What kinds of users does Mercury address? Mercury was designed to compete with Mozy and Carbonite. So, it will service huge numbers of personal computers and laptops used by small businesses and individuals. Mercury backs up open files, but it has no built-in agents for Exchange, SQL Server, or File Servers.

What operating systems does the Mercury client run on? Windows 2000 and above (except for Servers), and Mac OS-X 10.4 and above. The Mac client is "Universal," so it will run on Power PC and Intel processors. The client interfaces for Mac and PC are almost identical in look and feel and functionality. There will soon be a Linux version. The Client software is written in native code for the target operating system. There's no Java here.

What features does the Client software offer? The Mercury client contains all the most important features of its competition, plus some extras. For example, the Mercury client can allow users to control their own file retention policy. It contains a Remote Security Suite that can remotely erase or shred sensitive files from stolen computers, snap pictures and capture video and audio, and help locate a stolen computer. You can download the User's Guide here.

Is there an upgrade path from RBackup? No. Mercury is a completely different product, designed for a different audience. We can offer existing RBackup customers who have bought 1000 clients or more a 20% discount on the base price.

Are Mercury and RBackup compatible? Can they share data? No. But, their Servers can run on the same equipment.

Are you discontinuing RBackup? No. RBackup will continue to be developed and supported for years to come.

Is there a Demo? There is no evaluation version of the Mercury Server. You can sign up for a free trial from one of our Mercury customers to evaluate their version of the Client software. BackUPMAX uses a full-function client and has a 14 day free trial. RBS will be happy to demonstrate the Server side management utilities by appointment. You can also watch a recording of a Webinar delivered on March 2, 2009 which demonstrates the Mercury Client.

Which is more "powerful," Mercury or RBackup? RBackup has more features. It backs up Servers, and contains built-in agents for databases like Exchange, SQL Server, and SharePoint. Mercury is easier for the end users to install and run. It can support more clients, and has a more robust Server. Mercury was designed for a consumer mass market. RBackup was designed for businesses.

Can I use both Mercury and RBackup? Yes. BackUPMAX uses both. It offers Mercury as their "Personal Edition" and RBackup as their "Business Edition."

How much does Mercury cost? Prices for Mercury installations start at US$50,000 plus customization and other fees. We will discuss partnering opportunities and licensing models.

Can I customize Mercury myself? Can I install it myself? Mercury has very little in common with RBackup. It is not off-the-shelf software. It is not packaged for easy installation like RBackup. All initial customization, branding, and installation must be done by RBS technicians.

What hardware is required to run Mercury? The Mercury Server and its utilities run on Windows 2003 Server and require Oracle 11g (supplied with Mercury.) We recommend clustered multi-CPU servers with at least 8GB of RAM and an array of hard drives, at least 15TB to start out. Mercury WILL run in Amazon's Cloud Computing infrastructure.

Will the Mercury Server run in Amazon's Cloud? Yes! In fact, we recommend it. This reduces startup costs and time significantly.

What components does the Mercury system include? The client software, the Server software, integrated tech support software, CRM software, client authentication control software, payment gateway interface, and custom modules as required by the application.

Has Mercury been fully tested and debugged? Yes. At the time of its release, Mercury had been in development for 18 months, in Beta testing for a year, and in use by tens of thousands of paying end users for 9 months.

What kind of support do you provide for Mercury? RBS will customize and install your Mercury system and train your employees for technical support, customer support, and server management. RBS has built out complete support centers for Mercury in Memphis, TN USA and Chennai, India. If you prefer, we can provide 24x7 end-user customer support, tech support, billing, and server maintenance.

Who is BackUPMAX? BackUPMAX partnered with Remote Backup Systems to become the third customer to buy a Mercury server. RBS entered into an agreement with them in which RBS handles their Technical Support and other business operations. We can do the same for you.

Who wrote this software, and how reputable are they? Mercury was developed by the company who founded the Online Backup industry - Remote Backup Systems, Inc. RBS has been in business since 1987 providing commercial Online Backup software to more than 8,500 service providers in 64 countries. We know more about the industry and what it takes to succeed in it than anyone else. More info here...

I'm sold. Where do I wire the money? Hold on to your money for a while. Talk to us first. Contact Remote Backup Systems, Inc. by phone at (901) 405-1234 or email at sales@remote-backup.com. Spam filters being what they are, we recommend a phone call in addition to an email.