Tape Backup drives

[hookette]

Anyone have a suggestion as to what should be used as a backup system for a very small network (7 computers and 1 server)? I want to make sure that the server is backed up in case of an emergency, but not sure what is good for this size. I know HP's tape backups are great, but for this size? Probably only need to backup 12-24Gb.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[bcastner]

The local chain stores are showing 160 gb. hard disk drives for very reasonable prices.

In combination with any of the many drive image creation softwares available, you should be able to make at least 10 and perhaps 20 full backups that you could rotate.

The only disadantage is that you cannot take the backup off site, unless you use an external drive such as a usb or firewire drive.

 

[craigey]

any dds3 tape drive should be suffiecent, they can backup 12Gb as standard on one tape and if data compression is enable on the tape drive, the tapes can store up to 24Gb. That's if you use the 125m tapes. Also if for any reason more then the 12Gb(uncompressed) or 24Gb (compressed) is required all backup software will ask for a 2nd tape to be loaded.

Ideally you should have several backups, ie once a week. Store 3 out of 4 in a fireproof safe that is located offsite.

On a side note DDS4 Tapes can backup 20Gb uncompressed & 40Gb compressed. Obviously you would need a DDS4 tape drive to use these tapes. After that there's the DLT IV drives (larger tapes, more like cartridges), backup around 40Gb - 80Gb. Ibm make an ultrium tape drive which will do around 100Gb.

 

[hookette]

thanks, I'll look into these and see what's out there.

 

[diogenes10]

I've been puzzling on this issue too for my home computers that have no backup.
It has/had been my intention to put a second harddrive in one of my computers, network, and back up over the network.

the thing that concerns me there is the issue of computer failure. There has been more than one post of a system failure that took the harddrive, or multiple harddrives with it. (& I have experienced that on my own work system.) I have not been keen on incurring the additional expense of a tape drive and tapes, and I've seen a post or two about bad tapes as well, but it seems to me that a tape drive would do a much better job of putting your data beyond the risk of a variety of electrical failures.
Am I worrying too much?

 

[craigey]

At home I use a mirror Raid setup, which is fine if a hard drive dies, but if i get a virus that wipes out my backup drive I would loose everything. So I have a tape backup (dds3) and have 2 sets of tapes. One set is stored at my parents address and the other at home. If I have a bad tape, then I've got the other tapes that I can restore from. The only way that I would loose all my data is if there was a house fire, and also the tapes at my parents were damaged. (which is quite unlikely, but not unheard of).

The tape drive & tapes were bought second hand for around £50. Which is not a huge sum of money compared to hard-drive prices.

You probably are worrying too much, but it really depends on how important the data is. IE if you loose it all, would you be able to get it back.