DAT Tape Backups

[The_Unbeliever]

Our backup strategy :

Server runs RAID - there is around 400Gb's of data.

This is mirrored/synchronized to a PC - the backup server - with enough space to hold all the files, and a tape streamer.

The files are synchronized one way on a regular basis (one way because that way deleted files can be recovered quicker as it take a whole day just to restore one file from tape) and backed up to tape every day.

So far it worked quite well, and saved the day on two occasions when people deleted their files by accident.

 

[Nod]

Tape also enables a backup strategy which you may otherwise not be able to do with RAID or a remote disk, i.e. daily, weekly, monthly and annual. Tape is also a good way to archive data. In the end it depends on your needs, while RAID/disks versus tape may meet all your requirements, it is not a replacement for tape/DVD/removable backup media.

Yes you can. You can use EMC Networker to back up to tape or disk, with exactly the same functionality (e.g. scheduling).
If you can't afford EMC Networker, rather go for Bacula, it is free, and only lacks some of the database features that Networker have.

 

[Conradl]

Yes you can. You can use EMC Networker to back up to tape or disk, with exactly the same functionality (e.g. scheduling).
If you can't afford EMC Networker, rather go for Bacula, it is free, and only lacks some of the database features that Networker have.

Perhaps I was unclear in my post, should have used e.g.; not i.e. . What I meant was that RAID does not allow for GFS backups, and remote disks can, depending on the amount of data being backed up, have limitations (backing up 500GB GFS to disk will require a LOT of disks).

I agree though that tiered storage, as mentioned above, is a handy method for backing up data....

 

[Kloofvreter]

I think DAT tapes are kinda outdated.
16Gb Flash drives are under R300, is smaller and faster.

Whats wrong with dvds

Unfortunately they don't come in 800Gb.

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Unfortunately they don't come in 800Gb.

Ultrium tapes can do 200/400Gb or 400/800Gb (uncompressed/compressed)

What other gigabyte backup solutions is there?

 

[Kloofvreter]

Ultrium tapes can do 200/400Gb or 400/800Gb (uncompressed/compressed)

Yep, we use them. I meant the flash disks and DVD's

 

[Spazmatic]

LTO4 external drives and tapes are not that expensive, can get a drive for under 15K and tapes are around R350 a pop, but for 10Gb's worth of data would be a waste, really.... I would just use an external drive and a daily backup to the drive, on a 1TB drive could hold a good couple days worth of backups. just a thought, use it, dont use it.

 

[Obelix]

dont need to go ultrium - DAT's are now at the 320GB mark. Yes that little 4mm data tape thingy of yesteryear....
Drives are available in scsi and usb and come with HP StorageWorks Data Protector Express Software Single Server Edition which i consider probably the best backup software on the market.......

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/12169-304612-3446234-3446234-3446234-63890.html

 

[The_Unbeliever]

can remember when tapes was 120Mb...

But to be serious... a couple of 16Gb flash drives will work out far cheaper than a hard drive. Buy 7 flash drives and use one flash drive for every day of the week - for daily backups.

Also, buy an 500Gb external USB hard drive, and use that for one monthly backup copy. You can store more than 12 months' worth of backups on that thing.

This will work out the best.

And do keep the data in an secure, off-site location. Reason being that should your company's premises burn down, or ne'er-do-wells decide to do a complete cleanout, you'll still have the data stored safely.

Don't think that a heavy safe will deter them - it will not. Safes can be stolen as well.