Agent FAQ

Here are answers to common questions about installing, upgrading, and uninstalling the Connected Agent. If you have additional questions, contact your Connected administrator.

Install

Connected Agents support macOS or Windows-based computers.

NOTE: To install the Agent, you must use a computer account with local administrator privileges.

macOS

Agent requirements for macOS-based computers:

  • Hardware requirements:

    • Memory (RAM). 2 GB (minimum)

    • Processor. Intel, Apple Silicon (macOS 13 and above)

    • Disk space. 250 MB

  • Software requirements:

    • Operating system. For details, see Compatibility matrix below.

Windows

Agent requirements for Windows-based computers:

  • Hardware requirements:

    • Memory (RAM). 2 GB (minimum)

      NOTE: Microsoft’s recommendations supersede the recommendation listed here.

    • Processor. See the Microsoft Windows documentation

    • Disk space: 250 MB plus an additional 5-10% free disk space on each NTFS volume to support open file backup with Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS)

  • Software requirements:

    • Operating system. For details, see Compatibility matrix below.

    • Microsoft OS updates:

      IMPORTANT: The Agent requires these updates for installation or upgrade. Without them, new installations fail and upgrades retain the current version of the Agent.

      • KB3033929 - Microsoft security update. (Windows 7 only)

        Computers running Windows 7 require this security update to verify the Agent's filter driver, which is signed by a SHA-2 certificate. Computers that automatically update Windows software should have this update installed already. For all other Windows 7 computers, install this update before installing or upgrading the Agent to version 4.0.5 or later. For more information about this update, see Microsoft Security Advisory 3033929.

      • KB2999226 - Update for Universal C Runtime (CRT) in Windows. (Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1)

        The Agent uses the CRT to provide right-click Agent menu options in Windows Explorer to manage backups. Windows 10 includes the CRT by default; earlier versions do not. For information about this CRT update, including how to install it, see Update for Universal C Runtime in Windows.

      TIP: Windows 7 only
      Microsoft’s security update KB4015549 is an important monthly quality rollup for Windows 7 that contains the software installed by both KB3033929 and KB2999226. Computers that automatically update Windows software should have this update installed already. For all other Windows 7 computers, install this update before installing or upgrading the Agent. For information about this critical update, see KB4015549.

    • Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).

      VSS installed and enabled

    • Microsoft User State Migration Tool (USMT) — Optional (Agent 4.9.0 and later)

      If your backup policy allows, Connected can import Windows user state (.mig) files automatically after restoring them. To do so, the computer must have USMT installed. If installed outside of the default install path, the USMT location must be defined by the Windows PATH environment variable.

      TIP: To determine if Connected can automatically import Windows user state data for you, check whether the Windows admin rules for your policy have the Back up Windows user state files (.mig) option enabled. To access your policy's rules, click your name in the upper-right corner of the web application, click My Profile, and then click the Admin Rules tab.

    • Browser.

      Agents opens the default web browser and loads the Connected login page for Connected credentials.

    • Ports. Two free local TCP/IP ports: one port with a number from 7777 through 7787 and the other from 7788 through 7798

Typically, your Connected administrator installs the Agent on your computer for you. However, if not, you can download it from the Connected web application, and then install it yourself. For more information, see Install the Agent.

Yes. Agents support the following types proxy servers:

  • SOCKS (SOCKS4 or SOCKS5)

  • Web (HTTP or HTTPS)

    If your computer has both Web and SOCKS proxy servers configured for the current connection type, the Agent uses the SOCKS proxy.

Agents do not require any special configuration to use a proxy; they can automatically detect and use one. To do so, Agents first try to detect and use the system proxy. If one is not configured, they then try to use a proxy auto-configuration (PAC) file, if available. Otherwise, Agents use a direct connection without a proxy.

Agents support proxies that do not require authentication or that use HTTP basic authentication. Other authentication types, such as NT LAN Manager (NTLM), are not currently supported. If company policy requires you to enter proxy credentials when you connect to the Internet, Agents first try to use the ones stored in your operating system's Internet configuration settings. If your credentials are not stored, are invalid, or have expired, the following occurs:

  • Windows-based Agents opens the default web browser and loads the Connected login page for your credentials.

  • macOS-based Agents display a message that instructs you to configure your credentials in the Keychain Access application.

The Windows-based Agent requires at least two free TCP/IP ports: one port with a number from 7777 through 7787 and the other from 7788 through 7798. Ports in these ranges are typically open so you do not need to verify their availability. However, in the unlikely event that all ports in these ranges are used, the Agent displays the following error message and closes:

The required TCP/IP ports were not available. To resolve this problem, contact your administrator.

For help resolving this error, contact your Connected administrator.

Upgrade

As new Agents become available, your Connected administrator might initiate an automatic upgrade for you. These types of upgrades occur silently in the background while you work, and you may not even notice that it occurs. However, you can also upgrade the Agent yourself. If the Downloads page has a newer version that the one installed on your computer, you can download and manually install it.

To find your Agent's version, right-click the Connected icon (green square with the white letters "CMX") in the Windows notification area (or click the icon in the macOS menu bar), and then click About.

For more information, see Install the Agent.

General

To find your Agent's version, right-click the Connected icon (green square with the white letters "CMX") in the Windows notification area (or click the icon in the macOS menu bar), and then click About.

If the Agent did not install or upgrade successfully, try the following, in order:

  1. Restart your computer, and then try to install or upgrade the Agent again.

    Another application might have exclusive use of a shared component that the Agent needs for installation or upgrade. If so, restarting the computer will free the component so that the Agent can use it.

  2. Contact your Connected administrator.
anymore?

Connected applications let you access only active registered devices. Therefore, if your data administrator has deleted the device, it is no longer accessible. If you have questions about a deleted device, contact your data administrator.

If you no longer want to backup files from the computer, ask your Connected data administrator to delete it. You cannot delete a device yourself.

When the Agent receives notification, it stops processing files immediately, and then closes. In addition, it no longer starts each time you log on to the computer. Your protected files remain accessible on the computer. If you need to re-register the computer for any reason, you must wait a short grace period before reinstalling and registering the Agent again. Contact your data administrator for details.

An administrative Agent configuration policy defines your Agent's default preference settings and whether you can override them through preference settings in your Agent. You can view this policy using the Connected web application.

To view the Agent configuration policy that affects your profile

  1. In the upper-right corner of the web application, click your name, and then click My Profile.

    Right-click the Connected icon (green square with the white letters "CMX") in the Windows notification area (for macOS, click the icon in the menu bar), point to Connected web application, and then click View Policy.

  2. On the profile page, click Admin Rules, and then under VIEWING, click Agent Configuration Policy.

The web application displays the policy's rules and indicates whether each preference is locked (locked policy rules icon) or unlocked (unlocked policy rules icon).