OT: Backup Solutions

[Boaz Bezborodko]

>
> Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:08:27 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Bill McEachran <wj_mceachran at yahoo.com>
> Subject: OT: Backup Solutions
> To: filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
> Message-ID: <516603.22511.qm at web51611.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> ** OFF TOPIC **
>
> I'm looking for advice on backup solutions for multiple servers.
>
> We've got a couple of database servers, a web server, a mail server, a 'other communications' server, a server which handles Oracle reporting, and one dedicated to Terminal Services.
>
> In my opinion, all of them are inadequately backed up.
>
> I'm looking for a solution that will:
> - Allow them all to backup to one device and hit tape or some other media. IOW, something manageable  :-) .
>
>
> Any suggestions of hardware or software appreciated.
>
> TIA,
>
> --
> Bill McEachran
I set up a system to backup our small system from my home so that the 
backup is offsite.  This may be a bit low-end for your application, but 
the hardware was very cheap, the location is offsite, and it gives me an 
easy way to get older data.

In this case I use a hacked version of D-Link's 2-drive NAS DNS-321 
device.  I run Rsnapshot (http://rsnapshot.org/) on it so that I have 
daily backups for the last week, weekly backups for the last month, and 
monthly backups going back 3 months.  (You can get information on 
hacking the device by googling "funplug" and keep in mind that the 
DNS-321 is simply a DNS-323 without a USB connector.)  It calls the work 
server and pulls off all the changes (using RSYNC) onto it's drive.

You can also back up the multiple servers onto separate directories on 
the drive.

I used to use BackupEdge, but restoring a file from tape was a real bear 
and quite time consuming.  Now I simply FTP to my backup device and pull 
out whichever version of the file I need.

The box is also set up to back up it's data to the other drive in the 
device.

If the D-Link device is too low end, you can easily build up something 
else like it from any unix white box.