We have on this site four servers, and for many years I have been
wrestling with backup software, backup tape drives and tapes. But, now
that large hard disks are so cheap, I think THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!

We have some particularly important files, and I set up and ad hoc
backup using PKzip to an attached drive. This is launched in the middle
of the night from a batch file using a scheduler. This works, but I saw
that PK zip can't cope with a very large number of files, as it runs out
of memory. I am now experimenting with it's option '-=', which backs up
files in 'compatibility mode', hoping that this might help with the open
files.

I also have tried cheap synchronization software, called Second Copy,
but this doesn't cope with open files, and it is generally quite flaky.

PKzip, Xcopy, synchronization software, little known backup software,
cheap attached storage. Has anyone out there stirred this pot and pulled
out something that is useful and works, particularly with open files? I
feel I am warm but not there yet.

ClassA wrote:
> We have on this site four servers, and for many years I have been
> wrestling with backup software, backup tape drives and tapes. But, now
> that large hard disks are so cheap, I think THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!
>
> We have some particularly important files, and I set up and ad hoc
> backup using PKzip to an attached drive. This is launched in the middle
> of the night from a batch file using a scheduler. This works, but I saw
> that PK zip can't cope with a very large number of files, as it runs out
> of memory. I am now experimenting with it's option '-=', which backs up
> files in 'compatibility mode', hoping that this might help with the open
> files.
>
> I also have tried cheap synchronization software, called Second Copy,
> but this doesn't cope with open files, and it is generally quite flaky.
>
> PKzip, Xcopy, synchronization software, little known backup software,
> cheap attached storage. Has anyone out there stirred this pot and pulled
> out something that is useful and works, particularly with open files? I
> feel I am warm but not there yet.

Try Genie Backup. It will backup local and network stored files. It has
an open file option using your choice of Volume Shadow Copy or their own
snapshot module. The open file option only works on local files. It'll
back up to tape, disk, network storage. It uses zip as compression in 8
levels. Does normal, incremental, differential and mirror. Simple gui
interface, email notifications, very flexible scheduler (a front end to
Microsoft scheduled tasks). About $60 US for a workstation version, a
bit more for server version. They have a special right now - open file
option free with purchase. Google.

..kurt

Kurt wrote:
> ClassA wrote:
>> We have on this site four servers, and for many years I have been
>> wrestling with backup software, backup tape drives and tapes. But,
>> now that large hard disks are so cheap, I think THERE HAS TO BE A
>> BETTER WAY!
>>
>> We have some particularly important files, and I set up and ad hoc
>> backup using PKzip to an attached drive. This is launched in the
>> middle of the night from a batch file using a scheduler. This works,
>> but I saw that PK zip can't cope with a very large number of files, as
>> it runs out of memory. I am now experimenting with it's option '-=',
>> which backs up files in 'compatibility mode', hoping that this might
>> help with the open files.
>>
>> I also have tried cheap synchronization software, called Second Copy,
>> but this doesn't cope with open files, and it is generally quite flaky.
>>
>> PKzip, Xcopy, synchronization software, little known backup software,
>> cheap attached storage. Has anyone out there stirred this pot and
>> pulled out something that is useful and works, particularly with open
>> files? I feel I am warm but not there yet.
>
> Try Genie Backup. It will backup local and network stored files. It has
> an open file option using your choice of Volume Shadow Copy or their own
> snapshot module. The open file option only works on local files. It'll
> back up to tape, disk, network storage. It uses zip as compression in 8
> levels. Does normal, incremental, differential and mirror. Simple gui
> interface, email notifications, very flexible scheduler (a front end to
> Microsoft scheduled tasks). About $60 US for a workstation version, a
> bit more for server version. They have a special right now - open file
> option free with purchase. Google.
>
> .kurt
>
Thank your, Kurt, for your suggestion. I shall certainly check out Genie
Backup.