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Recommondations for Backup Solution

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by blazinride 1 view

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at my company, we have six servers, one that runs exchange, and have outgrown our backup solution. Currently we are using windows backup. What would be the easiest way to move to some form of centralized backup (i dont really want to use tapes). I want to be able to backup all of the servers, and would love to be able to set one set of backups and forget it. Would i use a NAS, server? Please, any recommendations for software and hardware, please.

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by bgall

I would not suggest the mentality of "set one set of backups and forget it". You should always monitor your backups. There are numerous products (Tivoli Storage Manager, Legatos Networker, Veritas (now owned by Semantic), etc). Backing up to a disk pool is great for quick mass storage but you will probably want some sort of disaster recovery capability. That will get you into the realm of needing tapes and an "offsite" to store them.

by tkdurfee

Your statement of "i don't really want to use tapes" is echoed by every single IT person who deals with backups. However, and this is certainly up to you, consider the following: Backups are exactly like your insurance policy on your car or your home. So, let's say you do not backup to tape, and your office burns down...you are going to restore from what? The melted NAS?

I am in the process of redesigning my backup environment and this is what I am considering: Disk to Disk to Tape, Disk to Disk to Removable Disk, Disk to Disk to Off-Site Colo'd Disk. Keep in mind, with this solution, I'll need 3 things to fail, all at the same time, to put myself and my employer in a position to not be able to recover, the odds are slim that would occur.

NAS Servers are okay, however my experience has been that they are somewhat unstable. I've had to work too many nights and weekends repairing them. Many of them run a scaled down OS, some run a Linux OS and won't play nice in a Windows Network.

In the scenario I am currently in, I am looking at a SCSI attached device; they are industry 'tried and true', the possess more than enough bandwidth that the gaiting factor will be the HD RPM's. I will likely move to Disk to Disk to Removable Disk.

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