RE: how to back up a small PC network? -- PCTECH

Mark,

I do rock-solid (as in I've tested them) backups of PCs (File Servers, W2K
Domain Controllers, Exchange 5.5, SQL2000, and desktops) using the basic
design you mention.

I have one server (known as 'Backup') that has a DAT drive and  a bunch of
disks. Each night (at staggered times) each of the other servers run
NTBackup and back themselves up to a share on the backup server. Then at 6AM
(last backup to server ends ~4AM) the backup server starts to spool the
backup directory to tape using NTBackup to backup the *.bkf files. The tape
then goes off-site.

One big advantage of this approach is that I always have last night's backup
online, so if I need to pull something back from last night (known as the
"oh sh*t, I deleted the wrong file!" restore) I can do so without going to
tape.

If you're restoring data the restore is simple, start NTBackup on the
server, open the .bkf and restore what you want. However, if you're
restoring an entire server the basic process is to install W2K (or W2K3) and
then restore the system save over the installed operating system. There are
very few "boot from backup" solutions in the PC world.

IF you have a W2K domain controller that you're backing up, make sure you
read, re-read and then read again, Microsoft's AD Disaster Recovery
Whitepaper
(http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prodtech
nol/ad/windows2000/support/adrecov.asp)

-Walden


------------
Walden H Leverich III
President
Tech Software
(516) 627-3800 x11
(208) 692-3308 eFax
WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.TechSoftInc.com 

Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Villa [mailto:markvilla@xxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Friday, November 07, 2003 9:40 AM
To: 'PC Technical Discussion for iSeries Users'
Subject: [PCTECH] how to back up a small PC network?

I have used Veritas in the past.
I have tried tapes, CD-R's and am now considering DVD's as a one time media
to store weekly backup's on.
That is a little more pricey but holds a lot of data.
It almost makes more sense to have a small junk PC with LOTS of storage
(since DASD is cheap) and just push the backup to it.
My most recent backup of 1 PC was like this. I am not sure I can restore it
though. I used the native MS backup.
I am assuming I have to install Windows 2000, or floppy boot then restore
the backup, and then hope it works.
And MS Backup failed a few times, before it completed successful.

I think I would rather have a small appliance that backs up all PC's
assigned to it.
Like a small SAN I guess.
Any of you guys do rock solid backup's of PC's or do we all Ghost?

Mark Villa in Charleston SC 



_______________________________________________
This is the PC Technical Discussion for iSeries Users (PcTech) mailing list
To post a message email: PcTech@xxxxxxxxxxxx
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
visit: http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/pctech
or email: PcTech-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives
at http://archive.midrange.com/pctech.