Frequently Asked Questions


Here's a list of some of the most frequently asked questions pertaining to BackJack.

Please email us or call 1-888-421-0220 if we have not covered an area of concern or if you need support of any kind.

Backing Up

Question: What happens if BackJack cannot get a connection right away?

If BackJack has been unable to make a connection, you will receive a message on your screen letting you know that BackJack could not connect to the server. When you okay the message, the countdown window will appear in a couple of minutes to try again. It's at this point that you can defer it until the next scheduled time. Note this only applies to Scheduled connections as an 'Execute Now' won't have a schedule with which to retry.

Question: Will BackJack back up a file or folder that is in use?

No. In order for a backup to execute successfully, all files and/or folders that are scheduled to be backed up must be closed before the session begins. If the files/folders are in use when a backup occurs, you will receive an email indicating that there were problems with the backup and to check your Log file. If the file was in use, the Log will indicate that.

Question: Why does my backup seem to take longer than I think it should?

Since BackJack uses the internet to transfer files, it is subject to normal slowdowns that may be encountered.

Also, BackJack was designed to be a 'good citizen' while running in the background. There are two very important tasks that must be completed on your computer before BackJack can transmit a file to our secure servers. The first is compression and the second is 128 bit encryption. BackJack will take a lot longer to perform these tasks while running in the background thereby enabling you to work in other applications with minimal impact.

When BackJack is performing a backup, there is a progress screen that shows you the status of your backup. The status bar itself acts as a good indicator of how much time is remaining before completion. Also, there is a field at the bottom of the progress screen that will show you the exact activity taking place at that moment for each file being backed up. For example, it will tell you that it is Preparing, Compressing, Encrypting, Transferring or Confirming.

Question: What happens if a backup does not execute properly as scheduled?

If there has been a problem, for whatever reason, and BackJack was unable to execute a regularly scheduled backup, it will attempt to retry the backup as soon as you relaunch the program. You will see a countdown window that counts down from 15 seconds to notify you that it is going to try to re-attempt the failed backup. You have the choice of letting the backup proceed or deferring it until the next scheduled date and time.

Question: What happens if there is a problem during a backup session? (ie. connection is dropped, computer accidentally gets turned off, hydro goes out, etc.)

The session will of course be stopped part way through. The next time you go to do a backup, it will carry on like normal. You shouldn't notice any problems except that you won't receive an email for what was backed up during that first session.

Question: Why do I receive an email message after each backup session?

We wanted to provide a convenient way to let you know that the server had successfully captured the information for a session. The email message simply confirms this for you.

We also wanted you to be able to remotely monitor a computer and have the email sent to you directly so you can keep track from anywhere in the world. System Administrators can have all the emails sent dirctly to them if they want so they can monitor all backups.

Question: How are my backup storage costs calculated?

We offer all of our subscribers 40 free MB of file storage. If you exceed that amount, here's how we calculate the cost: your storage charges are calculated each day and the average for the month is used to determine your monthly storage amount.

Recovering

1. Why are there several copies of the same file in my Recover Window?

The default 'Revision Option' setting for BackJack is to keep 1 older copy of each file on our server as opposed to overwriting the file everytime a new backup is performed. As a user, you have the option to change these settings at any time.

If you prefer to change the revision option for a file or folder only, you can do so by going into the 'Configure Backup Sets' window, highlighting the file or folder you wish to change, and clicking on the 'Options' button. More details on what the options mean can be obtained by going to our Backup link.

Security

Question: What exactly is my Encryption Key?

When you first launch BackJack you will be taken through our Easy Setup process. As part of this process, you will generate an Encryption key that BackJack will use to encrypt and decrypt files on your computer. Once your files are encrypted, the only way to decrypt them is using this key. Therefore, you must never lose this key once it is generated for you!! If your key is lost, so are your files - we cannot help you since we will never know what your key is.

Question: How is the Encryption Key generated?

BackJack offers two ways to generate your encryption key - a Standard or an Advanced method. BackJack defaults to the Standard method; however, you may choose to use the Advanced method if you have the ability to get the key off of your hard drive and keep it in a safe, off-site location.

If you choose the Standard method to generate your encryption key, the pass phrase that you use is the key that you will use to decrypt files on your computer.

If you choose the Advanced method, you would first enter a pass phrase. Once you have done this and click on 'Generate Unique Key', the computer will randomly generate an encryption key for you. This document must be copied to a floppy disk and stored off-site. In the event of a disaster, you would require both the pass phrase and the encryption key document in order to decrypt your files.

We never know or have access to your encryption key - if your key is lost, so are your files!

Question: What is the difference between the Standard and Advanced method of generating an Encryption Key?

Here are the differences:

Standard Encryption Key Setup ...

  • requires that you enter a pass phrase which you must remember!
  • this pass phrase is all that is needed to decrypt files on your computer in the event of a disaster
  • if the pass phrase is found or known by someone else, they have the ability to access your information
  • uses 128-bit CAST encryption technology

Advanced Encryption Key Setup ...

  • requires that you enter a phass phrase which you must remember!
  • once you do this, a key is randomly generated for you which must be copied to a floppy disk and stored off site
  • both the pass phrase and the key would be required to decrypt your files in the event of a disaster
  • this method provides an added level of protection because of this; however, it puts more responsibility on you as a user since you are required to store the key off site and be able to produce both it and the pass phrase in the event of a disaster
  • uses 128-bit CAST encryption technology

Question: Why would I use one Encryption Key Setup method over another?

It is important to note that both methods use the same 128 bit encryption technology; therefore, the safety of your file transfer is not compromised with either method. There are, however, specific reasons why you may choose one method over another.

You would use the Standard method if:

  • you only want to produce (remember) the pass phrase that is necessary to decrypt your files in the event of a disaster
  • you are an iMac user who does not have the ability to copy the key to a floppy disk

You would use the Advanced method if:

  • you are able to get the key off your hard drive and keep it in a safe, off-site location
  • you are okay with the fact that you will be required to produce not only the pass phrase but also this key to decrypt your files in the event of an emergency (puts an added level of responsibility on you as a user)

Question: We have multiple computers at our location. Do we have to have a separate encryption key for each computer or can we share one?

Actually, the answer is both. Each computer user can generate his or her own encryption key. However, keep in mind that it is very important for them to remember the pass phrase (if they used the Standard encryption key setup method) or store their encryption key on a floppy disk stored off-site in the event of a disaster (if they used the Advanced encryption key setup method)!

It is also possible for a System Administrator to generate one encryption key and use it for all of the computers at that location. Obviously, this eases in the task of administration.

Disaster Procedures

Question: What happens if there is a disaster in our company (ie. hard disk failure, fire, flood, etc).

Remain calm! This can be a scary time; however, keep in mind that all of your critical files have been backed up to our secure servers and is available for recovery. Once you have re-established your hardware, call us!

You will need to download the BackJack application again from our web site at <www.backjack.com/trial.html>. Also, you will require either the pass phrase (if you used the Standard method of encryption key setup) or both the pass phrase and the encryption key (if you used the Advanced method of encryption key setup) that you generated during Easy Setup (should be stored off-site safe and secure on a floppy!)

Administration

Question: We have multliple computers at our location. Do we need a separate Account ID for each computer?

Not at all. BackJack has been designed so that you can back up multiple computers to any one Account ID. At the end of every 30 days, we even provide you with a detailed billing summary showing the activity for each computer you have listed under your single Account ID! You will be charged a small fee for each additional computer that you add to your BackJack account.

 

 

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Questions? Email support@backjack.com or Call 1-888-421-0220