John,
I'm backing up some at night, and some incrementally several times during
the day, using V2i software by Powerquest to create images at about 50% of
the size of the original data size to a mirrored set of hard drives in hot
swappable cartridges, one drive of which gets swapped out depending on the
rotation schedule. The amount of data is such that I should be able to get
3 full sets of all my files on all my servers on a 200G HD. I'll be basing
my rotation on that, when I finally figure out what works best. Right now
that's still up in the air.
As with any product, there are pro's and con's, I have noticed from the
short time I've been using this. This software is definitely not for
everyone, but I have a lot of data, need quick recovery time in the case of
a complete server meltdown, and want to get all my servers in one shot,
using as little space as possible. Since these are IDE HD's, they can be
mounted anywhere on the network anytime for archive restoration without
worrying about obsolescence in the near future.
As other people in this group pointed out, tapes are cheaper than HD's, and
tape technology is proven and familiar. But in the long-run, I think that
will all work itself out. I bought fast and reliable HD's - Maxtor 200G 8M
buffer 7200 IDE ATA133. And V2i demands lots of ram on the servers if you
don't want to drag them down. The backup history and record-keeping is
lacking in V2i - I'm figuring out as I go, how I'll handle that. Nasty
learning curve - maybe I just have writer's block (no pun intended) against
anything but a tape system. It has been a lot of work to get to this point.
As far as backing up to HD, I'd guess there are about as many ideas on how
to do that as there are people in this group. But once I get the kinks
worked out, this method should be fine. Backup systems and rotation schemes
are subjective and at best a PITA. Take your time and consider at all the
variables.
Gary
PS - Here are some excerpts from an older message I sent to the group:
HD's will vary, depending on your rotation plan.
some files during the day multiple times too). Main HD and a Secondary HD
are a mirrored set. The Main HD isn't touched. The Secondary HD is swapped
out each day. The Secondary HD rebuilds it's portion of the mirrored set
during the day from the images of the night before.
want to make sure you don't have something there that would get in the way
of V2i.
-----Original Message-----
From: John Mansfield [mailto:johnm@...]
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 10:19 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Using Hard Drives As Back Up
Hi Gary,
I am interested in backing up with hard drives. Can you tell me a little
more about how you are doing it. Do you have special software for it? What
about using xcopy and a task to backup nightly or are you backing up
realtime?
Thanks,
John Mansfield
General Sheet Metal
-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Polvinale [mailto:garyp@...]
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 10:12 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Using Hard Drives As Back Up
Hi Shirley,
How's the towmotoring? I drove one for a couple of years. It can even
be
fun at times. As long as you don't back anyone into a wall (been the
one
backed into), or rip out a steam pipe (been the one doing the ripping).
I'm putting together my backup-HD rotation for the new HD backup system.
Reviewing the old threads from the Vantage group on the subject, your
rotation scheme seems pretty sensible. If you have time for a few
words...
Are you still using this rotation? And what do you do for year-end
backups?
Thanks. Happy towmotoring!
Gary
-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 1:36 PM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Using Hard Drives As Back Up
I carry tapes off site, and I also build repair computers here. You use
tapes so that you have backups covering days. The more appropriate
reason
rather than a 911 disaster are infections. Much more common than a
cratered
worksite. If your backups are infected, then you start moving back down
your tape chain. I use a 10 tape cycle. Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday
1st Friday 2nd Friday 3rd Friday 1st Month 2nd Month 3rd Month. I a
real
worse case you can have clean data back three months. Better than
nothing.
Shirley Graver
Systems Administrator
Rubber Associates Inc.
Cleveland/Akron, OH
Shirley
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Boyes [mailto:brianb@...]
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 1:16 PM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Using Hard Drives As Back Up
pro - fast, cheap
con - If the server blows up, all the backups go with it. Tapes can be
stored offsite.
Basically what it comes down to in this and another thread today...
You
can
have as much redundancy as you want, but it will cost you.
I'm backing up some at night, and some incrementally several times during
the day, using V2i software by Powerquest to create images at about 50% of
the size of the original data size to a mirrored set of hard drives in hot
swappable cartridges, one drive of which gets swapped out depending on the
rotation schedule. The amount of data is such that I should be able to get
3 full sets of all my files on all my servers on a 200G HD. I'll be basing
my rotation on that, when I finally figure out what works best. Right now
that's still up in the air.
As with any product, there are pro's and con's, I have noticed from the
short time I've been using this. This software is definitely not for
everyone, but I have a lot of data, need quick recovery time in the case of
a complete server meltdown, and want to get all my servers in one shot,
using as little space as possible. Since these are IDE HD's, they can be
mounted anywhere on the network anytime for archive restoration without
worrying about obsolescence in the near future.
As other people in this group pointed out, tapes are cheaper than HD's, and
tape technology is proven and familiar. But in the long-run, I think that
will all work itself out. I bought fast and reliable HD's - Maxtor 200G 8M
buffer 7200 IDE ATA133. And V2i demands lots of ram on the servers if you
don't want to drag them down. The backup history and record-keeping is
lacking in V2i - I'm figuring out as I go, how I'll handle that. Nasty
learning curve - maybe I just have writer's block (no pun intended) against
anything but a tape system. It has been a lot of work to get to this point.
As far as backing up to HD, I'd guess there are about as many ideas on how
to do that as there are people in this group. But once I get the kinks
worked out, this method should be fine. Backup systems and rotation schemes
are subjective and at best a PITA. Take your time and consider at all the
variables.
Gary
PS - Here are some excerpts from an older message I sent to the group:
>>Re the cost - don't forget that $3000 will get you the basic setup. AMain HD and 3 Secondary HD's to swap. The cost of the remaining Secondary
HD's will vary, depending on your rotation plan.
>>Re taping the image -- that's what's it's doing now, only to HD. It usesmirrored set of HD's. V2i images to the Main HD during the night (I backup
some files during the day multiple times too). Main HD and a Secondary HD
are a mirrored set. The Main HD isn't touched. The Secondary HD is swapped
out each day. The Secondary HD rebuilds it's portion of the mirrored set
during the day from the images of the night before.
>>It sounds simple, but the setup took a bit of configuring before we got itoperating smoothly. I was assured that's not always the case, but you may
want to make sure you don't have something there that would get in the way
of V2i.
-----Original Message-----
From: John Mansfield [mailto:johnm@...]
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 10:19 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Using Hard Drives As Back Up
Hi Gary,
I am interested in backing up with hard drives. Can you tell me a little
more about how you are doing it. Do you have special software for it? What
about using xcopy and a task to backup nightly or are you backing up
realtime?
Thanks,
John Mansfield
General Sheet Metal
-----Original Message-----
From: Gary Polvinale [mailto:garyp@...]
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 10:12 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Using Hard Drives As Back Up
Hi Shirley,
How's the towmotoring? I drove one for a couple of years. It can even
be
fun at times. As long as you don't back anyone into a wall (been the
one
backed into), or rip out a steam pipe (been the one doing the ripping).
I'm putting together my backup-HD rotation for the new HD backup system.
Reviewing the old threads from the Vantage group on the subject, your
rotation scheme seems pretty sensible. If you have time for a few
words...
Are you still using this rotation? And what do you do for year-end
backups?
Thanks. Happy towmotoring!
Gary
-----Original Message-----
From: Shirley Graver [mailto:shirleyg@...]
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 1:36 PM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Using Hard Drives As Back Up
I carry tapes off site, and I also build repair computers here. You use
tapes so that you have backups covering days. The more appropriate
reason
rather than a 911 disaster are infections. Much more common than a
cratered
worksite. If your backups are infected, then you start moving back down
your tape chain. I use a 10 tape cycle. Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday
1st Friday 2nd Friday 3rd Friday 1st Month 2nd Month 3rd Month. I a
real
worse case you can have clean data back three months. Better than
nothing.
Shirley Graver
Systems Administrator
Rubber Associates Inc.
Cleveland/Akron, OH
Shirley
-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Boyes [mailto:brianb@...]
Sent: Wednesday, June 05, 2002 1:16 PM
To: 'vantage@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Using Hard Drives As Back Up
pro - fast, cheap
con - If the server blows up, all the backups go with it. Tapes can be
stored offsite.
Basically what it comes down to in this and another thread today...
You
can
have as much redundancy as you want, but it will cost you.
> -----Original Message-----
> My boss asked me why shouldn't we buy 5 hard drives and copy
> everything
> to them every night, instead of buying a back up tape system.
> I could
> not give a good answer - does anyone have a pros or cons..