4️⃣Administrator Guide

SmartBackup Administrator Responsibilities

As a SmartBackup Administrator, you oversee critical data management tasks including user Backup, Archive, Export, and ShadowCopy operations. Your role includes configuring schedules, batch files, and automation tasks that dictate when these functions are executed.

You can also leverage the new Housekeeping Services section and built-in scheduler to streamline and optimize your scheduling workflows.

Overview

SmartBackup is a software application that is downloaded from the AcuWorkflow website and installed on a local Windows computer under the full security, control and management of the customer or the customer’s IT team. The software can be installed on a physical computer, or it can be installed on any Windows instance, including virtual machines on local or cloud-based servers and services such as AWS and Microsoft Azure.

All customer data is always under full control of the customer SmartBackup administrator, or IT team. This provides the highest possible security for customer data.

SmartBackup includes the following key functional areas:

• A - Each user's Smartsheet area; including Home, Workspaces, folders, and data.

• B - Each user's designated Backup Vault area.

• C - Your organization's designated external storage area for Export and ShadowCopy.

1. Backup - Obtains a list of all workspaces and assets in “A”, then decides what to backup based on what was recently modified and creates a copy of those items in “B”, the Vault. At any time, a user can restore deleted or damaged data in “A” by copying the data from the most recent backup copy in the vault, “B”.

2. Archive – This is a "vault clean-up" helper process which removes older copies from the vault to ensure that the vault does not get filled with old, irrelevant backup copies. [NOTE: in the latest release of SmartBackup, the Archive function no longer saves those older copies outside of Smartsheet. ShadowCopy is designed to save copies outside of Smartsheet]. In a future release, Archive will be fully integrated into the Backup function

3. Export - At scheduled intervals the SmartBackup Admin can run the Export function which will export all sheets that meet the export criteria for all active and enabled users in the Member list. Those exported copies will be saved to the designated Export area, “C” on the Windows instance. Note that due to changes to the Smartsheet API, the Export function will cease to function in the near future and is being replaced by the new ShadowCopy function.

4. ShadowCopy – Similar to Export, when it runs, the new ShadowCopy function identifies Sheets that meet the job criteria, and it exports copies of those Sheets and saves them to the designated Export area, “C” on the Windows instance. ShadowCopy is much faster and more reliable that the original Export function and is designed to replace the Export function.

In addition to these key functions, the latest release of SmartBackup includes several unique functions, including the new Housekeeping Services section and capabilities such as Refresh Members, and DRP Reports.

Making sense of the different operations:

When can each SmartBackup Function be run?

Backups, Archives, Exports or ShadowCopy can be run on-demand at any time or based on a regular schedule. Your specific environment will dictate the ideal backup arrangement, but in general, we recommend starting with the following:

• Backup: schedule to run Backup Incremental using “-d=3” every day.

• Archive: schedule to run Archive using “-a=14” every day.

• Export: schedule to run Export Incremental using “-d=3” every day (Older installations only).

• ShadowCopy: schedule to run ShadowCopy using “-d=3 -s -a” every day (All new and existing installations).

In addition to scheduling these key functions, it is also important to schedule other housekeeping functions using the Housekeeping Services settings. These include:

• Refresh Member list

• Run ShadowCopy

• Run DRP Reporting

While all the above functions can be run from the Console, they can also be scheduled to run at any time using scheduling tools like Windows Task Scheduler. In that case each function can be invoked directly by running the relevant .exe file. However, it is highly recommended to instead configure batch files to run each function. These RunBook batch files provide additional capabilities such as initialization steps, notifications, and error handling, which greatly improve the visibility and administrative insights.

Running SmartBackup

All SmartBackup functions can be invoked manually, on-demand, or they can be scheduled to run at any time. This includes the following:

Checklist

Before any process can run properly, you should:

1. Install SmartBackup, see Installation Guide.

2. Obtain a license, see Licenses.

3. Configure SmartBackup, see Setup Guide.

4. Setup your Member Vaults via the auto provision process.

Managing Licenses

You will need to have an active annual subscription in order to successfully run any SmartBackup functions. Contact the AcuWorkflow team for pricing and subscription information.

Obtaining an API Token

This section describes generating an API access token for the integration of Smartsheet into SmartBackup.

SysAdmin API Token

To generate or re-generate a SysAdmin API Token follow these steps:

1. Log into Smartsheet with an account that has Smartsheet Admin rights, then click on Profile button, usually bottom left.

2. Confirm that you can see the “Admin” section at the top of the list. This will indicate that you have sysadmin rights.

3. Next click on “Apps and Integrations" which will display the Personal Settings Form.

1. Click "API Access" which will allow you to Manage your API Tokens.

2. Click "Generate new access token" which will provide you with the SysAdmin API Token

Bypass Proxy Server

Should you deploy SmartBackup in an environment where cloud API calls is controlled with a Proxy server like Forcepoint, you must create rules on the Proxy Server to bypass the following domain calls:

1. license.acuworkflow.com

2. smartsheet.com

3. api.smartsheet.com

4. api.smartsheet.eu

5. api.smartsheet.au

Proxy Server condition is typically observed when SmartBackup abends or displays "API Token or VaultID incorrect" though you know you have supplied the right information. Again it is because SmartBackup is trying to make API calls to Smartsheet and the Proxy Server prevents outbound API calls.

Configure Settings

SmartBackup Administrators can further customize the platform by editing the config.yml file or by using Settings in the Console.

Settings

Please ensure when using the Console that you click on SAVE THE SETTINGS to affect any changes

Auto Provision Users and Vaults

One of the unique features of SmartBackup is that it uses a sysadmin API Token to perform all actions on behalf of the customer’s Smartsheet account. This means that SmartBackup can download and maintain a list of all the Smartsheet users in the organization, and then it uses that Member list when running each of the functions.

During initial configuration, in the Settings section of the SmartBackup Console, open the “Backup” section and you will find two large buttons: a green button called “Create User Backup Vaults” and an orange button called “Remove User Backup Vaults”.

Click on “Create User Backup Vaults” to setup the user vaults initially, and whenever you add or remove users to your Smartsheet account.

CAUTION: Clicking on the “Remove User Backup Vaults” button will delete any existing backup vaults for each user – including any backup copies contained in the vaults. Only use this feature when it is absolutely necessary to remove all vaults and data, or when doing a complete re-install.

NEW Feature: With Release 10, we introduced a new function called Refreshmembers. This new standalone app allows you to refresh the Member list at any time without first starting the SmartBackup Console. It also allows you to refresh the Member list on a scheduled basis via the command line, or Windows Task Scheduler. This means that you can schedule the Refreshmember.exe to run before you run the other functions like Backup and ShadowCopy. This will ensure that you always have an updated member list.

Automatically provision Users

SmartBackup sysadmin mode allows you to automatically provision Users from Smartsheet directly.

Automatically provision Backup Vaults

Sysadmin mode allows you to automatically provision Backup Vaults for each user.

The standard name for a provisioned Backup Vault is zz!~!-VAULT-do not delete!-:123456789012345. This is a standard SmartBackup name to identify a Workspace as a Backup Vault, where:

1. zz!~!-VAULT-do not delete!-: is a hardcoded name to identify it as a Backup Vault.

2. 123456789012345 is the generated Smartsheet ID for each User, and is available from the Members screen.

This way, even in sharable conditions, each User Vault will be easily identifiable.

When automatically creating Backup Vaults for each User a set of rules are applied:

1. If a VaultID is provided, it is checked for validity and that it links to a Workspace with the standard name.

2. If a VaultID is not provided or is invalid, a scan is done to see if a Workspace with standard name exists, if so VaultID and links are updated respectively.

3. If no Workspace can be found, a new Backup Vault with a standard name is created and a VaultID and links updated respectively.

When automatically deleting Backup Vaults for each User a set of rules are applied:

1. If a VaultID is provided, it is checked for validity and that it links to a Workspace with the standard name. If so, it will be removed and VaultID and links are removed.

2. If VaultID is not provided or is invalid, a scan is done to see if a Workspace with standard name exists, If so, it will be removed and VaultID and links are removed.

Running SmartBackup

SmartBackup was designed to run when required. Therefore each component can run completely independently or in conjunction with other components. The SmartBackup Administrator can select how and when to run each of the functions. The Backup, ShadowCopy, Archive, Refreshmembers, DRP Reporting and Export components run as a CMD program, and can be accessed in various ways, as described below.

via the Console

SmartBackup can be controlled via a web user interface called the Console. To invoke the Console double click on console.exe or click on the SmartBackup shortcut. After a short while a web page will be shown.

via the CMD Shell

If you're not familiar with the Command Prompt in Windows, officially called the Windows Command Processor and often abbreviated to CMD. It is the command line interface for Windows operating systems. A command line interface is a way of interacting with a computer directly using text commands.

There are a few ways to open the Command Prompt in Windows. Below are the most convenient:

1. Type "cmd" into the Start menu to search for it. Then click to invoke it

2. Press Windows key + R to open the Run box, then type "cmd" and hit Enter to open it

3. Or, using Windows Explorer, naviagte to the apps directory where you have installed Smartbackup and then type CMD in top line which will open it.

Type cd followed by the path where you have installed SmartBackup cd c:\smartbackup

Now you can invoke Backup function by typing backup which will start running a backup job. Simarlarly you can do the same with Archive or Export functions.

Each of these functions can be run with different settings, for example: backup -d=30 will start the function and will backup all sheets that were modified in last 30 days. The available settings for each function are shown in the Reference Guide.

via Task Scheduler

SmartBackup can be used with Windows Task Scheduler for scheduled automations.

This means if, for example, you want to run a Backup job every Monday at 18h00, you will have to create a task within Task Scheduler to do that. Please see Task Scheduler guide below on how to create scheduled tasks for SmartBackup.

One can use the Scheduling wizard in the Console (sub menu Schedule top right) to help define and manage tasks in Task Scheduler.

via other Applications

Great flexibility exists since operations could be invoked from other applications. You may perhaps have an Enterprise Job Scheduler or customized job operations applications. Typically these applications offer facilities to invoke cmdline programs e.g. archive.exe -a=5

via PowerShell

PowerShell is specifically called-out since it is one of the go to tools for system administrators. If your commands are embedded in a .bat file you can simply from PowerShell enter cmd.exe /c "c:/path/mybat.bat".

SmartBackup RunBook Guide

As described in the SmartBackup Documentation, all SmartBackup functions can be invoked either directly using the SmartBackup Console, or programmatically by executing the individual applications using a Windows Command line interface or Powershell, or they can be scheduled using Windows Task Scheduler or a similar scheduling tool.

However, we strongly recommend using “RunBook” batch files instead of invoking the application individually.

As outlined in the SmartBackup guides, it is highly recommended to create a set of RunBooks to efficiently manage scheduled SmartBackup functions.

By utilizing a RunBook approach instead of invoking individual SmartBackup functions directly, you gain greater control over task sequencing, allowing you to:

• Initialize tasks with specific parameters.

• Implement pre- and post-processing steps.

• Integrate customized notification methods suited to your needs as a SmartBackup administrator.

For SmartBackup tasks, we recommend creating several RunBooks, one for each function, and additional sets for multi-node deployments, in which case it will be possible to add a unique “node name” to each RunBook to make it easier to identify which node the function is running on.

These RunBooks also provide you with the ability to setup your own notifications using notification and messaging tools, and it also allows you to integrate with existing IT Management tools for error logging and escalation.

Notification Methods

This section introduces two notification techniques that enable you to send:

1. SMS-style notifications to your smartphone.

2. Email notifications for important updates.

While these are commonly used tools, your organization may have alternative solutions already deployed. Feel free to use those tools, referencing the sample RunBooks for guidance on how to invoke SmartBackup functions and determine appropriate notification timings.

Examples Covered

The following sections provide implementation examples using:

• ntfy.sh for real-time push notifications.

• Mailjet for sending email alerts.

Send Notifications Using ntfy.sh

ntfy (pronounced "notify") is a lightweight, HTTP-based publish-subscribe notification service. It enables you to send notifications to your phone or desktop via scripts from any computer or through its REST API. The service is highly flexible and 100% open-source.

For more details, visit: ntfy.sh.

Setting Up ntfy

To use ntfy, follow these steps:

1. Download and install the ntfy app on your mobile phone.

2. Subscribe to a topic within the app and assign it a name. If you're using the free version, choose a unique topic name, as public topics are accessible to anyone. To secure a reserved topic name, consider upgrading to the paid version.

3. In this example, we will subscribe to a topic called "MyTopic".

4. Integrate ntfy into your RunBook by adding a command that sends notifications using the "mytopic" topic. The app handles the rest.

Example: Sending Notifications via cURL

You can send a notification with a simple cURL command:

curl -d "Backup successful!" ntfy.sh/mytopic

Notification Triggers in RunBook

In the example RunBook batch files, notifications are sent at key points in the backup process:

• When the job starts

• Upon job completion

• If an error occurs

Feel free to customize these notifications to suit your requirements.

For further details, refer to the official ntfy documentation: docs.ntfy.sh.

Send Notifications via Email Using Mailjet

Mailjet is a user-friendly platform for designing and sending email marketing campaigns, newsletters, and automated emails. While Mailjet offers both free and paid plans, the free version is usually sufficient for scenarios involving low-volume emails with minimal formatting.

For more details, visit: Mailjet.

Setting Up Mailjet for Email Notifications

Using Mailjet as your email notification solution requires a few additional steps compared to ntfy.sh but remains straightforward:

1. Sign up for a Mailjet account.

2. Add and validate your domain: Register your organization's domain name(s) in Mailjet. Validate your domain by adding specific records to your DNS or requesting assistance from your IT team. Domain validation ensures emails sent via Mailjet are trusted and not marked as spam.

3. Generate API credentials: Navigate to API > API Key Management to create your API Key and Secret Key. Important: Store the Secret Key securely when generated, as this is the only time you’ll be able to see its full value.

Integrating Mailjet into Your RunBook

Once your domain is validated and API credentials are configured, you can integrate Mailjet into your RunBook batch files to send email notifications at critical stages:

• Job start

• Job completion

• Error occurrence

Refer to the official Mailjet documentation for guidance on creating batch scripts: Mailjet API Guide.

Example cURL Command line:

curl -X POST --user "APIKey:SecretKey" "https://api.mailjet.com/v3/send" -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d "{ "FromEmail":"[email protected]", "FromName":"SmartBackup", "Subject":"SmartBackup job named %name% Started", "Text-part":"Hello, your SmarBackup job named %name% started on %stamp%!", "Recipients":[{"Email":"[email protected]"}] }"

RunBook Examples

To streamline implementation, we have prepared a set of sample RunBooks for SmartBackup functions, utilizing both:

• ntfy.sh for real-time notifications.

• Mailjet for email alerts.

Using the Sample RunBook Batch Files

Before making any modifications:

1. Create a backup—make a copy of the original files.

2. Edit your copies using Notepad or a more advanced text editor like Microsoft Visual Studio Code.

Each sample batch file includes guidance and notes specifying:

• Which fields require modification.

• Where to input your custom configurations.

When using these RunBooks with Windows Task Scheduler, in the “Actions” section, specify the batch file path and name in the “Program/script” field. No other parameters are required as they are already set in the batch file.

Download the SmartBackup RunBooks

We have created the following Smartbackup RunBooks with default parameters that you can easily customize and use as is or modify as needed. One set uses ntfy.sh and the other set uses MailJet. These include the following:

• RunSBU-Backup: Run backup.exe daily with -i=incremental and -d=3.

• RunSBU-Archive: Run archive.exe daily with -a=14.

• RunSBU-Export: Run export.exe weekly with -i=incremental and -d=7.

• RunSBU-ShadowCopy: Run shadowcopy.exe weekly with -i=7

You can download the example SmartBackup RunBooks here:

RunBooks using ntfy.sh: https://acuworkflowllc.box.com/shared/static/8qqbaxmxczs910im780z4fpxhf6joyzx.zip

RunBooks using MaiJet: https://acuworkflowllc.box.com/shared/static/921czkd4zp66pwvo9i7m6xye8ebgsh89.zip

Note that it is important to review each of these example RunBooks and to customize them appropriately before running them individually or via Windows Task Scheduler.

Using the Console

HOME Screen

Invoke SmartBackup by clicking on the desktop shortcut or double click console.exe in the \apps folder. The following browser view will be shown after a slight delay by the Console Server. On day zero, a warning will be displayed, and all values will be unpredictable until the first backup run has been completed.

1. Sub menu - Click to view sub menu actions or Stopping the Console Server. It is a good practice to stop the Console Server when finished.

2. Main Menu - Show the primary actions around Backup, Archive and Exports

3. SmartBackup Vault Area - From Home screen this tile represents a view of the Vault area. When you click on it, the Tenants view will first be shown from where you can select the Vault of a given Tenant which will take you into the Vault within Smartsheet

4. SmartBackup Archive Area - From Home screen this tile represents a view of the Archive area. When you click on it, a Windows Explorer view will be opened on the root directory where archives are stored.

5. SmartBackup Export Area - From Home screen this tile represents a view of the Export area. When you click on it, a Windows Explorer view will be opened on the root directory where exports are stored

6. Smartsheet View - From Home screen this tile represents a view of your Smartsheet backup environment. It refreshes on every backup and maintains a copy of the frequency of your Smartsheet sheet changes. This information is valuable in determining the optimum backup set

BACKUP Screen

Click Backups on main menu on the left.

1. Run Now - Click on this to run Backup on demand. After a slight delay a message will appear that a Backup process has started.

2. Schedule - Click on this to view or create a Schedule for backups. The Windows Task scheduler is use for this purpose. If set Backups will be run according to the schedule.

3. Option - When clicking on the dropdown a slider option becomes visible that you can set. Backup uses this to determine the backup set. For example if set to 10 it means backup only sheets that was modified in last 10 days. When using the scheduler or when you invoke the backup component directly this option is effected by using the -d argument. For example backup.exe -d 15 means backup all sheets modified in last 15 days or backup.exe -d 999 effectively means backup all sheets

4. Run Status - Tile shows when last backup was taken. If any serious errors were encountered a red message will be shown, conversely a green message will be shown..

5. See previous runs - a calendar view will be shown with entries when last ran for backups, archives or exports

6. Backups to date - Table view of all backups to date

7. Source Link - when clicked will show the source sheet within Smartsheet for which the backup was done

8. Target Link - when clicked will show the backed-up copy within the Vault

9. Search - You can search the Backup Catalog

Task Scheduler

SmartBackup can be invoked using indows Task Scheduler for scheduled automations.

Please see Task Scheduler guide below on how to create scheduled tasks for SmartBackup.