Feature request: Auto update and install

[eladk]

Hi,
I have VEB installed on many users computers and it takes a lot of time to update all of them.
is it possible, in the future, to have the option to automatic update and install the latest version, without user action?

Best Regards,
Elad

[Dima P.]

Hi Elad,

You mean something similar to check box “install any available update automatically” ?

[mkaec]

I recently went through the update process. I started up my computer and everything looked normal. I knew from watching the Veeam forum that 1.1 had been released. When I opened the Control Panel, there was a small update notice. However, I may not have gone into the Control Panel for months had I not been looking for the update message. I installed the update, then was prompted to remake the recovery media.

This whole process made me realize something. People talk about deploying this to endpoints throughout a large organization. But with the update process being so manual, that sounds like a bad idea. If VEB were deployed to 50 workstations, I wouldn't want to have to touch 50 workstations to install an update. This doesn't work for the "grandma PC" use case, either. "Grandma" is not going to know to open the Control Panel to install an update or what recovery media is.

Now for the use case most important to me, backing up Hyper-V hosts, this is not an issue. However, for the others, it would be nice if the update process could be optionally completely automatic. Updates could install by themselves and a recovery media ISO could be generated automatically and saved to the backup location.

One other thing. The update actually failed to install and left me with no VEB. I suspect this was because I had Process Explorer running. Process Explorer has a habit of interfering with service deletion when UAC is active. I'd suggest that the update installer refuse to run if it detects Process Explorer is running.

[Dima P.]

Hey mkaec,

People talk about deploying this to endpoints throughout a large organization. But with the update process being so manual, that sounds like a bad idea.

Endpoint still misses the obvious central management console for large deployments. Thinking forward if we do include such feature in the product, then update should be managed from such console leaving end users clueless about Endpoint as an entity, right?

Updates could install by themselves and a recovery media ISO could be generated automatically

You are thinking a bit virtual – ISO for a physical real end-user won’t help to start a bare metal recovery. Aside from this fact, I like the idea of having simple “update whenever you receive an update” checkbox

[mkaec]

Endpoint still misses the obvious central management console for large deployments. Thinking forward if we do include such feature in the product, then update should be managed from such console leaving [end users] clueless about Endpoint as an entity, right?

That's a good description of the goal. For managed systems (and "Grandma" systems), the ideal is that the users don't even know it's there. It just does its job. Then when a restore is needed, the Help Desk (or technical family member) says "Don't worry. We have your backups." For business users, there is a challenge with central console management with roving clients like laptops. We have some computers that leave the local network for long periods of time. For "grandma" users, I don't think the option of central console management would help at all.

You are thinking a bit virtual – ISO for a physical real end-user won’t help to start a bare metal recovery. Aside from this fact, I like the idea of having simple “update whenever you receive an update” checkbox

Here's the current scenario: The user comes to me with a dead computer and a USB backup with VEB backups on it. I may have an ISO made by version 1.0 of VEB. They might have version 3.5. (Let's assume this is 5 years from now.) At least if the ISO's were on the recovery media, I could plug it in to a different computer, make the recovery media and be on my way.

This has me thinking. For USB (and possibly local storage) users, it might make sense to offer the option to make the backup device itself bootable recovery media. It'd be one stop shopping. For users configured to back up to a B&R repository, I think it makes a lot of sense to automatically upload ISOs since those users are obviously being managed by an IT department.

[schwarzer]

idea for windows 10 about update notificatio. You can integrate update notification with windows 10 new nitification center. feature.

[dheijl]

At least if the ISO's were on the recovery media, I could plug it in to a different computer, make the recovery media and be on my way.

+1 Very sensible idea

[Dima P.]

You can integrate update notification with windows 10 new nitification center

This is a good one!