Hi
I'm after suggestions as to go about backing up our server files on a small
network (around 20 clients and maybe 40 active users).

Currently we use a DAT Tape Drive (single tape only) which runs full backups
on alternate drives on alternate nights. Our disc capacity is going to
exceed even this soon so I'm after a not so expensive solution (we cannot
afford a super-duper tape drive that costs zillions). I've recently ditched
the Yosemite backup software that came with the tape drive and use ntbackup.

I was wondering if it would be possible to backup to a swappable hard disc
on the network (or even in the server) as a cheaper solution?

All advice, suggestions and hints appreciated

Graeme

"Graeme" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:44184df0$0$3600$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi
> I'm after suggestions as to go about backing up our server files on a
> small
> network (around 20 clients and maybe 40 active users).
>
> Currently we use a DAT Tape Drive (single tape only) which runs full
> backups
> on alternate drives on alternate nights. Our disc capacity is going to
> exceed even this soon so I'm after a not so expensive solution (we cannot
> afford a super-duper tape drive that costs zillions). I've recently
> ditched
> the Yosemite backup software that came with the tape drive and use
> ntbackup.
>
> I was wondering if it would be possible to backup to a swappable hard disc
> on the network (or even in the server) as a cheaper solution?
>
> All advice, suggestions and hints appreciated
>
> Graeme

We went through the same process about a year and a half ago, ditching our
old DAT and looking for adequate backup that didn't cost the earth.

What we went for were removable IDE disks - the advantage being that they
are (relatively) cheap, but the obvious disadvantage being that you have to
power the machine down to remove them. We got over this issue by buying a
separate pc and mounted the disks in that. (The justification for buying
separate pc was that it was that it still worked out much cheaper than
buying a tape auto-changer, which was the only other viable option for us.)

If we were doing it again, I would still go for the disk option rather than
tape but I would go for USB 2 attached (IDE)disks and attach them directly
to the server.

Hope this helps.
--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk/brian

"Brian Cryer" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Graeme" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:44184df0$0$3600$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Hi
> > I'm after suggestions as to go about backing up our server files on a
> > small
> > network (around 20 clients and maybe 40 active users).
> >
> > Currently we use a DAT Tape Drive (single tape only) which runs full
> > backups
> > on alternate drives on alternate nights. Our disc capacity is going to
> > exceed even this soon so I'm after a not so expensive solution (we
cannot
> > afford a super-duper tape drive that costs zillions). I've recently
> > ditched
> > the Yosemite backup software that came with the tape drive and use
> > ntbackup.
> >
> > I was wondering if it would be possible to backup to a swappable hard
disc
> > on the network (or even in the server) as a cheaper solution?
> >
> > All advice, suggestions and hints appreciated
> >
> > Graeme
>
> We went through the same process about a year and a half ago, ditching our
> old DAT and looking for adequate backup that didn't cost the earth.
>
> What we went for were removable IDE disks - the advantage being that they
> are (relatively) cheap, but the obvious disadvantage being that you have
to
> power the machine down to remove them. We got over this issue by buying a
> separate pc and mounted the disks in that. (The justification for buying
> separate pc was that it was that it still worked out much cheaper than
> buying a tape auto-changer, which was the only other viable option for
us.)
>
> If we were doing it again, I would still go for the disk option rather
than
> tape but I would go for USB 2 attached (IDE)disks and attach them directly
> to the server.
>
> Hope this helps.
> --
> Brian Cryer
> www.cryer.co.uk/brian
>
Hi Brian

This was the route that I was (mostly) thinking of. I can rig up an old PC
to run as the backup machine quite easily and IDE discs are, as you say,
cheap. A USB disc plugged into that sort of setup would perhaps be a viable
solution at a decent price.

Many thanks

Graeme

I'd look into external hard drive boxes that allow for "hot" drive
replacements

--
Regards,
Hank Arnold

"Graeme" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:44188294$0$3616$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Brian Cryer" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>
>> "Graeme" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:44184df0$0$3600$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > Hi
>> > I'm after suggestions as to go about backing up our server files on a
>> > small
>> > network (around 20 clients and maybe 40 active users).
>> >
>> > Currently we use a DAT Tape Drive (single tape only) which runs full
>> > backups
>> > on alternate drives on alternate nights. Our disc capacity is going to
>> > exceed even this soon so I'm after a not so expensive solution (we
> cannot
>> > afford a super-duper tape drive that costs zillions). I've recently
>> > ditched
>> > the Yosemite backup software that came with the tape drive and use
>> > ntbackup.
>> >
>> > I was wondering if it would be possible to backup to a swappable hard
> disc
>> > on the network (or even in the server) as a cheaper solution?
>> >
>> > All advice, suggestions and hints appreciated
>> >
>> > Graeme
>>
>> We went through the same process about a year and a half ago, ditching
>> our
>> old DAT and looking for adequate backup that didn't cost the earth.
>>
>> What we went for were removable IDE disks - the advantage being that they
>> are (relatively) cheap, but the obvious disadvantage being that you have
> to
>> power the machine down to remove them. We got over this issue by buying a
>> separate pc and mounted the disks in that. (The justification for buying
>> separate pc was that it was that it still worked out much cheaper than
>> buying a tape auto-changer, which was the only other viable option for
> us.)
>>
>> If we were doing it again, I would still go for the disk option rather
> than
>> tape but I would go for USB 2 attached (IDE)disks and attach them
>> directly
>> to the server.
>>
>> Hope this helps.
>> --
>> Brian Cryer
>> www.cryer.co.uk/brian
>>
> Hi Brian
>
> This was the route that I was (mostly) thinking of. I can rig up an old PC
> to run as the backup machine quite easily and IDE discs are, as you say,
> cheap. A USB disc plugged into that sort of setup would perhaps be a
> viable
> solution at a decent price.
>
> Many thanks
>
> Graeme
>
>
>

"Graeme" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:44188294$0$3616$(E-Mail Removed)...
>

<snip>

> This was the route that I was (mostly) thinking of. I can rig up an old PC
> to run as the backup machine quite easily and IDE discs are, as you say,
> cheap. A USB disc plugged into that sort of setup would perhaps be a
> viable
> solution at a decent price.

If you go for USB disks (which is what I'd do now), there is no need for a
separate PC, because you can eject USB disks. (For "eject" read "safely
remove hardware" via the icon in the notification area, before unplugging.)
So there really shouldn't be a need for a separate pc. We use a separate pc
because we have IDE disks mounted in caddies, but I think the USB option is
much simpler.
--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk

We went the DVD option. I wrote a back-up program that users run to
backup their files (outlook, OE, my docs, or any other they want), then
at night windows backup puts all these into a backup. This is then
burnt to DVD-RW each day (3 in total) for off site backup. Takes 20
mins per DVD, but since its in my office, its no hassle performing it.
Other advantage is that we have historical backup each month, which is
useful when someone has deletted an email 4 months ago and now wants
it.

We looked into USB hard drives, but we'd need two 20GB hard drives so
we can always have a back-up off site.

"burnley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> We went the DVD option. I wrote a back-up program that users run to
> backup their files (outlook, OE, my docs, or any other they want), then
> at night windows backup puts all these into a backup. This is then
> burnt to DVD-RW each day (3 in total) for off site backup. Takes 20
> mins per DVD, but since its in my office, its no hassle performing it.
> Other advantage is that we have historical backup each month, which is
> useful when someone has deletted an email 4 months ago and now wants
> it.
>
> We looked into USB hard drives, but we'd need two 20GB hard drives so
> we can always have a back-up off site.

Yes, dvd is often overlooked. Given that so many pcs have dvd writers its a
quite viable form of backup and it gives you a permanent historic record -
which is something we lack going the disk route.

That said, it does depend on the quantity of data. We currently backup up to
a 300GB disk which then gets cycled off site once a week. This includes a
backup of our three servers and all the office pcs. Backing up to dvds
probably isn't viable for us, but it is a solution that would be perfectly
adequate for many.

Both disk and dvd have an enormous speed advantage over tape, especially if
you ever need to recover something.
--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk/brian

"burnley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> We went the DVD option. I wrote a back-up program that users run to
> backup their files (outlook, OE, my docs, or any other they want), then
> at night windows backup puts all these into a backup. This is then
> burnt to DVD-RW each day (3 in total) for off site backup. Takes 20
> mins per DVD, but since its in my office, its no hassle performing it.
> Other advantage is that we have historical backup each month, which is
> useful when someone has deletted an email 4 months ago and now wants
> it.
>
> We looked into USB hard drives, but we'd need two 20GB hard drives so
> we can always have a back-up off site.
>
Hi Burnley & Brian

I'm going to need to backup at least 80gb of data so the DVD idea (whilst
one I may use at home) will not work at - work.

I've decided to go the way of Brian's suggestion and look for a couple of
USB externals - swap them over every Monday and the one not in use can then
go live offsite.

Graeme

Graeme wrote:
> Hi
> I'm after suggestions as to go about backing up our server files on a small
> network (around 20 clients and maybe 40 active users).
>
> Currently we use a DAT Tape Drive (single tape only) which runs full backups
> on alternate drives on alternate nights. Our disc capacity is going to
> exceed even this soon so I'm after a not so expensive solution (we cannot
> afford a super-duper tape drive that costs zillions). I've recently ditched
> the Yosemite backup software that came with the tape drive and use ntbackup.
>
> I was wondering if it would be possible to backup to a swappable hard disc
> on the network (or even in the server) as a cheaper solution?
>
> All advice, suggestions and hints appreciated
>
> Graeme

Graeme, after literally years of being unhappy with our backup
"solutions" (ArcServe, NovaBack, BackupExec), we've gone to a sort of
hybrid disk to disk to tape setup. I don't want to sound like a
commercial here, but we use Acronis TrueImage Server to create images
of our systems which are stored on external USB drives attached to a
central server. The images only are backed up with BackupExec to SDLT
tapes which are rotated off-site daily for disaster recovery purposes.
We keep a week's worth of images on the external drives for restoring
the odd directory or file that a user will accidentally delete, as
TrueImage can mount these images as a drive from which to simply copy
back whatever has been lost. In your situation it would be perfectly
reasonable to have a couple of large external drives and rotate them
weekly. If a system fails completely, a like-to-like hardware restore
is simplicity itself, and restoring to different hardware isn't too big
an issue. Generally we just do the restore and then run Windows 200x
Server setup and do a Repair to get the correct disk drivers in. To do
a complete restore you boot from a CD made with the backup software (a
customized Linus distro), tell it where the images are stored on your
network and off you go. The disk sizes don't even have to be the same,
as long as you have enough space to restore the actual data itself from
the failed system. The sofware has a built-in disk manager that will
expand or contract the volume sizes as you need.

Good luck.

"Graeme" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:441bb5f5$0$6989$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "burnley" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> We went the DVD option. I wrote a back-up program that users run to
>> backup their files (outlook, OE, my docs, or any other they want), then
>> at night windows backup puts all these into a backup. This is then
>> burnt to DVD-RW each day (3 in total) for off site backup. Takes 20
>> mins per DVD, but since its in my office, its no hassle performing it.
>> Other advantage is that we have historical backup each month, which is
>> useful when someone has deletted an email 4 months ago and now wants
>> it.
>>
>> We looked into USB hard drives, but we'd need two 20GB hard drives so
>> we can always have a back-up off site.
>>
> Hi Burnley & Brian
>
> I'm going to need to backup at least 80gb of data so the DVD idea (whilst
> one I may use at home) will not work at - work.
>
> I've decided to go the way of Brian's suggestion and look for a couple of
> USB externals - swap them over every Monday and the one not in use can
> then
> go live offsite.
>
> Graeme

I'd suggest a minimum of three. This is because the worst case scenario is
that you bring in your off-site disk (intending to swap it over) and then
have a fire in the office - destroying your equipment, the disk you've
recently backed up onto and the one you've just brought in. If you have
three then you always have one off site. Just a recommendation.

--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk/brian