How protected are your Aloha boxes

[mobiledynamics]

I've just on board and am looking at 3 of our establishments.
One Aloha system setup last year and another a couple months ago.

One would think there would be bare minimum Raid 1 on it....but sofar, I'm seeing nary - nil backups on the server.

 

[eburks]

There are several backup strategies for Aloha

AlohaEnterprise will backup your data via FTP to their servers and let you access reports via their web interface. This is a service you pay them for and if it is just a backup you want it is overkill and costs more than other options

There is a winhook.bat file that you will find in your aloha\bin folder that has dos programming for doing backups to external drives, USB or Writeable CD (some 3rd party software may be required like directCD) You may also find this being done via ecommhook.bat and/or winhook.bat depending on things like Aloha Stored Value Gift cards etc.
You can find if something like this is being executed by checking maintenance,store settings,system end of day tab for a winhook entry.


I use the winhook approach to backup to a USB thumbdrive which has been setup via windows disk managements "change driveletters and paths" so as to be accessed as a directory on my harddrive. Any data copied to this directory actually resides on the USB drive. This helps with the problem of a removable USB device changing drive letters as sometimes happens if more than one storage device is plugged in and removed from time to time.

I also use an Ibackup.com account to automatically move data off site in case of fire or other tragedy. I don't have any connection to the Ibackup people but I find their service to be world class and insanely cheap. Their lowest tier would provide space to backup MANY locations for MANY years

 

[mobiledynamics]

Interesting....

Aside from Aloha having remote to manage/troubleshoot, our BOH has NO internet connectivity at all locations...

How are you guys using Ibackup ---- or any means of external internet connectivity to run backups offsite ?

 

[eburks]

My BOH has 3 network cards

1 Aloha Network connected only to the network switch for my Aloha terminals has its own subnet

2 DSL Network connected to the internet so that EDC can run credit cards uses DHCP from the DSL router

3 (This is a new one) connected to a Cellular 3G internet Router uses DHCP from that router; because my ATT/BELLSOUTH DSL connection goes down every time it rains or we have lightning in the area. EDC uses this if network 2 goes down

hint: (when you order DSL get something in writing that says you are close enough to the Central Office to get "RELIABLE" DSL service rain or shine; I have had techs out 20 times in 3 years, replaced all telephone lines still problems, it is their under street infrastructure and one supervisor was candid and said they should never have sold us DSL (or use cable or wireless)

You must be using dialup for Credit Cards