Backup-2-Disk Job Setup

[djwatts]

Hi,

We are trying to implement multiple server backup to one NAS appliance on our network and then backup all the data to tape. Just unsure of the best way to implement this:-

1. Have one job to backup all 5 servers to disk, then a duplicate job to backup to tape.

2. Have a job for each server to backup to disk, then one job to backup all of the data to tape.

3. Have a job for each server to backup to disk, then a job for each server to backup the data to tape.

Is there any benefits to any of the above methods?

Or is there a better way of accomplishing this task?

Thanks for your help guys -

 

[rtichnor]

Your number one choice is my favorite...Have one job to backup all 5 servers to disk, then a duplicate job to backup to tape.


If you have one server handling the entire backup process, you'll be better off. I've tested two servers backing-up at the same time, and I always get trouble.
Also, I don't use tape except for yearly archives. I have swappable hard drives that I rotate every week.

 

[sg6]

What we have done is

1 weekly full job to disk in its own b2d folder.
this folder has overwrite protection 2 weeks and NO append

1 Daily Differential job to disk in its own b2d folder.
this folder has overwrite protection 2 weeks and NO append

1 Weekly Disk to tape Incremental of the Weekly full folder. Overwrite protecting 3 week, indefinite append

1 Daily Disk to tape incremental of the weekly folder. overwrite protection 3 weeks, indefinite append


We have roughly a 2 terabyte dedicated disk space for our backups. The basic concept of the above is on the full job overwrite protection is set for 2 weeks,

week 1 the backup will create media in the new Full backup media set.
week 2 the backup will not over write the first media and will create a second media. (giving us time to get the first week's .bkf file to tape)
week 3 the backup will overwrite the first media (giving us time to get the second week's .bkf file to tape)
etc..etc..

Not creating a 3rd media but overwriting the first keeps us from having to manually delete the .bkf files. you could use the archive job for this but we like just overwriting.



The disk to tape jobs I chose to use incremental so that We would not be backing up both .bkf files each week.


The concept is the same for the daily jobs only a 5 day period. Physical tape sets are on a 4 week rotation.


I don't know if this is the best way, but it's working for us. It also allow us to keep 2 weeks worth of backups live all the time to make quick restores faster.



Hope this helps.