Question:

Could you provide an estimate of the duration required to complete a standard restoration process using Livedrive?

Answer:

Initiating a Livedrive Restore is straightforward. Users can begin by selecting “Restore” from the main menu and choosing either “from Backup” or “from Briefcase,” depending on where the files were originally stored. This step is typically quick, taking only a few minutes to set up.

File/Folder Selection:

The time it takes to select files and folders for restoration will depend on how quickly the user can navigate through their backup and make selections. This part of the process is user-dependent but is generally not time-consuming.

Time Selection:

Livedrive offers the option to restore the latest version of all files or to select a specific date and time for the restore. Choosing the latest version is faster, as it does not require the system to search for files from a specific point in time.

Destination Selection:

Users can restore files to their original location or a new one. Restoring to the original location is usually quicker, assuming the original path is available, especially when restoring to the same computer.

Overwrite Options:

Livedrive provides options for handling situations where files with the same name already exist in the destination folder. Choosing to skip or overwrite files will affect the duration of the restore process. Skipping existing files is faster, as it avoids the additional step of overwriting.

Restore Progress:

The actual data transfer is the most time-consuming part of the process. Livedrive displays the overall progress and the file currently being restored, allowing users to monitor the process. The speed of this step is heavily influenced by the internet connection and the total data size.

Completion:

Once the data transfer is complete, Livedrive generates a report detailing the restored, skipped, or failed files. Reviewing this report is quick and ensures that the restore process was successful.

In summary, while it’s challenging to provide an exact duration for a standard Livedrive Restore due to the variables involved, users can expect the process to be relatively swift, particularly if they are restoring the latest versions of files to their original location on the same computer. For a typical home user with a standard broadband connection and a moderate amount of data, the entire process could take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Business users with larger datasets or slower connections should anticipate a longer duration. It’s always recommended to start the restore process at a time when the computer and network usage is minimal to ensure the fastest possible restoration..