Inexpensive Backups

[*69]

I need an inexpensive way to backup by data and to securely store it offsite
nightly. My thoughts lean towards tape backups.

Has anyone used tape backups on an XP pPro machine and it was successful,
could you provide me with a link to the make/model you purchased.

Thank you

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I need an inexpensive way to backup by data and to securely store it
offsite nightly. My thoughts lean towards tape backups.

Has anyone used tape backups on an XP pPro machine and it was
successful, could you provide me with a link to the make/model you
purchased.
Thank you

You can use tape if you wish (NTBackup will write to it just fine), but a
decent tape drive will require a SCSI interface and won't be cheap (although
you could look for used ones on ebay/etc). It might be better to use
multiple USB hard drives & swap them out for offsite storage.
"Inexpensive" is difficult to quantify....much depends on how much data you
can afford to lose. There are plenty of 'inexpensive' online backup services
that will charge you a nominal fee per month for offsite backups - look at
www.intronis.com for one I'm particularly fond of.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

I need an inexpensive way to backup by data and to securely store it offsite
nightly. My thoughts lean towards tape backups.

You've been outta the loop for about 10 years, right?

 

[*69]

I should add, data that needs to be backed up is about 40 gig

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

I should add, data that needs to be backed up is about 40 gig

And you are leaning towards "tape backup"?

Are you a troll?

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

And you are leaning towards "tape backup"?

Are you a troll?

I shoulda asked: are you a moron?

 

[*69]

you have any bright ideas other then your non intelligent gibberish.

We use network backups to servers in other cities at work. That's not
practical for a home environment, nor do I have that infrastructure.. Other
backup used is tapes which hold over 200 gig.

I don't plan on using dvds and having to swap all night.

So what great plan have you got.

 

[*69]

if you're going to suggest usb drives...tapes are much cheaper, smaller and
you can have retention of backups

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

So what great plan have you got.

Has your end of the world been told about external hard drives yet?

Or about installing an extra INTERNAL hard drive?

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

if you're going to suggest usb drives...tapes are much cheaper, smaller and
you can have retention of backups

Go for it baby.

You know everything.

 

[Al Dykes]

I need an inexpensive way to backup by data and to securely store it offsite
nightly. My thoughts lean towards tape backups.

Has anyone used tape backups on an XP pPro machine and it was successful,
could you provide me with a link to the make/model you purchased.

Thank you

IMO, Tape is the worst kind of backup for non-corporate use. The
cheap drives are crap and the chances of buying one that works on your
next computer and can read last years tapes is zero unless you buy the
heavy duty stuff, which isn't cheap. The backup software is crap, too.

You need to think about what you plan to backup and how to recover.
Most users need to backup their work files daily and for most people,
CDR disks are good enough and the price is right. Keep several
generations, store them in a cool, dry place and always do a readback
verification when you do a backup. I'd sugggest reading the data back
on a different computer just in case the CR burner has gone bad.

Systems need a full backup. You'd be amazed at how many bits of
software you've installed off the internet and bow many some of us
have paid for, a few bucks at a time. Nobody ever keeps proper records
and the software companies make big bucks selling you your software
twice or more times.

I use a good backup tool, Acronis and I do full backups to a second
disk. I use CDR disks for my work product.

Online backup is getting cheap. You can get 2GB from Google, for free.

My problem with online storage done in a dumb manner is that
generations of files are not stored. If your disk dies in teh middle
of backup to an Internet service, you ight find you've lost all
instances of your file.

Everyone should give this a read;

http://www.taobackup.com/

 

[*69]

You're a joke. If you read the original post, "securely store it offsite".

Your solution of an internal hard drive doesn't cut it

 

[Lil' Dave]

I need an inexpensive way to backup by data and to securely store it
offsite nightly. My thoughts lean towards tape backups.

Has anyone used tape backups on an XP pPro machine and it was successful,
could you provide me with a link to the make/model you purchased.

Thank you

Your replies to uncle grumpy have revealed that:

1. You're backing up your home computer.
2. The backup (compression wasn't mentioned, so I'll assume its not) is
about 40GB.
3. You've already determined it has to be a tape backup.
4. You're assuming that the backup will work on a replacement PC, I'm
guessing, if the need arises.

Due to 3. and 4., I can't help you. Have a nice day.

Dave

 

[sdlomi2]

You're a joke. If you read the original post, "securely store it
offsite".

Your solution of an internal hard drive doesn't cut it

Either get an external h/d or an enclosure and insert whatever h/d you
wish. USB-connections are fast and allow you to instantly remove the ext.
unit & take offsite. HTH, s

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I need an inexpensive way to backup by data and to securely store it offsite
nightly. My thoughts lean towards tape backups.

Has anyone used tape backups on an XP pPro machine and it was successful,
could you provide me with a link to the make/model you purchased.

I'll echo what others have already said. Tape is no longer a viable
backup medium for personal computers. It's expensive, slow, and
unreliable. The best choice by far is an external USB drive. Yes, it
costs more than a reel of tape, but not very much more, and you don't
have the expense of buying the tape drive.

Even better is having two such drives. Alternate their use each day,
and swap them at the offsite location.

You can buy a 40GB (you said in another message that's how much data
you need to back up) hard drive for $30 US or so, and a USB enclosure
for it for around $20. Two of each will set you back only $100 or a
little more, and it's a much better choice than tape.

I'd actually recommend spending a little more and getting two 80GB
drives instead of 40s, so there's room left for growth. An 80GB drive
can be bought for as little as $46. See
http://www.google.com/products?q=80GB+hard+drive&show=dd

 

[Panic]

I would get an external USB drive. You can get them for under a hundred
dollars. That way you don't have to scroll through a tape to find things.
And there is no further expense to buy media.

 

[Vista]

I need an inexpensive way to backup by data and to securely store it offsite
nightly. My thoughts lean towards tape backups.

Has anyone used tape backups on an XP pPro machine and it was successful,
could you provide me with a link to the make/model you purchased.

Thank you

Tape backups went out like videos did with Betamax.
Do yourself a favour and get Acronis True Image (www.acronis.com) and a
USB external hard disk.

Vi

 

[Vista]

if you're going to suggest usb drives...tapes are much cheaper, smaller and
you can have retention of backups

What planet are you on?

Vi

 

[HeyBub]

you have any bright ideas other then your non intelligent gibberish.

We use network backups to servers in other cities at work. That's not
practical for a home environment, nor do I have that infrastructure..
Other backup used is tapes which hold over 200 gig.

I don't plan on using dvds and having to swap all night.

So what great plan have you got.

Tapes? TAPES? This is SPARTA!

Use an external hard drive.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

Your replies to uncle grumpy have revealed that:

[SNIP]

That he's a ****ing idiot, actually.