Day 1: Getting Started with Magnus Box

Welcome to Magnus Box! 🎉 You may already have your first backup running. Today you'll secure your Magnus Box Web Portal admin account, check that your endpoints can run the Magnus Box Application, and make sure that first backup is on track.

⏱️ Time to complete: 15 minutes

🎮 Achievement Unlocked: Portal Master

▶️ Prefer video? Watch the Day 1 quick start video to see Magnus Box in action.

The two pieces you'll use every day

  • Magnus Box Web Portal (the Web Portal): the website where you create client accounts, set up backups, and monitor every job. We host it for you.
  • Magnus Box Application (the app): the backup software you install on each endpoint. It runs the backup and restore jobs.

Sign in to your Web Portal

You should have received two emails:

  • A portal access email with your Web Portal address and sign-in details
  • A welcome email with the next steps

First sign-in steps

  1. Open the Web Portal address from your portal access email.
  2. Sign in with the credentials from that email.
  3. Click your account name in the upper-right corner, then click My account.
  4. Set a new password.
  5. Set up two-factor authentication. Your admin account can reach every client's backups, so do this before you add your first client. See Configure two-factor authentication.

📝 Note: Haven't received your sign-in details? Check your spam folder for an email with the subject [Magnus Box] 🔑 Your Portal is Ready - Let's Start Your Test Drive! If it isn't there, email us at support@magnusbox.com.

Check the system requirements

Before you install anything, make sure your endpoints meet these minimums. Each platform links to its full installation article.

Windows

  • CPU: x86-64 or 32-bit x86 with SSE2 and SSSE3. SSSE3 has been required since Magnus Box 24.12.0 (Intel Core 2 Duo, AMD Bulldozer or newer).
  • Operating system: Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 or newer. Windows 7 needs SP1 and all available Windows Updates. We recommend Windows 10 or Windows Server 2016 or newer, because Microsoft no longer supports the older versions.
  • Hardware: at least 4 CPU cores and 8 GB of RAM. The app doesn't use all of that memory all the time; it depends on the job.
  • Screen resolution: 1024x600 minimum
  • Installers: a standard .exe installer (32-bit and 64-bit) and an .msi installer (64-bit only) for Group Policy and other mass deployments
  • Full details: Windows Installation

macOS

  • CPU: Intel (x86_64) or Apple Silicon
  • Operating system: macOS 12 "Monterey" or newer. As of Magnus Box 26.7, Macs running macOS 10.13 "High Sierra" through macOS 11 "Big Sur" are no longer supported and have to stay on Magnus Box 26.4.x.
  • After you install, give the app Full Disk Access in macOS System Settings (System Preferences on macOS 12). Without it, backups of protected folders fail. See Full Disk Access (macOS Installation).
  • Full details: macOS Installation

Linux

  • CPU:
    • x86-64
    • 32-bit x86 with SSE2 and SSSE3
    • ARM 32-bit (ARMv6 or ARMv7 with vfp)
    • ARM 64-bit
  • Kernel: 2.6.23 or later
  • Packages:
    • .deb for Debian, Ubuntu and compatible distributions
    • .rpm for RHEL 7 to 10 and compatible distributions such as CentOS, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, Oracle Linux and CloudLinux (available since Magnus Box 25.6.7)
    • The "Other distribution" package for everything else
  • Full details: Linux Installation

Synology NAS

  • CPU: x86_64, x86_32 (i686), ARMv7 or ARMv8
  • Operating system: DSM 6 or DSM 7. There's a separate package for each, and they aren't interchangeable.
  • The NAS package has no app window. You create and run its backups from the Web Portal.
  • Full details: Synology Installation

Network

  • A stable internet connection
  • Port 443 is required for endpoint connectivity
  • An upload speed of 5 Mbps or more is recommended

💡 Pro Tip: Most modern systems are compatible with Magnus Box. If you're not sure about a machine, our support team is happy to check it with you.

Find your way around the Web Portal

These are the areas you'll use most:

  • Add User: create a user account for each client.
    • Each client gets their own dedicated backup space.
    • Each account has its own credentials and storage.
  • Users: manage your client accounts.
    • See every user account you've created.
    • Check each client's storage usage and settings.
    • Jump straight to a client's devices, Protected Items and backups.
  • Devices: see every endpoint registered to your account and whether it's Online, Online (outdated) or Offline.
  • Recent Activity: your backup command center.
    • See the last 10 days of jobs for every Protected Item on every device.
    • Spot failed, missed and unscheduled backups at a glance.
    • Click through to job details or to edit a Protected Item.
  • Job Logs: search every running and finished job and open its full log.
  • Download: get the Magnus Box Application installers.
    • Available for all supported platforms
    • Easy installation process
    • Auto-updates included

Check on your first backup

If you've already started a backup, check on it now:

  • In Devices, make sure the endpoint shows Online.
  • In Recent Activity or Job Logs, see whether the job is still running, finished with Success, or needs attention. Click the job to open its log.
  • Once it has finished, restore a file or two to a new folder to prove the backup works. See Run a test restore (Restore files and folders).

Haven't started one yet? Pick a small test folder, such as a Documents folder, and make sure you have enough storage for your test data. Day 2 walks you through it.

  • Get to know the three backup types this series covers:
    • File and Folder (Day 2)
    • Microsoft Office 365 for Microsoft 365 mailboxes, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams files (Day 3)
    • Disk Image for full-system protection (Day 4)

💡 Pro Tip: As a Magnus Box partner, you get three free NFR (Not For Resale) licenses. You can use them on servers or workstations, for your own systems or in a client's environment. Start by creating a test user account and using one NFR license to learn the backup process. Save the other two for production use. See How to use your NFR licenses.

Next steps

Tomorrow, Day 2 goes deeper on backups, whether you're setting up your first one or fine-tuning the one you've already run. Here's what to expect:

  • Step-by-step backup setup
  • Best practices for first-time setup
  • How to confirm your backup worked
  • An introduction to our partner community

Common questions

Haven't received your sign-in details?

Check your spam folder, or email support at support@magnusbox.com.

Can't reach the Web Portal?

Use an up-to-date web browser (Internet Explorer isn't supported) and check your internet connection. If you still can't get in, contact support.

What should I back up first?

Start with a small folder of non-critical data so you can learn the process without waiting on a big upload.

My client still has a Mac on macOS 11 or older. Can I protect it?

Magnus Box 26.7 and later need macOS 12 or newer. Older Macs can only run Magnus Box 26.4.x, so plan an OS upgrade or contact support to talk through options.

Need help?

Our support team is here for you:

🏆 Achievement Summary

  • Portal Master: Achievement Unlocked!
  • Next achievement: Backup Initiate (Day 2)
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