Backup Solutions

[HTRegz]

Hey Hey,

I'm looking for some advice on back-up solutions. As many of you know, I recently started a new position and I'm in the process of making several changes. One is going to be the method of backup..

Currently we have a couple of 20/40GB tape drives and Retrospect 6 Single Server Edition (along with agents for all our PCs and Macs). The problem is we do a lot of graphics design (primarily graphics design actually) so backup is rather important. The backup is also done during the day because of the frequency with which we have to swap tapes, which means the load on the server is doubled and files are changing as the backups occur.

My initial suggest was to switch to a large solution... initially an 80/208 from Sony or a 120/240 Autoloader from Quantum. The problem is my current software supports neither of these drives (which I didn't find out until after)... Since I'd already received the quotes (roughly $1700 Canadian for either of those solutions) when I was in a meeting with my boss, I mentioned the price and he was happy with it... Now that I've been informed that those won't work with the software I'm in hot water... So far the cheapest tape drive that I've located as a replacement is $2900 Canadian (It's the Sony StorStation AIT-1 Lib-81). However I've found a couple today that look decent and I've seen online for under $1000 USD and they will work with the software. The other alternative is to move to a new backup software solution, however with 20 agents (mixed platform) and the server that could be very costly. The other solution which was the original option provided by the outside IT agency my company deals with and that's USB Hard Drives for back-up. Obviously they can't be easily taken offsite without too much risk of damage (compared to tapes anyways)... so a fire proof safe was included in the suggestion.

So I'm looking for feedback on which road you would travel. You have to figure we back-up about 10-12GB of mail, 130GB of working files (Graphics, Word, etc) plus the My Documents/Desktop/Favourites of all the employees... can vary from 1GB to 20GB... I'd like to see daily backups of everything (most employees work directly of their own harddrives) but if nothing else I'd at least like to see the file server backed up daily....

What do you all use for your current solutions? Are there many security implications (something the IT provider mentioned) with taking the tapes off site? Which method of back-up do you prefer or do you like/dislike what you currently have?

Peace,
HT

[morganlefay]

What about VXA???

I have them on a couple of sites...they can use different sized tapes..depending on your needs...and affordable...about 1500 cdn

VXA-2...i use IDE with scsi hardrives..

http://www.vxa.com/index.html

http://www.exabyte.com/

Dont know what your software is...ntbackup likes them

MLF

[HTRegz]

Originally posted here by morganlefay
What about VXA???

I have them on a couple of sites...they can use different sized tapes..depending on your needs...and affordable...about 1500 cdn

VXA-2...i use IDE with scsi hardrives..

http://www.vxa.com/index.html

http://www.exabyte.com/

Dont know what your software is...ntbackup likes them

MLF

Hey Hey,

My software is much more finicky than ntbackup.... although we cheat (since we didn't want to pay to be able to back-up our small business server, ntbackup drops it on our other server and then we backup that server

Anyways it's funny that you mention VXA-2... I've got Exabyte VXA-2 (80/160 8mm) on my list because it's one of the few that my back-up software will support.. I'm going to request a price on it later today... unfortunately I think I might be irritating my supplier... we've had like 20 emails in the last week trying to get prices straight and specs settled and everything else.

Peace,
HT

[morganlefay]

I like VXA

Have been using them for a while...

I like the fact you can use different sized tapes....

Just make sure its on its own controller..and you have really good cables..

I have dealt with thier tech support also...and they are great.

Had a problem with a new dell...and interference from either the dual xeons\scsi drives or dual power supplies interupting the backup....a shielded cable fixed it

MLF

[HTRegz]

Hey Hey,

Thanks for all the info....

The other option I had presented to me was the Quantum DTL VS160... which I believe is the drive I'm going with.... Quantum just called me... they confirmed the compatibility with my software for both Mac and PC (which is vital) and It's $250 cheaper than the VXA2... Actually if I can get ahold of an internal (which I just put in a request for) it'll be 600 cheaper...

Peace,
HT

[morganlefay]

Just to clarify

That 1500cdn

includes taxes and shipping

MLF

[HTRegz]

Originally posted here by morganlefay
Just to clarify

That 1500cdn

includes taxes and shipping

MLF

My supplier quoted me 1575 + Tax

I still like the Quantum... The sales/support people that I dealt with were friendly and very helpful, the drive is slightly more than it should be... I'm dealing with my supplier because of a friendship.. but I could get it for almost 300 cheaper elsewhere.. eitherway I'm only pay 1200 for it and I'm gettin gthe tapes for 30/tape cheaper than the VXA-2 tapes.

I just got my final set of quotes, I requested 8 seperate quotes with minor changes (Types of hard drives, more exchange CALs vs SBS 2003) and then some seperate stuff that's a maybe The lowest price is faily close to the price that I gave my employer... However the one I want is a few thousand above...

Thanks again btw

Peace,
HT