Frequently Asked Questions

What is IDrive BMR?

IDrive BMR is an onsite bare-metal disaster recovery solution with cloud replication features. You can perform full, incremental, and manual backup of Windows computers (servers, desktops, laptops) and VMware servers to your local IDrive BMR device. The backups stored on your IDrive BMR device can be transferred to your cloud account via manual and scheduled cloud transfer to maintain a cloud repository. Bare-metal recovery is available via WinRE-based restore, file-level recovery, and instant local and cloud virtualization.

Additionally, you can use your IDrive BMR device storage to create, host, and backup NAS and iSCSI shares.

How do I integrate IDrive BMR with Backup Radar?

Integrate IDrive BMR with Backup Radar and manage the entire backup process in one platform.

Backup Radar will automatically and continuously parse any new reports that arrive in the inbox of your Backup Radar email address. To integrate via email parsing,

1. Sign in to the IDrive BMR web console and go to Settings > Mail.
2. Under Server Alert Notification, click and add the email address used to create a Backup Radar account.

3. Monitor your IDrive BMR backups and gain valuable insights from the Backup Radar platform.

Are IDrive BMR backups HIPPA-compliant?

Yes, IDrive BMR helps healthcare establishments stay compliant with the federal mandates of HIPPA. IDrive BMR also supports the high compliance standards of SOX, GLBA, and SEC/FINRA.

Read our Compliance Statement

Place your request for your Business Associate Agreement (BAA)

How do I access the IDrive BMR device interface?

Access the web interfaces of your devices from anywhere via cloud manage. To access your device(s):

1. Sign in to the IDrive BMR web console. All your devices are listed under BMR Devices.
2. Click Connect corresponding to the required device. Remote access to the device interface is established via your browser.
   
3. Manage your IDrive BMR device settings and operations.

Alternatively, you can access the IDrive BMR device interface from any machine that is on the same network. You can access the interface with any browser, using the following methods:

Via bmrdevice.idrive.com: Navigate to bmrdevice.idrive.com on your browser. The page displays a list of online IDrive BMR devices on the network along with their IP addresses.
Click Connect against the required IDrive BMR device and the sign-in page of the IDrive BMR device interface will be launched in a new browser tab.

Via IP address: Navigate to the IDrive BMR device interface using the IP address as the application's URL.

To know the IP address of an IDrive BMR device,

1. Connect a monitor to the device.
2. Press the power button on the front panel to start the device.
3. Once the device has completed the start-up process, the dashboard will be displayed on the monitor along with the IDrive BMR device's IP.

Via serial key: Enter the serial key of the IDrive BMR device in small case, followed by '.local' on the address bar of your browser. (For example: If your device serial number is BMR-34KF3ZQTYI, navigate to the following address: http://bmr-34kf3zqtyi.local.) The sign-in page of your IDrive BMR device interface will be displayed.

What is IDrive BMR device interface and what operations can I perform from here?

IDrive BMR device interface is a centralized management system that lets you manage all your backup, recovery, and cloud replication requirements. You can access the IDrive BMR device, add your computers and ESXi/vCenter machines, and schedule their data backups/restores from anywhere.

You can,

• Perform local backup and restore operations
• Organize computer and VMware servers into groups, and apply separate settings for them
• Create virtual instances of your machines on the IDrive BMR device or the cloud instantly
• Manage and schedule cloud replication of your local backups
• Change the cleanup, backup, and mail settings
• Manage control panel related settings
• View the health status of your drives and devices, and review storage utilization
• View system logs and logs of all backup, restore, and cloud replication activities of computer and VMware servers

Can I perform power operations on an IDrive BMR device via the device interface?

Yes, you can shut down or restart the IDrive BMR device by clicking the respective icons.

Can I view and change the profile information on the device?

Yes, you can change your email address and password from IDrive BMR’s device interface.

To change the account password,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Click and click Change Password.
   
3. Enter a new password and confirm the same.
4. Click Change Password.

How do I configure my IDrive BMR device with encryption?

The encryption configuration for your IDrive BMR device is done only once, at the beginning of the device setup.

To configure encryption on your IDrive BMR device,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. You will be prompted to configure your device with encryption. Choose default encryption or private encryption based on your requirements.
3. To set Default encryption key, click Continue. To set Private encryption key, enter a private encryption key of your choice in the respective field and confirm the same.
4. Click Continue.

Can I receive notifications on backups?

Yes, you can receive notifications on the backup status for computers and VMware servers.

To receive notifications on backups,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Click .
3. Go to Email Notification > Backup notification and select the checkboxes Notify on success and Notify on failure as required.
4. Add the recipient email addresses in the Send backup reports to field and click .
5. Click Save. The added email addresses will receive notifications on backups.
   
   

Where can I view the activity logs of my IDrive BMR device?

You can view the activity logs of your IDrive BMR device under Logs.

To view the activity logs,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Go to Logs > Computers/VMware servers for respective activity logs. For user convenience, these are divided into Backup, IDrive cloud, Cloud seeding, Restore, and Deleted logs.
   
3. Click Network shares to view Share, Backup, Restore, and Deleted logs for the NAS and iSCSI shares on the device.
4. Click System to view the device activity logs.

To download the entire logs in CSV, Excel, and PDF formats, click the required format from the Export dropdown.

Does the IDrive BMR backup agent create Windows event logs for the purpose of log analysis?

Yes, the IDrive BMR backup agent generates Windows event logs recording the backup status. These logs can be utilized by log analysis applications such as Pulseway to provide enhancement monitoring through the respective RMM tool.

How do I upgrade my local IDrive BMR device?

You can choose any of the hardware add-ons to upgrade your local IDrive BMR device.

To upgrade,

1. Sign in to IDrive web console.
2. Click Upgrade Device / Cloud.
   
3. Enter your username, email address, and phone number.
   
4. Choose a hardware add-on from the respective dropdown.
   
5. Click Submit Request.

Once this is completed, our sales team will contact you to upgrade your IDrive BMR device.

How do I upgrade cloud storage space?

To upgrade cloud space,

1. Sign in to IDrive web console.
2. Click Upgrade Device / Cloud.
   
3. Select the Cloud radio button. Enter your username, email address, and phone number.
   
4. Click Submit Request.

Once this is completed, our support team will contact you to upgrade your cloud space.

Which network ports are to be used for IDrive BMR devices and client computers?

Check the firewall details page for details of network ports to be used for IDrive BMR devices and client computers.

How do I perform data cleanups on the IDrive BMR device?

You can delete old and incomplete backups from the IDrive BMR device via cleanup.

To configure and schedule your cleanup,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Click Cleanup.
   
3. Schedule the cleanup operation in the Cleanup time window section. You can schedule daily cleanups or on weekdays/weekends by selecting the days and hours as required. The device deletes old and incomplete backups as per the schedule and your backup retention settings. Read more about backup retention settings in this FAQ.
   
4. Set the Global filesystem quota limit at 80% (recommended) or as required. When the device storage crosses this limit, the device will suspend all operations and redirect to the cleanup maintenance page.

To perform a manual cleanup,

1. Go to Statistics > Storage insight.
2. Select All, Computers, or VMware servers from the Cleanup dropdown.
   
3. Click Cleanup.
4. In the popup window that appears, click Confirm.
   

Once these steps are completed, the manual cleanup operation will be initiated.

I am not able to access the BMR device interface. Instead, a cleanup window is displayed. Why?

When the local storage utilization on your IDrive BMR device exceeds your global filesystem quota, all the backup and restore operations will be temporarily suspended to prevent the storage from filling up further. You will be redirected to the cleanup maintenance page.

Solution: All the protected computers and VMware servers will be listed along with their backup retention settings. Adjust the Min and Max image backups retention for all machines as needed and click Cleanup Now.

Note: If the cleanup does not effectively reduce storage below the specified global filesystem quota, you will again be directed to this page. Reduce the retention settings further and reattempt cleanup to reinstate normal operations.

Alternatively, you can click corresponding to any computer or VMware server to view and manage backups at the machine level.

What is the hardware configuration of the IDrive BMR device?

In case of a device issue, will I be alerted?

How does IDrive BMR ensure fast incremental backup?

The first backup of a computer/VM/share to the IDrive BMR device is a full backup and consecutive backups are incremental. IDrive BMR’s uses its own CBT (Changed Block Tracking) driver installed on your computer via the backup agent to tag modified blocks. During an incremental backup, the backup agent uses these tags to identify and backup only the modified blocks.

Note: The CBT driver is installed via the backup agent and requires a system reboot to enable the drive. Click to view the CBT driver installation status on your computer.

Will I be notified if any of the machines are not recently backed up?

Yes, you will be notified if any computer or VMware server is not backed up for more than 30 days. You will receive email notification with the list of machines that have not been backed up to the local IDrive BMR device and cloud.

Is it possible to receive notifications on my IDrive BMR device health?

How do I configure network settings for my IDrive BMR device?

Is it possible to change the time zone for the IDrive BMR device according to my location?

What happens when I reset the network settings?

Go to Settings > Network Settings and click Reset Network. The following actions will take place:

• Both the network interfaces on this device will be set to DHCP mode.
• The device will reboot to apply the changes. Ensure no backups are in progress at this time.
• After reboot, the device will try to obtain DHCP-provided IP from your network.

I subscribed to IDrive BMR via a Partner. Can I disable my Partner's access to my IDrive BMR device?

Yes, you can disable your Partner's access to your IDrive BMR device.

To disable Partner access,

1. Connect to IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Navigate to Settings > Control Panel > Partner Manage.
3. Move the slider toggle to read Disabled.

Is the data backed up to the IDrive BMR device reliable for restore?

Yes, all data backed up to the IDrive BMR device is reliable for restore. To ensure the reliability of the backed-up data, the IDrive BMR device is programmed to perform a three-tier check:

• Firstly, a block-by-block checksum verification before and after data transmission.
• Secondly, a built-in error correction mechanism that verifies data before writing it on the device.
• Finally, after the backup is completed, a filesystem mount check is executed to verify the availability of the data needed for a successful restore. The status of this final check is displayed in the IDrive BMR device UI and also notified to email addresses specified in the Backup notification section.

Additionally, it is recommended that you perform routine local virtualization of your backups to ensure successful restores.

Is there an integrity check for the data stored on the cloud?

Yes, the IDrive BMR device and IDrive cloud filesystem routinely perform self-healing scan functions to check for data errors and attempt to fix them as and when they are detected.

How do I configure two-factor authentication for my IDrive BMR device interface?

Two-factor authentication for your IDrive BMR device interface enhances security and prevents unauthorized access. When enabled at device connection, you will be required to enter a verification code sent to the primary email address/your phone number/TOTP application on your mobile device in addition to the password.

To manage two-factor authentication during your initial sign-in,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Enable Two-factor authentication at device connection if required.
   Two-factor authentication is mandatory and enabled by default for critical operations such as deleting recovery points, deleting network shares, removing machines, performing manual cleanup, updating primary email address, changing password and updating time zone.
3. Select Email address or Phone number for the code verification process and click Confirm. In case you select Phone number, enter your phone number and click Send Code.
   

   Alternatively, you can select Time-based OTP authentication as your preferred method of receiving the code.

4. Enter the one-time authentication code sent to the admin email address/phone number/TOTP application on your mobile device and click Verify & Enable. The two-factor authentication feature will be enabled.

You can manage your two-factor authentication settings by navigating to Settings > Security > Two-factor Authentication.

How do I configure two-factor authentication for my device interface with Time-based OTP authentication?

To configure two-factor authentication for your device interface with the Time-based OTP authentication method, you will need to enter a verification code generated by a Time-based OTP authenticator app installed on your mobile device, while connecting to the device interface.

To configure two-factor authentication with the Time-based OTP authenticator app during your initial sign-in,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Enable Two-factor authentication at device connection if required.
   Two-factor authentication is mandatory and enabled by default for critical operations such as deleting recovery points, deleting network shares, removing machines, performing manual cleanup, updating primary email address, changing password and updating time zone.
3. Select Time-based OTP authentication as your preferred method of receiving the one-time verification code and click Confirm. See supported TOTP apps.
4. Install and launch any Time-based OTP authenticator app on your mobile device and scan the QR code displayed on your computer screen.
   
   
   Alternatively, you can also view the key by clicking on Enter key manually, type it manually on your mobile device, and click Next.
   
5. Copy and save the recovery code displayed on your computer screen securely or click Download to download and save as a .txt file. Click Next.
   
Note: You will require the recovery code to deactivate two-factor authentication at device connection, in case you lose access to your mobile device where the Time-based OTP Authenticator app is installed.
6. Enter the one-time code generated by the Time-based OTP Authenticator app in your mobile device and click Activate.
   

You can manage your two-factor authentication settings by navigating to Settings > Security > Two-factor Authentication.

Which Time-based OTP authenticator apps are supported by IDrive BMR?

IDrive BMR supports the following Time-based OTP authenticator apps:

1. Google Authenticator (Android/iPhone/BlackBerry)
2. Duo Mobile (Android/iPhone)
3. Microsoft Authenticator (Android/iPhone/Windows Phone 7)
4. Okta Verify (Android/iPhone)
5. Any other authentication app that supports a time-based one-time protocol is compatible with Google Authenticator

How do I connect to a device interface after two-factor authentication is enabled at device connection?

To connect to a device after two-factor authentication is enabled,

1. On the device connection screen, enter the password and click Connect.
   You will be prompted to enter a verification code shared on the admin email address/your phone number/TOTP application on your mobile device.
2. Enter the code.
3. Click Verify. You will be signed in.

How do I change the email address/phone number for two-factor authentication?

To update your email address/phone number,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Go to Settings > Security > Two-factor Authentication.
3. Click Edit corresponding to the Verification code section.
   
4. In the One-time verification popup that appears, enter the code sent to your email address/phone number and click Verify.
   
   Note: The One-Time Password (OTP) will remain valid for only 5 minutes.
5. Update your phone number/email address and click Send Code to receive a one-time verification code.
6. Enter the new code and click Verify & Enable to enable two-factor authentication.
   

How do I change the two-factor authentication method after connecting to my IDrive BMR device interface?

To change the two-factor authentication method after connecting to your IDrive BMR device interface,

1. Go to Settings > Security > Two-factor Authentication.
2. Select your preferred method under the Change verification method section for receiving verification codes for two-factor authentication:
   • Email address
     1. Click Verify code via email address.
        
        
        
        
        
     2. In the One-time verification popup that appears, enter the code sent to your email address and click Verify.
     3. Enter your email address and click Send Code to receive a one-time verification code.
     4. Enter verification code received via primary email address and click Verify & Switch.
   You will now receive verification codes via email address for your two-factor authentication.
   
   
   • Phone number
     1. Click Verify code via phone number.
        
        
        
        
        
     2. In the One-time verification popup that appears, enter the code sent to your phone number and click Verify.
     3. Enter your phone number and click Send Code to receive a one-time verification code.
     4. Enter verification code received via phone number and click Verify & Switch.
   You will now receive verification codes via phone number for your two-factor authentication.
   
   
   • TOTP
     1. Click Verify code via TOTP.
        
        
        
        
        
     2. Install and launch any Time-based OTP authenticator app on your mobile device and scan the QR code displayed on your computer screen.
        Alternatively, you can also view the key by clicking on Enter key manually, type it manually on your mobile device, and click Next.
     3. Copy and save the recovery code displayed on your computer screen securely or click Download to download and save as a .txt file. Click Next.
     4. Enter the one-time code generated by the Time-based OTP Authenticator app in your mobile device and click Activate.
     You will now receive verification codes via Time-based OTP authenticator app on your mobile device, for your two-factor authentication.

How do I disable two-factor authentication at device connection?

Two-factor authentication can be disabled at device connection but is mandatory for all critical operations.

To disable email address/phone number based two-factor authentication at device connection,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Go to Settings > Security > Two-factor Authentication.
3. Move the Two-factor authentication at device connection option to the Disabled position.
   

   Two-factor authentication will be disabled and you will only require device password for all future connections.

Steps to disable TOTP-based two-factor authentication at device connection

Can I disable two-factor authentication at device connection with Time-based OTP authentication, in case I lose access to my mobile device?

Yes, you can disable TOTP-based two-factor authentication at device connection using recovery code.

To disable TOTP-based two-factor authentication,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. In the verification code screen that appears, click the link I can't access my code. The Deactivate Time-based OTP authentication window appears.
   
3. In the Recovery Code field, enter the recovery code received while configuring two-factor authentication for your device interface.
4. Click Deactivate. Two-factor authentication will be disabled for your IDrive BMR device interface.
   

When you disable Time-based OTP authentication, mandatory two-factor authentication will revert to using your primary email address as the method for authentication.

How does IDrive BMR ensure security of my data during various operations?

The IDrive BMR device interface ensures data protection with mandatory checks for critical actions. Email/SMS based OTP verification is required for deleting recovery points, deleting network shares, removing machines, performing manual cleanup, updating primary email address, changing password, and updating time zone. Two-factor authentication can be also enabled at device connection for additional security.

Note: OTP verification will be prompted every 3 hours when performing these actions.

IDrive BMR web console enforces two levels of user authentication when performing actions such as removing a computer, deleting recovery points, and removing VMware servers/machines:

• Prompts you to add your local computer as a trusted device via OTP sent to your registered email address. This is a one-time process.
• Prompts account password verification.

What do 'Firewall Checkpoints' do?

Firewall Checkpoints is a function within the IDrive BMR device that helps you check firewall restrictions, if any. Network restrictions on services such as email delivery, cloud replication, and so on are identified through this function.

To check these settings, click Firewall. Alternatively, you can navigate to Settings > Control Panel > Network Settings > Firewall checkpoints and click Check Now.

Status of settings:

Successful - There are no firewall restrictions and you can continue to use all services related to IDrive BMR

Failure - The port is blocked

If you receive a failure alert, contact your network admin to unblock the network firewall. Here are the port details:

• General firewall settings - Unblock port 80 and port 443 for www.idrive.com and www1.idrive.com servers.
• Mail settings - Check your Mail Server Port details and unblock the port, if blocked.
• Cloud replication - Contact support team to receive the port details. Share this information with your network admin to unblock the respective ports.
• Remote manage - Devices with firmware 8.3.0 or below, unlock port 5349 for bmrturn.idrivelite.com. For devices with firmware 8.4.0 or above, unlock port 443 for us-west-1.idrivetunnel.com and accessbmr.idrive.com.

Why I am unable to save mail settings?

This could be because the port number used to connect to the mail server may have been blocked. You can check whether the port is blocked or not from the IDrive BMR device.

To check,

1. Connect to the IDrive BMR device interface.
2. Go to Settings > Mail > Mail Server Settings.
   
3. Click Check Firewall Now.
   

Contact your network admin to unblock the port, if it is blocked.

Can I link my IDrive BMR cloud account with my IDrive account?

If you have an IDrive Enterprise account and an IDrive BMR cloud account, you can contact support to link both these accounts. This lets you access your IDrive BMR cloud account from IDrive, without the need to enter your IDrive BMR credentials every time.

Is my data encrypted at rest?

Yes, IDrive BMR uses AES 256 CCM/AES 256 GCM encryption to safeguard your data at rest on your IDrive BMR device and cloud. Data is also encrypted during transfers.

Does IDrive BMR offer 24/7 support?

Yes, IDrive BMR offers 24/7 live chat support and is available via call and email. Check support page.

Can I add a VAT ID to my IDrive BMR account?

Yes, if your business is based in the EU region, you have the option to add your VAT ID to your IDrive BMR account.

To add your VAT ID,

1. Sign in to the IDrive BMR web console.
2. Go to My Account > Billing Information.
3. Enter your VAT ID in the Business VAT ID section.
   
4. Click Save Changes. The VAT ID will be updated to your account and validated by IDrive BMR.
   
   

Note: The Business VAT ID section will be displayed only if it is applicable for your chosen country.

Does IDrive BMR have a VAT number?

For information related to IDrive VAT number, send an email to [email protected].

What are the publicly disclosed vulnerabilities that could be detected in a network scan that hosts the BMR device?

Currently, there is one low-level disclosed vulnerability.
Read the details and its resolution below:

CVE ID: CVE-1999-0519 and CVE-2000-1200

Description:
A NETBIOS/SMB share password is default, null, or missing.

The IDrive BMR device provides granular file-level restore through SMB shares hosted on the device. We also have NAS-capability built into the product through which you can create SMB shares. These shares can be set to operate with authentication (recommended) or without authentication (not recommended). The unauthenticated share is publicly accessible within the local area network. This is to support the product's backup and disaster recovery functionality. The SMB server configurations that support both these modes of access could cause this vulnerability to be reported in the scan.

Resolution:
Our technical support team will assist in configuring the SMB server settings of your IDrive BMR device so that only authenticated network shares are allowed. However, please note that, if you still choose to create a network share with public access (non-authenticated) thereafter, the applied settings will be overridden. If you are concerned about a particular vulnerability other than this, get in touch with support so we can investigate and provide a solution.