Crashplan

What is Crashplan?

• Crashplan is a backup solution that automatically takes a local backup of your profile on your computer(s) throughout the day as long as it is powered on and connected to the internet. This application allows for user-initiated data retrieval with ease of access from wherever it is required. Backup data is stored, encrypted and de-duplicated. 

What is actually backed up?

• All user profiles on the machine
• On a macOS : Macintosh HD/Users/
• On Windows: C:\Users\

How does it work?

• Once Crashplan has been installed on your computer, you would log into the application and start an initial file scan of your machine. Once the initial scan is complete, a full backup will commence. Once the first backup has been taken, incremental backs will be taken every 15 minutes. Incremental backups consist of any file changes that have been made since the previous backup. This process allows consistent up to date file backup and recovery. 

How long does my first backup take?

• The first backup time varies on how much data is on the machine. It can take hours or sometimes a full day. But the backup runs in the background and does not slow down your computer.

How can I recover my data?

• Data can be recovered/accessed via the Crashplan application or through a Crashplan web console. Both methods can be used to backdate to a certain day/month a backup was taken to recover a file in the state that it was. 

Do I need to be on a CU network to backup?

• No. As long as the computer is powered on and connected to the internet, the machine will have the capability to back up. 

How often do the backups run?

• Backups are scheduled to run every 15 minutes throughout the day

Will Crashplan slow down my computer?

• After your initial backup, the Crashplan app only backs up changes you make to your files. It also runs in the background and most times you may not even know it's running.

How do I restore data?

• Data can be restored via the Crashplan application under “Retrieve Files” 

Is my data secure?

• Yes, your data is encrypted and secure.

What should I do about this email notification I received about not backing up?

• If this email is received, it means that your machine has not connected to perform a backup. To force a backup, connect to the internet and launch the Crashplan application. There is an option to “Run backup now”.  If you are unable to resolve the issue, please call the CUIT service desk at (212)854-1919 or email askcuit@columbia.edu to create an incident.