Manual of operations

Purpose & audience

This document is intended for practice owners and trusted IT administrators who install or supervise DDShield Drive hardware. It is not a substitute for your host server’s antivirus or patching policies — it describes how the drive fits into DentalDrive backup workflows.

Before you install

• Confirm outbound connectivity for the DentalDrive Windows client and cloud endpoints per your network rules.
• Identify a dedicated powered USB/USB-C path with surge protection suitable for sustained backup duty.
• Schedule a quiet window — initial discovery and enclosure checks may briefly touch Windows storage enumeration.

Physical hookup

Route cables so the enclosure cannot snag on carts or cords. Prefer straight runs with strain relief — no sharp bends at the enclosure port. Align serial numbers recorded in DentalDrive Cloud with inventory tags on site for support tickets.

Do not bypass the manufacturer mounting guidance for thermal airflow; prolonged under-cabinet heat will throttle hardware encryption throughput.

Visibility cycle

DDShield Drive is intentionally invisible outside your scheduled backup corridor. Outside that window it may not advertise a writable volume to the OS — ransomware cannot encrypt what doesn’t advertise as writable. Your dashboard remains the authoritative place to confirm snapshots and parity with cloud tiers.

Operational checklist

• Weekly — verify enclosure LED pattern matches baseline photos in onboarding email.
• After hours — confirm incremental jobs complete without stalled locks in Recovery Center previews.
• Quarterly — rehearse selective restore steps with a benign folder restore test.