Backing up my work LAN?
 

What method of automated regular backups would you suggest? Software/hardware/etc? I have about 6 PCs at work and I'd like a method to automatically backup the data folders of lab machines and the documents and personal info folders of all the other PCs in the fastest and most efficient manner. I was thinking about building a PC running RAID1 and some undetermined backup software. Money is not much of an issue; I just don't want this to happen again but I know I am too lazy to constantly burn cds or dvds or back up everything to USB2 hdd for all the PCs.

What OSes are you working with?

Almost all are Windows XP Pro or Home. I have one Mandrake 9.1 box and there are also a few OSX machines in a friend's lab I'd keep backed up if it weren't a big issue. My thought was that I'd get a couple of large drives, set up a raid1 array, and then let others backup as well with a 10GB limit. For MOST users that would be more than enough because they aren't using super large amounts of REALLY old data.

Easy backup method I have used before: mount all the other PCs as network drives, then write a batch file that copies all the data to a folder on the designated backup PC (or more than one PC for that matter), then put the batch file in the windows scheduler to run at 3AM every day or whatever.

you could schedule msbackup on each workstation to backup to a file on a network share. Then backup the server depending on what hardware your have.

dvd-r
tape
or a large removeable hard disk.

(edit: just noticed your are using xp home not 100% sure if xp home has msbackup?)

if it's just users documents then change the location of the my documents to point to a share on the server.
It's a shame you dont have a win2k server you could setup user profiles. Then just keep a ghost image of the workstations.

Lee

If you do use a some sort of removable storage (allows off site storage) then look at Veritas Backup Exec on the high end and Stomp Backup MyPc on the low end.

It does not install by default, but it is on the CD. MS never ceases to amaze...

MS is just lazy, really.

eg - using an 'upgrade cd' you can just boot from a win98 cd, or a boot disk into dos, then browse to the i386 directory and run winnt. Wallah, full installation disk, no upgrades needed. Works on win2k at any rate, havent tried it on an XP upgrade disk.

Get MS Server 2003.

Enable shadow copy.

Backup the server to tape.

Yeah but he still has to send the files to the server... phaestus, the way I do it at the 10 facilities I sysadmin for is with the msbackup from the workstations to the server. MS backup works well, although a bit quirky to set up. I have all data critical machines send to the server to a designated folder every night before the server back up. The server then backs it up to tape (DDS4). Are you running a domain network? If you arent, you should as you can use roaming profiles/folder redirection to be served from the server so all docs and data on the desktop and the my docs folder are actually kept on the server at all times. There are many ways to do what you want. If you need removeable storage I would suggest looking at the new Iomega Rev drives... 35GB uncompressed and I think close to 90GB compressed per cartrige. Less than $400.

not to be picky, but a 35GB to 90GB isn't happening unless they have some REALLY funky compression. Even 35 to 70 (typical assumption of 2:1 compression) is crap. Mostly its 35 with maybe 55-60GB

From the iomega site: "Iomega® REV™ 35GB/90GB USB 2.0 External Drive" I am with you, I doubt it is a true 90GB, but still impressive IMO. The ** re 90GB:

" **Compressed capacity assuming 2.6:1 data compression with "high" compression setting on Iomega Automatic Backup Pro software(PC only). Mac® compression using Dantz® Retrospect® is up to 70GB.
This capacity may vary since compression is data and software dependent."

From here: http://www.iomega.com/na/products/fa...=1092779489408

*Edit* good price too, $279 from here (USB 2.0) http://www.shopharmony.com/product.a...e=PWH&i=REVUSB

wow, no crap. I figured you might have just typoed.

Gotta wonder what they are using thats getting the 2.6:1 ratio. Obviously some trick there. But thats cool stuff.

My apologies for doubting you.

No worries, I often doubt myself :D