Preferred Backup Method for <2G Data Daily

[Mike]

We have a Dell PowerEdge 1300 server (NT 4.0 MS Access application),
Colorado 4G tape back up, and five workstations (NT & W2K Pro) on a closed
network. This is a low stress network that runs a medication dispensing
system. The six y/o internal Colorado tape back up device with Backup Exec
v6.01 failed, so I'm manually backing it up daily. Please recommend a
dependable backup device and easy to use back up software that I can
hopefully buy as a package.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

We have a Dell PowerEdge 1300 server (NT 4.0 MS Access application),
Colorado 4G tape back up, and five workstations (NT & W2K Pro) on a closed
network. This is a low stress network that runs a medication dispensing
system. The six y/o internal Colorado tape back up device with Backup Exec
v6.01 failed, so I'm manually backing it up daily. Please recommend a
dependable backup device and easy to use back up software that I can
hopefully buy as a package.

Thanks,

Mike

You could use ntbackup.exe. It's not the easiest of backup programs
to use but it works reliably when configured properly.

These days I often use 2.5" hard disks in a USB case when backing
up files. There are some significant advantages in this method:
- No need for a backup drive.
- No consumables - the disks will last (almost) forever if handled properly.
- Large capacity
- Use xcopy.exe for backing up files, perhaps combined with ntbackup.exe
to back up the System State.
- File recovery is very easy and very quick.

 

[Mike]

You could use ntbackup.exe. It's not the easiest of backup programs
to use but it works reliably when configured properly.

These days I often use 2.5" hard disks in a USB case when backing
up files. There are some significant advantages in this method:
- No need for a backup drive.
- No consumables - the disks will last (almost) forever if handled
properly.
- Large capacity
- Use xcopy.exe for backing up files, perhaps combined with ntbackup.exe
to back up the System State.
- File recovery is very easy and very quick.

Interesting concept, however I'm not sure it'll work in my case because we
need an unattended daily back up at 10:30pm with the previous day(s) back
ups stored in a locked safe, It's a no brainer - the nurse swaps the tape
when she comes in the next morning,. Ideally, I'd like to get to get back
up software I could run at 1:30pm while people are logged into the system
and working. Then the nurse would lock up that day's back up before they go
home.

Mike

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Interesting concept, however I'm not sure it'll work in my case because we
need an unattended daily back up at 10:30pm with the previous day(s) back
ups stored in a locked safe, It's a no brainer - the nurse swaps the tape
when she comes in the next morning,. Ideally, I'd like to get to get back
up software I could run at 1:30pm while people are logged into the system
and working. Then the nurse would lock up that day's back up before they go
home.

Mike

Why shouldn't it work? My clients are doing it all the time! The
backup takes place at night, the USB disk gets automatically
dismounted, clerical staff disconnect one disk and plug in another
disk. No problem at all!

 

[Mike]

Old hardware predates usb and nt os which doesn't recognize usb devices.

Mike

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

OK, I should have spotted that one. Time to upgrade to new a
new server OS. Many virus scanners will not run on WinNT,
leaving your server exposed.

 

[Mike]

OK, I should have spotted that one. Time to upgrade to new a
new server OS. Many virus scanners will not run on WinNT,
leaving your server exposed.


Agreed, but I work for a government agency where it's tough to buy new
equipment. It's a closed network and nothing is added to it, so
likelyhood of virus problems is low.

Sure would like some recommedations for a 5 1/4" tape back up unit with
software.

Mike

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Sure would like some recommedations for a 5 1/4" tape back up unit with
software.

Mike

I have used several Seagate Travan backup tape drives. They
are attractively priced and they come bundled with BackupExec
software (if you ask for it). I found that BackupExec was simple
to use but that it had severe limitations when it came to automatic
log reporting. The same drives can also be used with
ntbackup.exe. This program is reasonable when it comes to
automatic log reporting but it takes a while to get used to its
idiosynchrasies.

Note that Travan backup tapes last for about 50 backup/verify
cycles before they need replacing. This is a significant ongoing cost.
That's one of the reasons why I now use USB backup disks -
they do not wear out. Of course they can't be used under WinNT.

 

[Mike]

Thanks,,
Mike

 

[Joe Rom King]

Mike,

You may also want to consider this:

Buy two or three USB disks, and use them in rotation. Since you use a
six y/o tape, I guess you have less than 10GB to backup. So the backup
disks should be 40GB or if you feel wealthy 80GB .

Use one of the Windows 2000 workstations, preferably the one of the
office manger in charge of replacing the disk, to connect the backup
disk. Windows 2000 supports USB all right.

If you are concerned about network bandwidth and such, use DataMills'
Relative Rev Backup (http://www.datamills.com). This software will
create on each one of the backup disks, an archive of backup versions
that goes months back without loading the network, or multiplying the
backup space.


After the very first full backup, it will copy only new and updated
files, even for the weekly and monthly, so backup time is estimated at
less than five minutes. At the same time, it can construct a full
backup image for any version, so its a one session to recover any
version. Plus it has error checking and correction to verify the
validity and integrity of every session.

Unattended operation is supported by scheduling the backup sessions,
and holding the latest x-intra daily, y-daily, z-weekly, and w-monthly
sessions - automatically purging the backup disk of older versions. It
will also try to backup to any of the two or three backup disks that
you rotate, adjusting the backup type (daily/weekly..) to make sure
each disk hold a nice a balanced mix of daily/weekly/monthly versions.

Since each disk will hold many backup sessions that go months back, you
will not have to search for the right tape to restore a file/folder.

Assuming 10GB data, and "normal" daily changes of the files, the 40GB
disk is predicted to hold backup history that goes one year back.

 

[Joe Rom King]

Mike,

You may also want to consider this:

Buy two or three USB disks, and use them in rotation. Since you use a
six y/o tape, I guess you have less than 10GB to backup. So the backup
disks should be 40GB or if you feel wealthy 80GB .

Use one of the Windows 2000 workstations, preferably the one of the
office manger in charge of replacing the disk, to connect the backup
disk. Windows 2000 supports USB all right.

If you are concerned about network bandwidth and such, use DataMills'
Relative Rev Backup (http://www.datamills.com). This software will
create on each one of the backup disks, an archive of backup versions
that goes months back without loading the network, or multiplying the
backup space.


After the very first full backup, it will copy only new and updated
files, even for the weekly and monthly, so backup time is estimated at
less than five minutes. At the same time, it can construct a full
backup image for any version, so its a one session to recover any
version. Plus it has error checking and correction to verify the
validity and integrity of every session.

Unattended operation is supported by scheduling the backup sessions,
and holding the latest x-intra daily, y-daily, z-weekly, and w-monthly
sessions - automatically purging the backup disk of older versions. It
will also try to backup to any of the two or three backup disks that
you rotate, adjusting the backup type (daily/weekly..) to make sure
each disk hold a nice a balanced mix of daily/weekly/monthly versions.

Since each disk will hold many backup sessions that go months back, you
will not have to search for the right tape to restore a file/folder.

Assuming 10GB data, and "normal" daily changes of the files, the 40GB
disk is predicted to hold backup history that goes one year back.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

You're overlooking the same thing as I did: The OP uses WinNT,
which does NOT support USB.

 

[Mike]

Hi Joe, since the tape backup died I'm manually copying the 210MB data file
to a new workstation every daY and copying the 780MB patient photo file when
it changes. Total size of programs and data files is probably <3G. I'm
thinking that after I upgrade the server next week to a Dell GX-240 with a
gig of RAM I'll create an image of the disk then just back up the data files
and create another image when the program changes which isn't very frequent.
Lack of bandwidth isn't a problem so far.

Thanks for your help and your suggestions.

Mike

 

[Mike]

Many years ago, I ran across something that cost $49.95 that added USB
support to NT but I never bought it. According the the MS NT newsgroup it
worked.

Mike

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Since you have a networked PC that runs Win2000, why not use
it for an automatic backup to a USB disk?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Yes, I have a driver too that's supposed to work under WinNT.
It does for a USB mouse and doesn't for a flash disk. It would
need to be tested thoroughly before using it for something as
important as a backup drive.

 

[Mike]

Decide to build a new server and be done with it. Will back manually 'til
the new server is on line.

Mike

 

[Mike]

Was thinking about that too.

Mike

Since you have a networked PC that runs Win2000, why not use
it for an automatic backup to a USB disk?