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Thread ID: 125313 2012-06-20 00:24:00 Backups for Servers ronyville (10611) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1282884 2012-06-20 00:24:00 Currently we are using Backup Exec 12 to back up all our data (exchange 2007, 2008 DCs, and other 2008 and 2003 servers) to tape - LTO3s.

Looking at setting up disk backups using shadow protect for servers. Will be settings up a 8-12TB NAS which will hold all the images and data for all the critical severs. Just need some feedback from other Admins who have a similar setup, what you have and how it is setup. Issues you had when restoring something during a failure. Reason for disk backup is to be able to deploy the image of the server to another machine incase of hardware failure that may not be fixable with 30 minutes or so.

Another option I look at was Acronis 11 for Servers but i think i might stay with Shadow Protect.

Thanks.
ronyville (10611)
1282885 2012-06-20 00:34:00 We're using Backup Exec 12 on some Dell PowerVault 2200s for backup to disk. Works really well, far better than the old PowerVault LTO drives we were using. We have 3, each with 10TB of storage, and they perform well, good throughput rates etc. In terms of actually making them work, if you're already using Backup Exec the only difference is your device/media setup, the actual backup & restore functionality is identical regardless. inphinity (7274)
1282886 2012-06-20 00:53:00 Thanks, but with BE12, it doesnt create an image that can be quickly deployed to another machine in case of failure. What is your setup for such an event, say for example your exchange server craps out? ronyville (10611)
1282887 2012-06-20 02:15:00 Pretty much all our servers are clustered, virtualised, or both, so BE is just to preserve data. We do have base build images for each non-virtualised server role as Acronis TIB images which can be deployed to get a server up and running, which can then have data restored from BE to bring it up to speed so to speak. inphinity (7274)
1282888 2012-06-20 02:41:00 sounds like a good setup you have, unfortunately our critical servers are all standalone HPs, we do have ESXI Virtual server but only got a few non-critical servers on those since the host is not capable to do so. I guess i'll stick with Shadow Protect for now. Thanks for your input. Just testing the Windows Server 2008 Backup option where it creates a full image backup of itself, just not sure if it will allow me to deploy that image on a different machine (possible doesnt support hardware independent restore), only the final test will tell me ...... ronyville (10611)
1282889 2012-06-20 04:47:00 Windows Deployment Services in 2k8 should allow you to deploy an image to different hardware. inphinity (7274)
1282890 2012-06-20 04:56:00 Rony, Shadow Protect is wickedly good, however if your NAS is on site, what will you do if you lose the building?....We are virtualise here, and use BE12 for data backups only, about 350GB, and we also have DFS to another virtual server which will eventually be relocated across the WAN to another site. The DFS has SQL backups & shares. The DR site will also have duplicates of our VMs so in the event of building loss, we can start up the VMs on the DR site and update the DB with the SQL DFS data.
We do have WDS, but that still requires config of desktops, I have templates for servers but would cry if I had to reconfigure them!
SolMiester (139)
1282891 2012-06-20 05:50:00 Thanks for the input guys.
At this moment my only concern is getting a serve back online after a hardware failure, such as the exchange server, or mailmarshal or the main file server etc etc. Currently looking at 6 Storagecraft servers software+ Seagate Black Amour NAS400 and 4x 3TB Raid Edition drives is already costing me 10K. Seagate Black Amour NAS400 comes with 10 Acronis Image licence which I am hoping to use to backup some critical desktops especially the ones used by Accounts and all the software settings that have been installed on them. I would cry too if i had to reconfigure them.... I am keeping BE12 for data backups since its part of our insurance policy. I will look at the offsite options later since that requires more $$$ and i will have to get on my knees and beg for... hahaha
ronyville (10611)
1282892 2012-06-20 05:53:00 I take it you would run BEX along side Shadow protect, so you still have off site backups? If so then that's a pretty good solution. Our plan is to replicate shadow protect backups to another SAN about 400km away for DR along with tape backups also. Alex B (15479)
1282893 2012-06-20 05:59:00 Our only backups that are offsite is the data on the tapes using BE12. Those are not much help in quickly bringing a server back online. Will have to reconfigure a new server from scratch and copy the data off the tapes back onto it..... ronyville (10611)
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