Backup solutions?

[markTHEblake]

Hi Gents, I am knocking up a file server for my mates little office, we have two drives Raid 1 (mirrored) on the machine, and need an easy solution for a backup to alternate media and take offsite.

My idea is 2 x USB Hard drive enclosures, which we shall rotate weekly or so. So at any given point in time, one is connected, the other one is offsite - glovebox of car actually :-)

The file server is going to be running Windows Server 2003, so usually windows doesnt have a problem with unplugging USB drives, but I feel it is better practice to properly eject them (Linux and Mac hates it if you dont eject)

The disadvantage of that is i dont want the users to access the server desktop. Maybe many enclosures now have eject buttons?

What system are you others using as backups? Not interested in remote services as I feel the data traffic is too costly, and tapes are expensive now in comparison.

[henno]

Tape backup. Seriously. They're not dirt cheap, but tape is still more durable than any other (easily accessible) media out there - at least until solid state media prices start to fall further. Buy a tape drive, backup nightly, and take the tapes elsewhere.

Otherwise, a couple of eSATA (with USB fallback) boxes with two drives in a mirrored RAID array. You still run the risk of the raid controller going pop, but at least there is some level of redundancy.

[Cams]

Agree, tapes are the best. Another option may be an online backup service. they are popping up quite a bit now. It uses your connection to backup at night and is easily retreived. Of course factors such as your connection speed and how much new data each day will impact whether it will be good or not. If you only have a small amount of data, re writeable DVDs perhaps.

[Fishman Dan]

Mark - your solution is terrible. Hard disks die easily, especially when left in a glovebox ;)

Scour around for a cheap backup drive - Grays Online probably isn't a bad place to look for drive + media, ex-lease.

How much data are you looking to back up (factor in any future growth)?

[symowallo]

I can't stand tapes any more. Too much expense and hassle, particularly for small business. Go with disk to disk. Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery (Small Business Edition) is good for this.

[henno]

Expense, yes. Hassle, no. You just put a tape in every morning. It is literally a 5 second job.

[live4golf]

Grays will have what you're after, they always have backup stuff for sale.

Depending on how much data you're looking at there are heaps of options. The easiest for small amounts of data is online storage, even just renting some FTP space (cheap as chips) and running it that way, but it depends on the amount of data and the size of your WAN link.

I would steer clear of disk to disk in the way you are talking about simply because hard disks don't like being stopped and started repeatedly.

Other option is recordable DVD (dual layer gives you 8GB)....depends on data again.

I am sure there are plenty of geeks on here but feel free to PM if you wish about this sort of thing, I am fairly geeky.

[markTHEblake]

thanks all - even Fish.


Tape backup. Seriously. They're not dirt cheap,

hear what you are saying, cant fit that in the budget.


Otherwise, a couple of eSATA (with USB fallback) boxes with two drives in a mirrored RAID array.

have that in the File Server itself, no need for another one (onsite) if considering a backup that is stored offsite


Another option may be an online backup service.

already said cant do that.


I would steer clear of disk to disk in the way you are talking about simply because hard disks don't like being stopped and started repeatedly.
once a week is not repeatedly - did you read the scenario? :)

am canning the original idea, its not simple enough. Going with single networked hard drive, hidden somewhere the other side of the house and bolted down, nobody will be able to nick it then. Now all we have to do is recover from a total disaster, the CRM containing customer data is online anyway, just the rest of the crap, emails, documents and images of workstations to cover. I might just get single portable HD, and update that quarterly and keep it at my house, that way it keeps the users off the file server desktop.

[Fishman Dan]

Blake.... next time you want to ignore good advice for shit advice, please let us know in the first post in the thread.

Note - when a fire consumes the house, have fun un-bolting the hard disk as the smoke thickens around you.

[markTHEblake]

Blake.... next time you want to ignore good advice for shit advice, please let us know in the first post in the thread.

I took it all onboard mate - i threw out my idea didnt I cos you said it was crap!


Note - when a fire consumes the house, have fun un-bolting the hard disk as the smoke thickens around you.

Well we could save the data to platinum disks and store them in concrete bunkers in Switzerland, but we gotta draw a line somewhere for cost, and for some people thats a flash drive on their keyring.

[kev]

QNAP TS-209 Pro II.