, with columns of information about each site. Selecting the right edge of a column will open a drop down list of sorting options, filters and column selections.

The following functions are available on the All Sites tab:

MultiSite Manager - All Sites tab

Access site

This button will take you to the Manage Site screen, for the site selected.

Edit

This button allows you to add or edit a comment. The comment will appear in the site’s Comment field.

Remove

This button will remove the selected site from the MultiSite Manager.

Pending registrations

This button is used to approve Site Controllers that have been registered with the MultiSite Manager. This button will be red if registrations are awaiting approval. Selecting the Pending Registrations button will open a dialog and display any pending requests. You can then select the Approve tick next to the Site Controller to add its site to the MultiSite Manager. Select Refresh to update the sites listed.

Refresh

This button will refresh the listed sites and their information.

Reports tab

The Reports tab displays information about all backup jobs on all computers managed by MultiSite Manager. This information is divided into three screens: Alerts, Jobs (24hrs) and Last Status Of All Jobs. The Reports tab is also used to configure a Global Email Report.

• The Reports tab will only display backup jobs that are enabled in BackupAssist.
• The drop-down arrow by each column's heading allows you to select what columns are displayed.

Alerts

When you select this button, the Alerts screen will display:

• Backup jobs with Alerts sections - lists all backup jobs with alerts.
• If you click refresh, the alerts displayed will be updated.
• If you click on Full report in the Errors / Warning column, the backup report for that job opens.
• If you click the Knowledgebase BA error code, the knowledgebase article for that error opens.
• Non-Contactable Machines section - lists all computers in all sites that are not currently accessible.
• Machines with expired BackupAssist Trial or Upgrade protection / BackupCare section.

MultiSite Manager - Reports tab

Jobs (24Hrs)

When you select this button, all backup jobs that ran in the last 24 hours will be displayed. This will include both successful backup jobs and backup jobs with errors / warnings.

• The View Reports button will display the past backup jobs run by the selected backup job.
• The Refresh button will update the status of the backup jobs displayed.

Last Status Of All Jobs

When you select this button, the last backup report for every backup job will be displayed. This will include both successful backup jobs and backup jobs with errors / warnings.

• The View Reports button will display the past backup jobs of the selected backup job
• The Refresh button will update the status of the backup jobs displayed.

Global Email Report

This button opens the Global Email Report configuration screen. Use this screen to enable daily email notifications. The Global Email Report provides a snapshot of all backup jobs in all sites.

To enable Global Email Reports, select Activate notification emails and enter the following information:

MultiSite Manager - Global Email

1. From: Use this field to enter the name you want to appear in the From field in the email's header.
2. To: Enter the recipients email addresses in separate lines, by pressing enter after each recipient.
3. SMTP Server: Enter the mail server information for the mail account that will be sending the emails.
4. MultiSite Reports: Select the type of information to be included in the report.
5. Every day at: Select the time of day that the report is to be sent
6. Use the Test settings and connection type button, if you want to send a test email.

Licenses tab

The Licenses tab displays the status of all BackupAssist licenses in all sites. Use the drop down arrow by each column’s heading to select the columns that are displayed and to sort their contents.

All Sites - Licenses tab

Info

This button will display the licenses of a selected computer and how long each license is valid for.

To update licenses you need to use the Site Licenses tab with the Manage Site tab selected

The Manage Site tabs

When you select a specific site in the All Sites tab, MultiSite Manager will display the Manage Site tab. At the Manage Site level, the next two tabs displayed are Site Alerts and Site Licenses. The content displayed in these three tabs is for the selected site.

The Manage Site tab displays two levels of information:

• Manage Site (All computers) - Default, to manage all BackupAssist computers in the selected site.
• Manage Site (Single computer) - For managing all backup jobs on a selected computer.

This section explains the two Manage Site tab levels, the Site Alerts tab and the Site Licenses tab.

Manage Site - All computers

This tab is used to manage computers in the selected site, and includes the Remote Update and Initiate Remote Session features.

A BackupAssist computer is added to a site using the BackupAssist Remote tab > Remote Setup option. This section explains the options and features available for computers that have been added to a site.

Manage Site – Computers

Access Computer

This button (or double clicking a computer) will open the selected computer and display its backup jobs.

Edit

This button allows you to add or edit a comment. The comment will appear in the site’s Comment field.

Remove

This button removes the selected computer from the site.

Manage update

This button is available (instead of Remote update) if the Site Controller is selected.

The button opens a window that lists:

• The version of BackupAssist installed on the Site Controller.
• The version of BackupAssist downloaded from BackupAssist and ready for deployment.
• The current version of BackupAssist available from BackupAssist.com.

Download will download the most recent copy of BackupAssist and store it in the BackupAssist directory of the Site Controller. This copy will be used to install and update BackupAssist on other computers.

Install will install the downloaded version of BackupAssist onto the Site Controller.

Support

The support button opens an email template, so you can send a support request to BackupAssist Technical support. The template allows you to select BackupAssist installations within the site and send their BackupAssist diagnostics, as well as the MultiSite Manager diagnostics, with the support request.

Manage Site - Remote update

Remote update

Remote Update is used to update the version of BackupAssist installed on computers within the site. The Remote Update button will appear when a Regular BackupAssist Computer is selected.

To perform an update:

1. Downloaded the latest version of BackupAssist using the Site Controller's Manage Update feature.
2. Select the Remote Update button to open a dialog for the selected computer.
3. Enter the Remote Computer Credentials. The credentials can be the remote computer's BackupAssist User Identity or a Windows account with permission to install software onto the remote computer.
4. Select Update Computer.

Initiate Remote Session

This menu item is used to initiate a remote session to the selected computer. This feature allows you to remotely create and modify backup jobs and perform remote restores. See the, Remote Control of BackupAssist section, to learn more about this feature and how to use it.

Refresh

This button will reload and update the list of computers in the site

Manage Site - Single computer

When you open a computer from the Manage Site tab, you can view the backup jobs, reports and system information for that computer using three screens: Manage, Reports and System Info.

This section explains each of these options and their features.

Manage Site – Backup jobs

Manage

This default screen is used to manage the backup jobs on the computer, using the following options:

• Edit Job: Initiates a BackupAssist remote session to the computer so that the backup job can be edited. See the, Remote Control of BackupAssist section for more information.
• Enable Job & Disable Job: Enables or disables the selected backup job.
• View Reports: Opens a window with a list of past backup reports for the selected job. Double-clicking a backup report from the list, will open the report.
• Run Job & Cancel Job: Start or stop the selected backup job.
• Launch Job Monitor: Displays a summary of the last backup job that was run. This window will automatically open when Run Job is selected and display the job's progress in real-time.
• Refresh: Updates the backup jobs displayed and their status.

Reports

This screen lists the reports of all backup jobs that have been run on the BackupAssist computer. Select View Backup Report or double-click the report to display its contents.

System Info

This screen displays system information such as the selected computer’s operating system and the version of BackupAssist installed.

Site Alerts

The Site Alerts tab is used to manage alerts within a site by providing:

• A list all current alerts on all computers in the site.
• A list of computers with expired BackupAssist Trial or Upgrade Protection / BackupCare in the site.
• Email report configuration for all backup jobs on all BackupAssist computers within the site

Site Alerts tab

Alerts requiring attention for the selected site

This section is used to access alert information within the site.

• An alert is an error / warning reported by a backup report.
• The alerts displayed are from a backup job's most recent backup report.

The following actions can be performed:

• If you click on Full report in the Errors / Warning column, the backup report for that job will open.
• If you click the Knowledgebase BA error code, the knowledgebase article for that error will open.
• Select Refresh to recheck the backup reports and update the results displayed.

Site Email report

This button opens the Site Email Report configuration window. Use this window to enable daily email notifications to a defined selection of recipients. The email can provide a snapshot of all backup jobs in the site. The Test settings and connection type button will send a test email.

The configurations for this email use the same setup as described in the Global Email Report item under the All Sites Report tab section.

Machines with expired BackupAssist Trial or Upgrade Protection / BackupCare

This section displays any computer with expired BackupAssist Trial or Upgrade Protection / BackupCare.

Site licenses

The Site Licenses tab displays the status of all BackupAssist licenses in the site. You can use this tab to buy, renew, activate and deactivate any BackupAssist license or Add-on license.

To view the licenses for all sites, select the License tab while the All Sites tab is selected.

Site Licenses tab

The following buttons are used to administer BackupAssist keys and licenses.

Buy

This button will take you to the BackupAssist purchasing page, so you can buy BackupAssist licenses and Add-on licenses.

Renew

This button will open the BackupAssist BackupCare renewal page, where you can extend the BackupCare for your BackupAssist licenses.

Activate License

Selecting activate will open a dialogue that allows you to enter a license key to activate the selected license.

Deactivate license

Selecting deactivate will open a confirmation prompt to deactivate the selected license.

Info

This button will display a list of all BackupAssist licenses on a selected computer, and how long each license is valid for.

Refresh

Selecting refresh will recheck the licensing information and refresh the Site Licenses displayed.

Remote Control of BackupAssist

MultiSite Manager can be used to open a remote BackupAssist session on another computer.

The remote session will give you access to:

• The Backup tab so you can create and modify your backup jobs.
• The Restore tab so you can run:
• The BackupAssist Restore Console
• The BackupAssist SQL Restore tool
• The BackupAssist Hyper-V Restore Console
• The BackupAssist Exchange Granular Restore console
• The Settings and Remote tab so you can modify your BackupAssist settings. 

To start a remote BackupAssist session:

1. From the All Sites tab, select the site with the computer that you want to open a remote session to.
2. From the Manage Site tab, select the computer that you want to open a remote session to.

3. Select, Initiate Remote Session. If Initiate Remote Session is greyed out, review the MultiSite Manager Setup guide's Remote Setup section.

When you select Initiate Remote Session, a RDP configuration file will be downloaded by your web browser. This download can prompt web browser specific messages.

If this is the first time you have opened a remote session, read the information in the dialog.


4. Select and Open the RDP connection file

When you select the RDP file, a remote connection will be initiated and you will be asked to confirm that you want to run the program.

• Select Connect to proceed with the remote session.
• Select the tick box if you do not want to be prompted with this message again.



5. Authenticate the remote connection

When you select Connect the remote session's authentication window will open.

Enter the username and password for the remote computer. These are the credentials you would use to log into the computer locally.

6. Once you have authenticated, a remote BackupAssist session will be established.

If User Account Control is enabled on the remote machine, a Yes confirmation will be required to allow the program to run before the remote session is established.

Using a remote session

When the connection is established, BackupAssist will open. The BackupAssist session is displayed on the computer running the MultiSite Manager web application, but running on the remote computer and updating the remote computer’s BackupAssist installation.

Remote session view

The heading at the top of the BackupAssist session will display the remote computer's name.

You can use this remote BackupAssist session to access the Backup, Restore, Settings and Remote tabs.

When you have finished using the remote session, select File > Exit.

MultiSite Manager Welcome menu

The MultiSite Manager Welcome menu appears at the top right of the MultiSite Manager web application. This menu has six options available, and each one is explained below.

Welcome menu

Welcome Setup

Displays an overview of the MultiSite Manager setup process and a link to the setup guide.

Edit Setup

Allows you to change the MultiSite Manager authentication information and HTTPS / Port settings. These options are documented in detail in the MultiSite Manager Setup guide.

Support

The Support option allows you to send a support request to BackupAssist Technical Support. You can also select and send diagnostics for the MultiSite Manager’s computer. To provide diagnostic information for BackupAssist computers in a site, select the Support button from the Manage Site level.

License info

Provides information about the MultiSite Manager’s license subscription.

About

Displays the currently installed version of MultiSite Manager.

Logout

Selecting logout will take you back to the MultiSite Manager login screen.