Backup for Workgroups can store your backup data to a NAS device and/or a shared network folder. For simplicity, we refer to NAS devices as shared folders because the Backup Server accesses the NAS through a shared folder.

Warnings and Cautions

• NAS units and shared folders can degrade your backup performance. This is due to the extra network overhead that is necessary to send your backup data over your network to the NAS or shared folder.
   
• Network shares are not as persistent as internal drives; as a result your backups may fail to occur at the normal scheduled times if your network share is inaccessible.
   
• Network shares increase the maintenance you must perform to keep your backups running smoothly. Anytime you change your account names or passwords at the shared folder you have to make the corresponding changes at the Backup Server in order to continue the access to the share.
   
• For these reasons, we recommend that you use local drives as your backup backup storage; they are more reliable and faster to access.
   
• If you choose to use NAS devices and/or storage located at a shared folder, please make note to put the proper procedures in place to ensure Backup for Workgroups' continuous access to the shared folder(s).

To store your backup data to a Shared Folder:

• Step 1 - Provide the Backup Server with the rights to access your internal network.
  The Backup Server runs under the Windows Local System Account. This account does not have access to your network. As a result you need to provide the name and password of a Windows account that the Backup Server can use to access your network. The Backup Server will impersonate this account in order to have the "Rights" to access network shares. The Windows account you specify needs to have the "Rights to run as a service." A good account to use is an administrator class account. Enter the account's name and password. If you are using a Domain Controller and this computer is a member of Active Directory then enter your domain name; otherwise leave the domain field empty.

• Step 2 - Provide access to the Shared Folder.
  Once the Backup Server can login to this computer, the next step is to access the network share. Enter the path where you want to store your backup data. The path to the shared network folder must be in UNC format ("\\ComputerName\ShareName\FolderName"). 
  
  Provide the user name and password of an account that exists at the NAS or Shared Folder that has full access Rights to the shared folder.

• Step 3 - Verify access to the Shared Folder.
  After entering the appropriate information to provide the Backup Server with the rights to access your internal network and rights to access the shared folder, press the Verify button to make sure Backup for Workgroups can access your Network Share properly in order to store your backup data.

Troubleshooting

If the Verify process displays a result other than "Successful access," you need to perform a little troubleshooting before Backup for Workgroups can store your backup data at this Shared Network Folder. 

The most common sources of errors are:

• The Windows Account information is incorrect. (This is a problem in Step 1)
  Try re-typing the password. If you are using the Administrator account, try using a regular Windows User account instead.
   
• The Network Share login failed. (This is a problem in Step 2)
  Try re-typing the password. Or, the Account at the Network Share does not exist, or the rights for this Account are incorrect. The solution is to verify the Account at the Network Share. If the Network Share is on a NAS device, you need to run the NAS Administration utility and double-check the User Accounts. The NAS Administration utility is commonly accessed through a browser which runs a Web application allowing you to administer and manage your User Accounts on the NAS.