FAQ Before Purchase

Common Questions about ActiveImage Protector

Q1: What is ActiveImage Protector?
ActiveImage Protector is a backup solution developed, marketed and supported by Actiphy Inc. ActiveImage Protector supports a variety of physical and virtual Windows and Linux environments, designed for a wide-ranged users from Enterprise to SMB.
ActiveVisor provides a centralized management solution, installing ActiveImage Protector agents on the managed PC servers / desktop PCs, creating backup task / schedule templates and deploy them to the clients.
ActiveImage Protector offers fast backup / recovery solution with intensive performance tuning, meeting the needs in the accelerating use of big data. ActiveImage Protector is built with Inline Deduplication Compression feature to enhance backup performance and reduce storage requirements by eliminating duplicate data during the backup process and compressing the created image files. The use of vStandby AIP enables to create a standby virtual machine directly from ActiveImage Protector full / incremental backup images. ImageCenter LE, add-on to ActiveImage Protector, replicates backup image files to offsite replication target. Our backup total solution using ActiveImage Protector in combination with vStandby AIP and ImageCenter LE enables to create a standby virtual machine directly from your backup images replicated at offsite location. When disaster strikes, you can instantly boot a standby virtual machine from any incremental boot point.
In 2009, the first version of ActiveImage Protector was released and is currently used on servers and client PCs in more than ten countries in the world. ActiveImage Protector is made available in a variety of editions to use in Vmware, Microsoft Hyper-V virtual environments, Windows / Linux physical servers, cluster / FT / HA, public cloud including Amazon AWS, VMware vCloud Air, or for migration from physical to virtual, meeting the customer needs and environment.
Q2: Tell us about the unique features of ActiveImage Protector and the advantages over others on the market?
Inline Data Deduplication Compression, HyperBoot (name changed from “ImageBoot“) for immediately booting backup images as virtual machines, ImageIsolate for disconnecting access to a backup storage drives after backups complete, Inline P2V, “ReZoom it!“ built-in ActiveImage Protector for Hyper-V Enterprise, Post-backup Process features including BootCheck, Consolidation, Restore File features are one of a kind technologies included in ActiveImage Protector.
ActiveImge Protector 2018 Server / Desktop Edition integrates vStandby, standby availability solution, to replicate your physical / virtual machines (virtual standby replica) directly to an VMware ESXi or Hyper-V host, up-dating boot points with scheduled incremental snapshots and eliminating the process of restoring the system or configuring boot setting. When a disaster strikes, the virtual standby replica can be instantly started to allow seamless and continuous operation .
Some of the advantages are that ActiveImage Protector provides fast and secure disk imaging backup tools; GUI makes the software operation more intuitive; backup using IDDC does not need an optional tool or an expensive storage offering Deduplication feature and no special configuration settings or operation are required to use IDDC. When a disaster strikes, as a matter of course, you can restore a file or the entire disk, or use HyperBoot, vStandby, vStandby AIP to immediately boot up a backup file as a virtual machine for continual operation.
Taking advantage of our own strength in in-house development of the technologies, Actiphy provides responsive support and flexible approach meeting customer needs.
Q3: What is ActiveImage Protector’s Inline Data Deduplication Compression feature?
I nline Data Deduplication Compression (IDDI) feature efficiently eliminates duplicate data blocks during the backup process without a need for purchasing an optional add-on program or dedicated storage options that provide deduplication feature. No need to do any extra configuration settings or operations. The use of this feature enables to efficiently eliminate duplicate data and compress image files at high compression ratio so that backup storage needs can be reduced significantly. Also, ActiveImage Protector can complete image file compression within practical process time. For example, assuming that about 1TB (1024GB) is used in disk on Windows Server 2012 R2 physical machine and the created backup file is saved in NAS over network (1G bit); compressed to almost a half of original (550GB, deduplicated block size 4KB); backup process time 2 hours 54 minutes; restore process time 2 hours 46 minutes; by using ActiveImage Protector with IDDI.
Q4: What can “ActiveVisor“, a centralized management tool for ActiveImage Protector, do?
ActiveVisor monitors the status of client PCs, configures and deploys backup tasks / schedules, provides centralized license management of ActiveImage Protector agents installed on clients, etc.
Q5: Does ActiveVisor need a management server?
No, no dedicated management server is required. ActiveVisor can be installed on Windows 7 (64bit), Windows Server 2008 R2 or later OS. You are recommended to make sure that the system requirements are met: 2 or more CPU, main memory 4GB or more.
For more detailed system requirements, please visit　here
Q6: How can I get “ActiveVisor“?
Please visit Actiphy’s Web site and download the program.
Q7: How can I select a proper edition of ActiveImage Protector?
You are recommended to select an edition, depending on your system environment, OS, main use (migration to virtual environment, etc.)
  • ‣ Back up Windows physical server or desktop → Server Edition、Desktop Edition
  • ‣ Back up Linux server → Linux Edition
  • ‣ Back up virtual environment → ActiveImage Protector Virtual Edition or for Hyper-V Enterprise
  • ‣ Migrate the physical machines to virtual environment or consolidate them → ActiveImage Protector Virtual Edition or for Hyper-V Enterprise
  • ‣ Back up servers without the limitation to the number of servers on a fixed-subscription basis.　→ IT Pro Edition
  • ‣ Back up cluster environment → Cluster Edition
  • ‣ Deploy a master image created from a pre-configured Windows server system / desktop computer to new computers → ActiveImage Deploy USB, USB based OS deployment tool built with ActiveImage Protector’s engine is recommended.
Q8: What are the lineup of the product licenses?
Please visit here
Q9: What editions are included in Virtual Edition?
ActiveImage Protector 2018 Update Virtual Edition includes ActiveImage Protector Server / Desktop / Linux Edition and HyperAgent. You can install ActiveImage Protector on virtual machines or use HyperAgent* for agentless backup / restore of virtual machines.
ActiveImage Protector Virtual Edition Cloud License covers ActiveImage Protector Server / Desktop / Linux Edition. Please install ActiveImage Protector on the virtual machines respectively. *To use HyperAgent, you need to have internet connection for the communication with authentication server. Please install the latest version of ActiveImage Protector 2018 Update Server / Desktop Edition and activate using HyperAgent’s product key.
For more detailed operating procedures, please refer to “ActiveImage Protector 2018 Update (HyperAgent) Startup Guide“

Q10: What is the difference between ActiveImage Protector for Hyper-V Enterprise and Virtual Edition?
ActiveImage Protector for Hyper-V Enterprise is optimized for Hyper-V environment configured on Windows Server 2019 / 2016 / 2012 R2 / 2012 / 2008 R2. No installation of ActiveImage Protector is required on virtual machines. ActiveImage Protector installed on Hyper-V host backs up and restores the entire Hyper-V host environment including the virtual machines. “ReZoom it!“ enables you to select and restore a specific virtual machine .
ActiveImage Protector 2018 Update Virtual Edition provides agent-based backup by installing ActiveImage Protector on virtual machines and HyperAgent, agentless backup of virtual machines. The backup schedules for the respective virtual machines can be set to start at intervals. If non-VSS-aware application (database, etc.) runs on a virtual machine, please install ActiveImage Protector on the virtual machine and use agent-based backup of Virtual Edition to back up the virtual machine.
Q11: What is the “ReZoom it!“ feature built in ActiveImage Protector for Hyper-V Enterprise?
ActiveImage Protector for Hyper-V Enterprise offers ”ReZoom it!“ feature restoring a specific virtual machine included in a backup image of the entire Hyper-V host. Multiple virtual machines may be selected and restored in one restore process to the same / different Hyper-V host.
”ReZoom it!“ is a standalone application and can be used on a computer which ActiveImage Protector for Hyper-V Enterprise is not installed. You will find it useful in the event of a system failure on the backup source machine
Q12: Which edition of ActiveImage Protector do you recommend for migration to virtual environment?
For migration from physical to virtual environment, you are recommended to use Virtual Edition or for Hyper-V Enterprise editions.
When consolidating dissimilar multiple physical machines in virtual environment, you only have to purchase 1 license for the migration target physical machine, even if you need to back up the source machine for one time. The daily backup of the virtual environment can be performed under the same license. However, if you use ActiveImage Protector for the daily backup of the source physical machine after migration, you have to purchase additional license for ActiveImage Protector.
In case you use ActiveImage Protector for physical to virtual migration only and no backup tool is required after migration, IT Pro Edition or IT Pro Migration license (valid for 90 days) is recommended.
Q13: Does ActiveImage Protector support backup of a file or a folder?
You can select “Entire Disk” or “Volume” for the backup source. Backup of a file or a folder is not supported, however, you can select a file / folder and restore it from the created backup image file. You can select “Entire Disk“, “Volume“, “Volume Group“, “LVM“ as the backup source with Linux Edition.
Q14: Does ActiveImage Protector support backup without installing the program on the machine?
Yes, it does. Without a need for installation of the program, a backup image of a static system volume can be created by cold-imaging backup with the use of ActiveImage Protectorʼs boot environment (AIPBE) on DVD product media or bootable hard disk.
Q15: What is a merit / demerit of cold-imaging backup?
1. Merit of cold-imaging backup: Without installation of the program, cold-imaging backup enables to create a backup image of a clean static Windows server or workstation.
As Windows is shut down, focusing resource consumption, stable backup process is enabled.
2. Demerit of cold-imaging backup: Scheduled backup is not supported.
As Windows is shut down, cold-imaging backup is not suitable for backing up the system and the data frequently updated throughout the day and night on non-stop server.
Q16: How long does backup process take if backup image files are stored in network storage?
To get a rough idea, gigabit network should provide us with data transfer speed of 60MB/sec. Backup of 200GB data is estimated to take about 50 minutes. For the test results of backup process speed, please refer to the table in above Q3.
Q17: If a backup task is skipped at system shutdown, how the skipped task will be treated?
In the event that a scheduled backup was not executed for some reason, the skipped task will be automatically executed when the task is executable. For example, if a task is skipped at system shutdown, the task will be automatically executed when the system is rebooted.
Q18: How do you calculate the required space in the destination storage to save image files?
Required space is estimated at the minimum as follows:
“Space required for one generation set” x (the number of generation sets to keep + 1) You can select an option to delete the most obsolete image set before a new image set is created.
Q19: What is the maximum number of generation sets you can specify to keep with retention policy? Will the obsolete generation set be deleted?
You can specify the number of generation sets you want to retain. One generation set includes:
“one single baseline (full) backup + the associated incremental backup images”.
Ex: In case you configure the setting to retain 2 generation sets
When the third generation set is created, the first generation set will be deleted. You can select an option to delete the most obsolete image set before a new image set is created.
Q20: While ActiveImage Protector is running in background, does it impact on other program’s performance?
While a backup task is running in background, it uses system resources and other program’s process takes rather longer, however, it does not impact on normal operation.
When running disk defragmenter software making continual and massive access to the hard disk or an application heavily consuming CPU resource, it takes a longer time to perform backup processing. Therefore, you are recommended not to run the application at the same time backup task is scheduled.
Q21: Does ActiveImage Protector support RAID environment?
ActiveImage Protector supports RAID, RAID0, RAID1 and RAID5 controllers.
Q22: Does ActiveImage Protector support CD/DVD or Blu-ray media as the destination storage for saving backup files directly?
No, CD/DVD or Blu-ray media is not supported to save ActiveImage Protector’s backup image files. Depending on the media size, the created backup image file may be split into multiple files of the specified size. The split files may be saved in the storage media by using a writing software and used to restore the system.
Q23: Does ActiveImage Protector support Serial ATA2 SSD as backup source or backup destination?
Yes, SSD is supported
Q24: Does ActiveImage Protector support backup including hidden area (recovery area)?
Yes, it does.
Q25: Does ActiveImage Protector support restore to HDD in different size?
Yes. ActiveImage Protector enables to restore backup image file to HDD in the same size or larger than the source HDD. ActiveImage Protector provides Shrink on Restore for NTFS volumes. NTFS volumes can be restored to disk drives that are smaller than the backup source HDD. For example, when the HDD has space smaller than the backup source volume, Shrink on Restore feature can restore the backup source volume in reduced size.
Q26: Does ActiveImage Protector support incremental backup without configuring the schedule setting?
No. Incremental backup feature can be used to run recurring tasks according to the schedule you specify.
Q27: Does ActiveImage Protector support VSS?
ActiveImage Protector provides hot-imaging backup for live Hyper-V host and guest virtual machines on Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2008 R2, Server 2012/2012 R2. When VSS-aware server applications such as Microsoft Exchange Server or SQL Server is running on a virtual machine, a snapshot of the guest OS can be taken by using VSS writer, ensuring consistent data in backup. If the guest OS does not support Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy (Windows 2000, Linux, etc.) but the host OS supports VSS-aware snapshot, the guest OS is automatically suspended when the live backup is started on the host until snapshot process completes. When snapshot process is complete, the suspended guest OS will be restarted and return to the state before the snapshot was taken.
Q28: Is it possible to consolidate / archive the replicated backup image files from a remote computer other than the backup source machine?
Yes. The use of ImageCenter LE, add-on to ActiveImage Protector 2018, enables to cosolicate / archive the replicated backup image files from a remote computer. You do not have to purchase an additional ActiveImage Protector license for the remote computer to use ImageCenter LE.
Q29: Do you have ActiveImage Protector marketing materials available to us?
Please visit Download > Resource >AIP . You can download a product catalog, case study, a variety of comparison chart, etc.

Common Questions regarding ActiveImage Deploy USB

Q1：What is ActiveImage Deploy USB?
ActiveImage Deploy USB is designed for VARs/OEMs to create a bootable USB Flash Memory containing a master image of a pre-configured computer system, and deploy that image to a large number of new client machines. ActiveImage Deploy USB simplifies, streamlines and ensures the successful deployment process.
Q2：What are the differences between ActiveImage Deploy USB and ActiveImage Deploy USB Plus?
With one license of ActiveImage Deploy USB or ActiveImage Deploy USB Plus, you may use ActiveImage Deploy USB to create a bootable USB Flash Memory and deploy a master image to a new PC for one time.
In addition to the above, with ActiveImage Deploy USB Plus, you may use ActiveImage Deploy USB to create Restore USB Memory, ship the PC together with the Restore USB Memory for the end user to restore default setting, in the event of a system failure.
Q3：Does ActiveImage Deploy USB come with USB memory?
No. You need to have USB memory with sufficient available space for saving the master image for deployment.
Q4：How do you calculate the required space in USB memory?
Create two partitions in USB memory.
1.5GB must be allocated to one partition for creating boot environment.
The rest of the available space is allocated to another partition saving a master image file. The created master image is compressed before saving. About 70% of the backup source volume is required.
As the backup image of Windows10 will be at least 8GB, 16GB or more available space is required in the USB memory. 32GB or more is recommended.
Q5：Is internet connection required to use ActiveImage Deploy USB?
Internet connection is required for license management. Master Image Creator / Update Wizard built in this product requires internet communication with activation server.
Internet connection is not required for deployment of the master image to new computers.
Q6：May I save multiple master images in one USB memory?
No. For example, if you have four pre-configured computer systems and deploy them to one hundred new client machines, you need to create four master images of the pre-configured systems. Create four bootable USB Flash Memory respectively containing the master images and set the number of times of deployment.
Q7：Can I use the same USB memory for deployment and restore?
You need two USB memory for deployment and restore, two different intended usages.
Q8：Let us know the number of licenses required for deployment.
With one license of ActiveImage Deploy USB or ActiveImage Deploy USB Plus, you may deploy a master image to one new computer.
For example, you need to purchase 80 licenses to deploy a master image to 80 new computers.
You do not need a license for a computer to install ActiveImage Deploy USB and create USB memory for deployment / restore or a master image of a pre-configured computer.
Q9：How can I try ActiveImage Deploy USB?
You can download the trial version for trial use of ActiveImage Deploy USB for Desktop.
We hold hands-on seminars on monthly basis, and you are invited to attend free of charge.
Q10：Could you please tell us about the annual support service?
The license fee is inclusive of the support service fee for the first year. Support service provides Actiphy’s technical support service and the products updates. Update is applicable to unused licenses.
You can purchase support service for the following and the subsequent years at the same time you purchase the license.
Especially, when you purchase ActiveImage Deploy USB Plus and support service for multiple years, please purchase support service when buying the license.
You cannot purchase support service only.