Suggestion for web backup to my home PC

[gamar]

How about this one:

We would like to install a hard drive on my home PC to which a nightly (automated) backup could be made of all or some files from our office server.

We have HAD it with unreliable tapes, forgotten tape switches, not bringing the tape off-site etc.

We are also wary of security with respect to online backup services.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

 

[comtec17]

Well, I have one suggestion...Stick with tape. I just bought an external hard drive for the same purpose about 15 days ago, and the drive went bad on me. The bearings on the drive went out and there is no way to recover the data that is on them without paying $800.

 

[gwichman]

you'll have similar security concerns/problems with doing what you're considering doing. Are you planning on sending this data across the internet encrypted? Or how do you plan to get it from point A to point B? Any server with an open port to the internet is a security risk. I suspect an online backup service would be more security conscious and knowledgable then you would be - though i'm only speaking in generalities and both cases could very well be bad.

what type of data are we talkinga bout? I wouldn't even think of sending any data of any security-conscious importance across the net to my home PC.

Sounds to me like your in-house practices of handling tape backup is what really needs addressing. Not the technology you use to do it.

 

[backupman]

gamar

It is worth thinking about why you are taking backups in the first place. A couple of things to consider which your proposal might not handle are:-
1) Keeping previous versions of files. If you discover that you have a spreadsheet or database that has gone badly wrong you don't want to restore the same messed up one from a backup, you want the version from before it got messed up.
2) Disaster. Heaven forbid but what would happen if your machine got stolen - your backup would disappear with the machine.

Both these issues are handled by the online backup companies. Because they work across the Internet there is a natural concern about security. However all the reputable online backup companies ensure your data is encrypted on your machine and remains encrypted across the line and in their storage vault.

I'd suggest you look into the online backup companies - most will have references from large companies who will have reassured themselves about security before signing up.

 

[gamar]

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Backupman:

Can you suggest some reputable online backup companies? Or a web site that could help me choose?

GA

 

[qzq]

Take a look at DoubleTake by NSI software, bit pricy but will let you do bite level replication and also offer you a HA solution. For example you can target 5 different servers to go to 1 target server and incase your server fails the target will take over its operations. It does async replication in real time. You can target your backup to your home PC as the target.