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Revision as of 09:07, 27 October 2019 editDovidBenAvraham (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users2,550 edits Undid revision 923243516 by DovidBenAvraham to get back to Guy's version for ANI—thank you for suggestion Dirk Beetstra (talk)Tag: Undo← Previous edit Revision as of 04:41, 29 October 2019 edit undoDovidBenAvraham (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users2,550 edits →Lead: Proactive scripts are _unique_ to Retrospect—the patent expired in 2016, ref'd by SC Magazine, ; cite KissellTakeControl2.0 for Windows and Mac OS 9 clients; add KissellOnlineAppendixesBackupSoftware ref for backup server running on Mac/WindowsNext edit →
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{{other uses|Retrospect (disambiguation)}} {{other uses|Retrospect (disambiguation)}}


'''Retrospect''' is a family of software applications that ] computers running the ], ], and ] (and until 2019 ]) ]s. It uses the ] model.<ref name="KissellTakeControl2.0">{{cite book |last1=Kissell |first1=Joe |title=Take Control of Mac OS X Backups |date=2007 |publisher=TidBITS Electronic Publishing |location=Ithaca, NY |isbn=978-0-9759503-0-2 |edition=Version 2.0 |url=http://people.fas.harvard.edu/~techtool/pages/Take_Control_of_Mac_OS_X_Backups_(2.0).pdf |accessdate=4 May 2019 |ref=Kissell |pages=18-20 ("The Archive", meaning ], including versioning), 24 (client-server), 82-83 (archive file), 126-141 (old Retrospect terminology and GUI—still used in Windows variant), 127 (Archiving operation in Retrospect), 128 (subvolume—later renamed Favorite Folder in Macintosh variant), 130-132 (Duplicate—later renamed Copy in Macintosh variant), 146(versioning), 165 (client-server)}}</ref> '''Retrospect''' is a family of software applications that ] computers running the ],<ref name="KissellTakeControl2.0">{{cite book |last1=Kissell |first1=Joe |title=Take Control of Mac OS X Backups |date=2007 |publisher=TidBITS Electronic Publishing |location=Ithaca, NY |isbn=978-0-9759503-0-2 |edition=Version 2.0 |url=http://people.fas.harvard.edu/~techtool/pages/Take_Control_of_Mac_OS_X_Backups_(2.0).pdf |accessdate=4 May 2019 |ref=Kissell |pages=18-20 ("The Archive", meaning ], including versioning), 24 (client-server), 25 (Windows and classic Mac OS clients), 82-83 (archive file), 126-141 (old Retrospect terminology and GUI—still used in Windows variant), 127 (Archiving operation in Retrospect), 128 (subvolume—later renamed Favorite Folder in Macintosh variant), 130-132 (Duplicate—later renamed Copy in Macintosh variant), 146(versioning), 165 (client-server)}}</ref> ],<ref name="KissellTakeControl2.0" /> and ] (and until 2019 ]<ref name="KissellTakeControl2.0" />) ]s. It uses the ] model, with backup servers running on either macOS or Windows.<ref name="KissellOnlineAppendixesBackupSoftware">{{cite web |last1=Kissell |first1=Joe |title=Take Control of Backing Up Your Mac: The Online Appendixes |url=https://joeontech.net/extras/buym/ |website=JoeOnTech ||publisher=Alt Concepts Inc. |accessdate=26 October 2019 |at=Software for Versioned Backups or Bootable Duplicates(Retrospect Desktop line) |date=22 January 2019 |quote=}}</ref>


The product is focused on the ] (SME) market. It performs three types of backup: "A Recycle backup deletes a backup set and adds all files, and a New Media backup creates a new backup set, copying all the files not included. Again this represents all files. Once installed, scripts can also be introduced to enable Scheduled backup using predetermined information supplied by the administrator. This information contains source, destination and other criteria, which enables a backup session to scan and back up one volume at a time, requiring less memory than an immediate backup."<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.scmagazine.com/review/retrospect-backup-multi-server/ |title=Retrospect Backup Multi Server Product Review |access-date=2019-09-12 |language=en-US}}</ref> The product is focused on the ] (SME) market. It performs three types of backup: "A Recycle backup deletes a backup set and adds all files, and a New Media backup creates a new backup set, copying all the files not included. Again this represents all files. Once installed, scripts can also be introduced to enable Scheduled backup using predetermined information supplied by the administrator. This information contains source, destination and other criteria, which enables a backup session to scan and back up one volume at a time, requiring less memory than an immediate backup."<ref name="SCMagazineMultiServerProductReview">{{Cite web |url=https://www.scmagazine.com/review/retrospect-backup-multi-server/ |title=Retrospect Backup Multi Server Product Review |access-date=2019-09-12 |language=en-US|website=SC Magazine |publisher=CyberRisk Alliance, LLC |date=2003-06-01}}</ref>


The product is used for ]-scripted<ref name="MacworldRetrospect9">{{cite web |last1=Gripman |first1=Stuart |title=Retrospect 9.0: powerful backup for professionals, organizations |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/1166050/retrospect_9_0.html |website=MacWorld |accessdate=3 November 2017 |date=27 March 2012 |at=Setting it up(WebDAV), Scheduling scripts(GUI scripting), Restoring(file-level deduplication, Proactive priorities)}}</ref> backup. The product is used for ]-scripted<ref name="MacworldRetrospect9">{{cite web |last1=Gripman |first1=Stuart |title=Retrospect 9.0: powerful backup for professionals, organizations |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/1166050/retrospect_9_0.html |website=MacWorld |accessdate=3 November 2017 |date=27 March 2012 |at=Setting it up(WebDAV), Scheduling scripts(GUI scripting), Restoring(file-level deduplication, Proactive priorities)}}</ref> backup.

Proactive scripts were patented by the original developer in 1996.<ref name="JustiaProactivePatent">{{cite web |author1=Dantz Development Corp. |title=Backup system for computer network incorporating opportunistic backup by prioritizing least recently backed up computer or computer storage medium |url=https://patents.justia.com/patent/5966730 |website=Justia Patents |publisher=Justia |accessdate=29 October 2019 |date=30 October 1996}}</ref> They are usually left running at times that are ''not'' in the scheduled ], back up computers—frequently but not always mobile—transiently connecting to the network, determining backup priorities<ref name="SCMagazineMultiServerProductReview" /> by an "AI" algorithm that uses a decision tree supplemented with linear regression.<ref name="TitBITSMacintosh15.0">{{cite web |last1=Schmitz |first1=Agen |title=Retrospect 15.0 |url=https://tidbits.com/article/17856 |website=TitBITS |publisher=TidBITS Publishing Inc. |accessdate=22 March 2018 |date=19 March 2018 |quote=the BackupBot artificial intelligence feature}}</ref> As of 2019 Proactive scripts can use a Storage Group, which is automatically expanded as necessary with a Media Set for each source machine-volume, as a destination—enhancing opportunities for multithreading sources without ] bookkeeping.<ref name="ITProRetrospectBackup16Review" />


== History == == History ==
The software was first developed by Dantz Development Corporation in 1989, initially for the Macintosh platform<ref name=InfoWorldAppleBundlesTapeBackupWithRetrospect>{{cite web |last1=Flynn |first1=Laurie |title=Apple Bundles Tape Backup With Retrospect Software |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180525132747/https://books.google.com.au/books?id=wDAEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PT32&dq=Apple%20Tape%20Backup%2040SC&pg=PT32#v=onepage&q=Apple%20Tape%20Backup%2040SC&f=false |website=InfoWorld |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |accessdate=17 February 2019 |archivedate=25 May 2018 |page=33 |date=25 September 1989 |quote=...will bundle Dantz Development Corp.s Retrospect backup and archiving software with the Apple Tape Backup 40SC...}}</ref><ref name="TidBITS1.3Conclusion">{{cite web |last1=Engst |first1=Adam |title=Retrospect Conclusion |url=https://tidbits.com/1991/07/01/retrospect-conclusion/ |website=TidBITS |publisher=TidBITS Publishing Inc. |accessdate=25 August 2019 |date=1 July 1991}}</ref> and continuing later for Windows.<ref name="ITProRetrospectBackup16Review">{{cite web |last1=Mitchell |first1=Dave |title=Retrospect Backup 16 review: Virtually useless for virtual machines |url=https://www.itpro.co.uk/backup-software/34080/retrospect-backup-16-review-virtually-useless-for-virtual-machines |website=ITPro |publisher=Dennis Publishing |accessdate=28 August 2019 |date=24 July 2019}}</ref> With sales split evenly between the two variants and the Macintosh variant claiming 90% of its market, Dantz Development Corporation was acquired by ] in 2004.<ref name="MacworldHistory">{{cite web |last1=DeLong |first1=Derik |title=Retrospect's long and twisted road |url=http://www.macworld.com/article/1166085/retrospects_long_and_twisted_road.html |website=MacWorld |accessdate=4 October 2016 |date=27 March 2012}}</ref> In 2006 version 7.5, the refined first release of the Windows variant under EMC, added ] needed by ].<ref name="AlphrRetrospect7.5">{{cite web |last1=Mitchell |first1=Dave |title=EMC Retrospect 7.5 review |url=http://www.alphr.com/backup/29747/emc-retrospect-75-review |website=Alphr |publisher=Dennis Publishing |accessdate=4 October 2017 |date=20 April 2006}}</ref> The software was first developed by Dantz Development Corporation in 1989, initially for the Macintosh platform<ref name=InfoWorldAppleBundlesTapeBackupWithRetrospect>{{cite web |last1=Flynn |first1=Laurie |title=Apple Bundles Tape Backup With Retrospect Software |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180525132747/https://books.google.com.au/books?id=wDAEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PT32&dq=Apple%20Tape%20Backup%2040SC&pg=PT32#v=onepage&q=Apple%20Tape%20Backup%2040SC&f=false |website=InfoWorld |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |accessdate=17 February 2019 |archivedate=25 May 2018 |page=33 |date=25 September 1989 |quote=...will bundle Dantz Development Corp.s Retrospect backup and archiving software with the Apple Tape Backup 40SC...}}</ref><ref name="TidBITS1.3Conclusion">{{cite web |last1=Engst |first1=Adam |title=Retrospect Conclusion |url=https://tidbits.com/1991/07/01/retrospect-conclusion/ |website=TidBITS |publisher=TidBITS Publishing Inc. |accessdate=25 August 2019 |date=1 July 1991}}</ref> and continuing later for Windows.<ref name="ITProRetrospectBackup16Review">{{cite web |last1=Mitchell |first1=Dave |title=Retrospect Backup 16 review: Virtually useless for virtual machines |url=https://www.itpro.co.uk/backup-software/34080/retrospect-backup-16-review-virtually-useless-for-virtual-machines |website=ITPro |publisher=Dennis Publishing |accessdate=28 August 2019 |date=24 July 2019}}</ref> With sales split evenly between the two variants and the Macintosh variant claiming 90% of its market, Dantz Development Corporation was acquired by ] in 2004.<ref name="MacworldHistory">{{cite web |last1=DeLong |first1=Derik |title=Retrospect's long and twisted road |url=http://www.macworld.com/article/1166085/retrospects_long_and_twisted_road.html |website=MacWorld |accessdate=4 October 2016 |date=27 March 2012}}</ref> In 2006 version 7.5, the refined first release of the Windows variant under EMC, added ] needed by ].<ref name="AlphrRetrospect7.5">{{cite web |last1=Mitchell |first1=Dave |title=EMC Retrospect 7.5 review |url=http://www.alphr.com/backup/29747/emc-retrospect-75-review |website=Alphr |publisher=Dennis Publishing |accessdate=4 October 2017 |date=20 April 2006}}</ref>


Acquisition by EMC, under its Insignia brand, led to the product being briefly mothballed when Insignia was shut down in 2007. It was revived in 2008 and transferred to EMC's new acquisition ]. A "premature"<ref name="TidBITSEMCSells">{{cite web |last1=Engst |first1=Adam |title=Retrospect Backup Software Acquired by Sonic |url=https://tidbits.com/article/11311 |website=TidBITS |publisher=TidBITS Publishing Inc. |accessdate=12 September 2017 |date=18 June 2010}}</ref> release of Retrospect 8 in 2009 undermined its market after Apple introduced its competing ] ]. In 2010, Retrospect was sold to ], owned by ], which was then in turn acquired by ]. Rovi decided that it was not a core business, but a team who had worked on the product approached Rovi with the idea of spinning out as a separate company. Retrospect, Inc. was formed by a core team most of whom had worked on the product for ten years or more.<ref name="MacworldHistory" /> Retrospect 9 was introduced in 2012, to positive reviews.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Retrospect 9.0: powerful backup for professionals, organizations|url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/1166050/retrospect_9_0.html}}</ref> Acquisition by EMC, under its Insignia brand, led to the product being briefly mothballed when Insignia was shut down in 2007. It was revived in 2008 and transferred to EMC's new acquisition ]. A "premature"<ref name="TidBITSEMCSells">{{cite web |last1=Engst |first1=Adam |title=Retrospect Backup Software Acquired by Sonic |url=https://tidbits.com/article/11311 |website=TidBITS |publisher=TidBITS Publishing Inc. |accessdate=12 September 2017 |date=18 June 2010}}</ref> release of Retrospect 8 in 2009 undermined its market after Apple introduced its competing ] ]. In 2010, Retrospect was sold to ], owned by ], which was then in turn acquired by ]. Rovi decided that it was not a core business, but a team who had worked on the product approached Rovi with the idea of spinning out as a separate company. Retrospect, Inc. was formed by a core team most of whom had worked on the product for ten years or more.<ref name="MacworldHistory" /> Retrospect 9 was introduced in 2012, to positive reviews.<ref name="MacworldRetrospect9">{{cite web |last1=Gripman |first1=Stuart |title=Retrospect 9.0: powerful backup for professionals, organizations |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/1166050/retrospect_9_0.html |website=MacWorld |accessdate=3 November 2017 |date=27 March 2012 |at=Setting it up(WebDAV), Scheduling scripts(GUI scripting), Restoring(file-level deduplication, Proactive priorities)}}</ref>


In June 2019 the holding company StorCentric—which also owns ]—announced that it had acquired Retrospect Inc., which it will operate as an wholly owned independent subsidiary.<ref <ref name="PressReleaseStorCentricAcquiresRetrospectInc.">{{cite web |last1=Gallagher |first1=Emily |title=StorCentric Acquires Retrospect, Inc. to Offer Enhanced Backup and Recovery Software Solutions |url=https://www.retrospect.com/en/press/2019/06/25/retrospect_inc_joins_storcentric_family |website=Retrospect |publisher=Retrospect Inc. |accessdate=24 September 2019 |date=25 June 2019}}</ref> In June 2019 the holding company StorCentric—which also owns ]—announced that it had acquired Retrospect Inc., which it will operate as an wholly owned independent subsidiary.<ref <ref name="PressReleaseStorCentricAcquiresRetrospectInc.">{{cite web |last1=Gallagher |first1=Emily |title=StorCentric Acquires Retrospect, Inc. to Offer Enhanced Backup and Recovery Software Solutions |url=https://www.retrospect.com/en/press/2019/06/25/retrospect_inc_joins_storcentric_family |website=Retrospect |publisher=Retrospect Inc. |accessdate=24 September 2019 |date=25 June 2019}}</ref>
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== External links == == External links ==
* {{Official website}} * {{Official website|https://www.retrospect.com}}


] ]

Revision as of 04:41, 29 October 2019

For other uses, see Retrospect (disambiguation).

Retrospect is a family of software applications that back up computers running the macOS, Microsoft Windows, and Linux (and until 2019 classic Mac OS) operating systems. It uses the client–server backup model, with backup servers running on either macOS or Windows.

The product is focused on the small and medium enterprise (SME) market. It performs three types of backup: "A Recycle backup deletes a backup set and adds all files, and a New Media backup creates a new backup set, copying all the files not included. Again this represents all files. Once installed, scripts can also be introduced to enable Scheduled backup using predetermined information supplied by the administrator. This information contains source, destination and other criteria, which enables a backup session to scan and back up one volume at a time, requiring less memory than an immediate backup."

The product is used for GUI-scripted backup.

Proactive scripts were patented by the original developer in 1996. They are usually left running at times that are not in the scheduled "backup window", back up computers—frequently but not always mobile—transiently connecting to the network, determining backup priorities by an "AI" algorithm that uses a decision tree supplemented with linear regression. As of 2019 Proactive scripts can use a Storage Group, which is automatically expanded as necessary with a Media Set for each source machine-volume, as a destination—enhancing opportunities for multithreading sources without administrator bookkeeping.

History

The software was first developed by Dantz Development Corporation in 1989, initially for the Macintosh platform and continuing later for Windows. With sales split evenly between the two variants and the Macintosh variant claiming 90% of its market, Dantz Development Corporation was acquired by EMC Corporation in 2004. In 2006 version 7.5, the refined first release of the Windows variant under EMC, added performance features needed by SMEs.

Acquisition by EMC, under its Insignia brand, led to the product being briefly mothballed when Insignia was shut down in 2007. It was revived in 2008 and transferred to EMC's new acquisition Iomega. A "premature" release of Retrospect 8 in 2009 undermined its market after Apple introduced its competing Time Machine in late 2007. In 2010, Retrospect was sold to Roxio, owned by Sonic Solutions, which was then in turn acquired by Rovi. Rovi decided that it was not a core business, but a team who had worked on the product approached Rovi with the idea of spinning out as a separate company. Retrospect, Inc. was formed by a core team most of whom had worked on the product for ten years or more. Retrospect 9 was introduced in 2012, to positive reviews.

In June 2019 the holding company StorCentric—which also owns Drobo—announced that it had acquired Retrospect Inc., which it will operate as an wholly owned independent subsidiary.

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ Kissell, Joe (2007). Take Control of Mac OS X Backups (PDF) (Version 2.0 ed.). Ithaca, NY: TidBITS Electronic Publishing. pp. 18-20 ("The Archive", meaning information repository, including versioning), 24 (client-server), 25 (Windows and classic Mac OS clients), 82-83 (archive file), 126-141 (old Retrospect terminology and GUI—still used in Windows variant), 127 (Archiving operation in Retrospect), 128 (subvolume—later renamed Favorite Folder in Macintosh variant), 130-132 (Duplicate—later renamed Copy in Macintosh variant), 146(versioning), 165 (client-server). ISBN 978-0-9759503-0-2. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  2. Kissell, Joe (22 January 2019). "Take Control of Backing Up Your Mac: The Online Appendixes". JoeOnTech. Alt Concepts Inc. Software for Versioned Backups or Bootable Duplicates(Retrospect Desktop line). Retrieved 26 October 2019. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  3. ^ "Retrospect Backup Multi Server Product Review". SC Magazine. CyberRisk Alliance, LLC. 1 June 2003. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  4. ^ Gripman, Stuart (27 March 2012). "Retrospect 9.0: powerful backup for professionals, organizations". MacWorld. Setting it up(WebDAV), Scheduling scripts(GUI scripting), Restoring(file-level deduplication, Proactive priorities). Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  5. Dantz Development Corp. (30 October 1996). "Backup system for computer network incorporating opportunistic backup by prioritizing least recently backed up computer or computer storage medium". Justia Patents. Justia. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  6. Schmitz, Agen (19 March 2018). "Retrospect 15.0". TitBITS. TidBITS Publishing Inc. Retrieved 22 March 2018. the BackupBot artificial intelligence feature
  7. ^ Mitchell, Dave (24 July 2019). "Retrospect Backup 16 review: Virtually useless for virtual machines". ITPro. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  8. ^ Flynn, Laurie (25 September 1989). "Apple Bundles Tape Backup With Retrospect Software". InfoWorld. InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. p. 33. Retrieved 17 February 2019. ...will bundle Dantz Development Corp.s Retrospect backup and archiving software with the Apple Tape Backup 40SC... {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)
  9. Engst, Adam (1 July 1991). "Retrospect Conclusion". TidBITS. TidBITS Publishing Inc. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  10. ^ DeLong, Derik (27 March 2012). "Retrospect's long and twisted road". MacWorld. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  11. Mitchell, Dave (20 April 2006). "EMC Retrospect 7.5 review". Alphr. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  12. Engst, Adam (18 June 2010). "Retrospect Backup Software Acquired by Sonic". TidBITS. TidBITS Publishing Inc. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  13. Gallagher, Emily (25 June 2019). "StorCentric Acquires Retrospect, Inc. to Offer Enhanced Backup and Recovery Software Solutions". Retrospect. Retrospect Inc. Retrieved 24 September 2019.

External links

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