FAQ
Questions and answers
The most important questions about AegisGrid, answered briefly and factually. Your question is not among them? Write to us.
General
What is AegisGrid?
AegisGrid is a backup system for businesses – more than backup and restore. It backs up files, drives, virtual machines (Hyper-V, Proxmox VE, Xen) and Microsoft 365 deduplicated and encrypted, from a single computer onto a USB disk up to your own backup server, which keeps working with the backups, restores them as a test and keeps a verifiable log. The provider is MSD Computersysteme GmbH in Germany.
Who is behind AegisGrid?
AegisGrid is a brand of MSD Computersysteme GmbH, an IT service provider from Germany that has been looking after companies since 1990. Development, operation and support come from a single source. More about us
Which companies is AegisGrid suited for?
For small and mid-sized companies, practices, law firms and organisations that want to back up their servers, virtual machines and Microsoft 365 reliably and in line with data protection – in their own operation or as Managed Backup.
What does AegisGrid cost?
The cost depends on the scope and the way it is run. We will make you an offer, ideally after a pilot project in your environment.
Which languages is AegisGrid available in?
Programs, consoles, messages, e-mails and reports are available in English, German, Spanish, French and Croatian. AegisGrid follows the language of the system; in the consoles, every Windows user chooses their own language. New and improved translations arrive with the updates. Every message carries a fixed number, so it can be identified clearly in any language.
Technology
Which systems can AegisGrid back up?
Windows servers (2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025) and Linux servers as well as workstations and notebooks with Windows 10 and 11 (files, volumes, partitions and whole disks, consistent through VSS or LVM snapshots), virtual machines on Hyper-V, Proxmox VE (LVM, LVM-thin, ZFS, Ceph RBD and qcow2) and Xen, and Microsoft 365 with Exchange Online mailboxes, OneDrive and SharePoint.
What happens if a backup is interrupted?
AegisGrid carries on where the backup stopped. After a lost connection or standby it reconnects and continues the same backup; after a power-off, a flat battery or a crash it picks it up again by itself at the next start. Only what is still missing is transferred, and an incomplete backup never results. More under Notebooks and mobile workplaces.
What does deduplication mean?
Deduplication means that identical data is stored only once. AegisGrid splits data into chunks by content and only stores chunks that the destination does not hold yet. That saves storage space and bandwidth – also between different computers.
How does AegisGrid encrypt?
With AES-256-GCM or ChaCha20-Poly1305, set per store. The data is encrypted on the backed-up system before it is written or transferred. The transfer to the backup server additionally uses TLS.
Where are my backups kept?
Wherever you decide. AegisGrid backs up to local disks and NAS storage, to your own backup server on site or at a second location, to S3-compatible object storage, and exports to tape or USB disk – up to eight destinations in one run. For the off-site copy you can use the AegisGrid cloud storage in certified data centres in Germany if you wish. A cloud is not a requirement.
Can AegisGrid back up to several destinations at once?
Yes, to up to eight destinations in one run, for example to a local NAS, to your own backup server at a second site and to the AegisGrid cloud storage. The source is read only once.
How does AegisGrid protect against ransomware?
With WORM storage: backups are written with a retention lock and can be neither changed nor deleted until it expires. An additional copy at another location and the regular check of the stored data complete the protection. For file backups, AegisGrid warns when unusually many files have changed and then does not clean up the older versions; the check restore on the backup server can also scan the backups for viruses.
Can I get single deleted files back?
Yes. AegisGrid backs up files and folders with their permissions. To get a file back, you search for it by name across all versions, see its versions and choose the right one; it goes to its original location, to another folder or out as a ZIP archive. A version can also be opened as a read-only folder, on Windows and Linux. In the management console you tick the files you need.
Which operating systems does AegisGrid run on?
Agent, restore, job scheduler and updates run on Windows and Linux, the backup server on Linux. On Windows there are also the management console and the target console for backup servers; job scheduler and backup server can also be operated in the browser from any computer. On Linux, Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and openSUSE Leap are tested; the versions are listed in the specifications.
Can I simply back up to a USB disk?
Yes. A USB disk, an internal disk or a NAS is enough as the destination, without any backup server. In the same run, a copy can additionally go to a backup server or the cloud storage. Single backups can also be exported as an archive to tape or USB disk.
What does the backup server do with my backups?
It keeps working with them: it checks them, mirrors them to a second location, exports them, cleans up by the retention rules, restores them as a test and starts virtual machines in an isolated sandbox. Results go to the responsible contacts. More about the backup server
How do I prove backups to auditors?
The backup server keeps a chained, daily signed log of backups, restores, check restores and deletions. From it, a signed evidence report is created as a PDF every month; entries can additionally go to your SIEM at once via syslog. This supports evidence for NIS2, critical infrastructure and BSI IT-Grundschutz. More about the evidence
Can we get at our data when the licence expires?
Yes. After a licence ends, only new backups stop. Existing backups on your own backup servers and destinations can still be restored, and nothing is ever deleted because of a licence. The licence is stored signed on your systems; a backup does not fail because our licence server is temporarily unreachable.
Data protection and operation
What is Managed Backup?
A service of MSD Computersysteme GmbH for running your backup: installation, updates of the backup servers and backup agents, monitoring and regular checks of whether the backups can be restored. Where the backups are kept is independent of this – at your premises, at a second site or in the cloud storage. More under Managed Backup.
Where is the AegisGrid cloud storage located?
Exclusively in certified data centres in Germany, operated by MSD Computersysteme GmbH with its own staff. Every AegisGrid customer can use it as a destination, with or without Managed Backup. More under Cloud storage.
Is there a data processing agreement?
Yes. For Managed Backup and the cloud storage we conclude a data processing agreement with you under Art. 28 GDPR.
What is a pilot project?
In a pilot project we back up selected systems together with you and restore them as a test. This way you see before deciding how AegisGrid works in your environment and how long a restore takes.
Can my IT service provider look after AegisGrid?
Yes. We are building a partner network of systems houses and managed service providers. Your service provider can run AegisGrid itself or combine it with our Managed Backup. The name and contact of your service provider then appear in the setup, the consoles and the messages, and messages go to you, to them or to both, as agreed.
Any more questions?
We answer personally – not with text blocks.