Alternative to Tape Backup [for network]

I'm not sure if this is the right section to post, but it seemed to be most appropriate based on my search results.

I was just wondering if there were any network administrators out there that would like to chime in their thoughts on implementing a backup system for a small office (mainly the file server, but also a couple of XP workstations). I had thought tape backups were finally becoming obsolete with the costs of NAS hardware and external storage dropping so fast, however it seems that many believe tapes are still the best solution.

I have recently installed a couple backup solutions involving 2 external hard drives (maxtor small business edition) that seem to work fine for those particular offices, but for this office, I'll need something a bit more... well... "professional" than rotating 2 external drives.

Personally, I have had so many nightmares with tapes over the years that I would like to find a better solution.

Any suggestions?

Keith

 

I prefer remote-offsite backup too.

If your backup storage and your original data stays in the same office, it will be useless in case of some disaster happens to this office.

 

One thing that tape gives you that a simple disk or remote disk solution won't give you is the ability to roll back to an old version. In my experience, it can take users a few days (or even weeks) to realise that a file has been overwritten or corupted. If you backup to a disk every night, the backup soon gets over written by the problem file.

So if a user messes up a file but doesn't realise it until the following week, your disk backup is often overwitten.

Shadow copy on Windows 2003 is one tool that will allow you to roll back to an older version, but with backup you don't want to rely on one tool.

The amount of data you need to backup nowadays is huge, and the way it fills up continually amazes me. For a small business, trying to match the amount of data you'd like to back up to the size of your tape drive is impossible on a reasonable budget.

The only solution, I believe, is to combine different strategies:

• Enable shadow copy on your file servers.
• Identify the important data, identify a location to keep this important data, and back that up to tape daily. Data that changes often and is important to the business - databases being an obvious one.
• Identify data that can be archived and burn it to DVD and make it available on the network via a cheap NAS box. Then get it off your main servers/backup locations.
• Identify data that changes rarely and back that up to DVD and cheap NAS A good example of this are Intranet pages (the data behind them often changes, but the code in the pages themselves shouldn't change too often).
• Identify less important information and back that up to tape weekly.
• Identify mission critical data and back that up to off site storage

Who said an IT manager's life was simple.

By the way, we've recently invested in an Imation Disc Stakka to help organise and keep track of our CD and archive DVD. One of the best 80 pounds I've spent for a long time!

I'd also highly recommend Backup Assist in combination with Windows in-built back up as an excellent backup management system. It is far easier to use than the likes of Veritas BENT and the like, is a fraction of the price, and works a treat.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Keith