Data Backup – Protect your patient data (& office accounts)
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Data Backup with ChiroServer Tools & Removable Media
Nightly Backup: At the end of day use ChiroServer Tools to backup your ChiroPulse (ChiropulseDBmaster) database. This is located on your Server or stand-alone PC. A multi-step redundant backup will protect your office against every type of possible data loss (i.e. hard-drive failure, sabatoge, flood, fire, theft, etc.) while providing for a hassle-free restoration using open technology standards. A backup is no good if the “backup” is unreadable or unavailable. The best backup solution is a removable USB device (as your “safe place” – more below) with secondary system backup to an internal hard drive, network backup drive or internet backup solution (one you’ve actually tested the ability to quickly restore). This allows redundant backup that is off-site. The goal is to have your ChiroPulse database in one place that can be restored (on a new or fixed PC) in minutes!
What do I Backup To? Nowadays it’s best to backup to USB flash drive, not disc/CD. USB flash drives are faster, more reliable and offer less chance of failure (plus they’re green & not a total waste of plastic/landfill space). Any USB flash drive will work, 4GB more more is sensible and they’re priced under $25. What is nice is that any PC can read a USB card and our “copy to safe place” uses industry standard ZIP format so your backup is instantly readable without installing any software, utilities, etc. USB flash cards should be replaced yearly and it’s probably best to rotate two (2) USB cards using a different one on alternate days. An ounce of prevention is worth what… probably 10 pounds of cure. This is your PATIENT DATA so protect it carefully.
Using ChiroServer Tools Backup
ChiroServerTools backup window
- Exit ChiroPulse on all computers before running Backup so the data engine is idle.
- Open ChiroServer Tools & Backup then click the “Backup Database” button. One-time Setup in the Database Backup Window is necessary
- Select [Zip smaller files]
- Click the blue links to change backup paths
- Run Zip Backup Now – this backs up your database (ChiroPulseDBmaster) to the server’s ChiroPulse Server working folder c:\pulsesql\backups.
Important: this first backup should NOT be done to removable devices and instead to a local windows drive. Do not interrupt the backup or use any other programs while the backup is running. When completed the backup utility will be logged and say “Database backup & shrink successful”. It will typically take a minute or less. - Copy Backup to Safe Place – use this to quickly copy your backup ZIP file (which has your entire patient/office database) to a removable USB drive. You must first select the drive using the blue “select backup safe place” link.
- Backup the PulseSQL folder with your regular PC backup (preferably also to a removable device or a network PC). Windows Backup is useful. When choosing files/folders to backup, select the entire SERVER’s c:\PulseSQL folder (shown above here) omitting the DATABASES folder.
Backup Note – Some 3rd party backup software cannot copy/access the ChiroPulse data files in the “databases” older since the database engine has exclusive access – unless you temporarily stop the engine first. That is OK & keeps your data safe. When backing up the c:\PulseSQL\backups folder, backup software might will report the files in there as failed, skipped or in use. If that occurs you can skip backup of the DATABASES folder. That is not a problem since your database is already backed up from ChiroServerTools to your server drive & safe place.
Common Questions
Q. I created a ZIP backup so why do I need to do anything else?
A. Please re-read the above info. You need to realize the importance of having backups (copies) of your backup .ZIP file somewhere easy to retrieve (preferably a USB flash drive – ie. safe place) so that you can do a full ChiroPulse data restore in under a minute (if catastrophe were to happen)! Lets hope it never does but stuff happens as they say!
Q. How long does Backup from ChiroServerTools take? How about Copy to Safe Place?
A. Typically less than a minute or two.
Q. What does the ZIP (or MSDE/SQL backup) actually do?
A. ChiroServerTools does a complete, necessary proper backup of your Microsoft SQL Server format database. What it does is the following:
- disconnects your ChiroPulsedbMaster database from the Microsoft SQL Data Engine
- zip/compacts the two system database files into one industry standard .ZIP file (or uncompressed raw SQL format .BAK file)
- checks then clears the database transaction log file (.LDF file) internally
- reattaches your database to the Microsoft Data Engine so it’s ready to use!
Q. What do I do with the old backups? Do I need to keep them?
A. We recommend you save a few months worth of backup then purge your backup drive as it fills past 70%. You never want to fill a drive/card completely and there is little need for old backup. But that choice is yours. If you want to long-term archive your database backups then never delete just use new Flash Drives as the existing ones are filled. Label the USB Flash drive (on the outside so you know what it is) by Year, Last used date & start date. Then use a new USB Flash Card for the next backup.
Q. How do I Restore my Database after my computer crashed & I had to reinstall ChiroPulse365?
A. Restore is used from ChiroServerTools on the rare occasion where your system needs to be restored from a previous state or where you have a new or rebuilt Server computer. In that instance follow the instructions from Member Center (quick ticket 51) or as instructed by Team Pulse. You typically copy your ZIP backup file to the c:\PulseSQL\backup folder on your new/clean PC then restore ChiroPulseDBmaster right from ChiroServer Tools. WARNING – when you restore, you will remove all data from your database and replace it with data from the backup data set you have selected for the restore.
ChiroPulse Server Storage Folder Tree View
Backups - where Server Tools saves the backup files.
Databases - your protected database
EDI - electronic claim files
SpellChecker - saves spelling files
UserReports - saves user customized reports
Other Online Backup Services & Links
There are many commercial online backup solutions. These are not recommended for total system backup but can be useful for backing up your ChiroPulse backups and computer data files. You should test these services, including the ability to restore files quickly without having to download the entire data set first, as this can be slow and clumsy.
Microsoft offers two fantastic “cloud” online services – at no cost – that are useful to any office. They somewhat overlap in functionality but both offer several GB (gigabytes of secure online data storage), full security and access from any computer world-wide via web browser (or by smart phone).
Microsoft Live Mesh – http://www.mesh.com
This allows you to have 5GB of storage (that’s ~100 CDs of storage) sync’d between unlimited amounts of computers and the “cloud” server. Another benefit is it’s ability to allow Remote Access to any computer in your “mesh” without dealing with firewalls, routers, port forwarding, etc. If you use several computers at home and work this is a great tool to have all your important files automatically sync’d (and again available online via web browser if needed).
Microsoft Live Sync – http://sync.live.com
This is similar to Live Mesh in that it allows online “cloud” file storage but goes further with 25GB of storage while removing the remote access component.
Either service could be used to online backup your PulseSQL/backups folder and other personal or office files (as well as synchronize your computer files between home & office).
Finally please see our older article here for help with using Windows XP backup
