Hi! I'm running Veritas 8.6 and have 1 internal AIT 50 tape drive backing up 2 servers. I'm about to add another server and we're running out of space on the tape (B/U = 47.8 gigs) Is anyone familiar with using a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device as a backup solution? Is there a better solution than what I'm trying to do? We're already using compression and I'm looking for some type of hardware solution.
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Veritas 8.6 backup size outgrowing tape. Brainstorming...NAS?
- Thread starter itdamon
- Start date
DaveFarquhar
Technical User
I've played around with using a NAS in conjunction with a tape drive--back up to the NAS, then run a duplicate job over to the tape. I don't like Backup Exec's NAS support though--you can't schedule the tape portion, for example. This is still true in 9.1. I honestly don't remember from 8.6 what it was like. It might not be as good as even 9.1.
The solution I've always preached to my clients is to get more tape capacity. The NAS should be looked at as a way to gain backup speed--since backups to disk are faster by nature, and since it isn't linear you can back up multiple servers at once as long as you have enough bandwidth--and as a way to keep backups onsite while sending tapes offsite for disaster recovery purposes.
I see a NAS or another backup-to-disk solution as a supplement to tape, not as a replacement for adequate tape capacity.
An LTO drive and tapes isn't cheap, but I suspect if you run the numbers, you'll find that a NAS is no cheaper, and could actually cost more. I've been having my clients buy 400-gig LTO drives. One of them is really close to outgrowing theirs, but they've been proving adequate for most of them. You might also look at 320-gig SDLT. We went with LTO because of the higher capacity, even though we've historically been a DLT shop. The older, smaller drives are cheaper still. You may be able to just add a second drive like the one you have. Then you can run two jobs simultaneously, which is nice.
I hope this helps.
Dave Farquhar
The solution I've always preached to my clients is to get more tape capacity. The NAS should be looked at as a way to gain backup speed--since backups to disk are faster by nature, and since it isn't linear you can back up multiple servers at once as long as you have enough bandwidth--and as a way to keep backups onsite while sending tapes offsite for disaster recovery purposes.
I see a NAS or another backup-to-disk solution as a supplement to tape, not as a replacement for adequate tape capacity.
An LTO drive and tapes isn't cheap, but I suspect if you run the numbers, you'll find that a NAS is no cheaper, and could actually cost more. I've been having my clients buy 400-gig LTO drives. One of them is really close to outgrowing theirs, but they've been proving adequate for most of them. You might also look at 320-gig SDLT. We went with LTO because of the higher capacity, even though we've historically been a DLT shop. The older, smaller drives are cheaper still. You may be able to just add a second drive like the one you have. Then you can run two jobs simultaneously, which is nice.
I hope this helps.
Dave Farquhar
- Thread starter
- #3
Thanks Dave!
That was extremely helpful, and you've got me pointed in the right direction. I'm looking at either going with an AIT-3 drive or the SDLT drive like you mentioned. I see that the AIT 50 drive I'm using is simply too small to accomodate our growth, and taking 2 AIT-2 tapes home every night doesn't seem too appealing.
QUESTION: The 3rd web server I'm adding will not be on our domain, can I still back that up with Veritas? I guess the worst case scenario is I install the old AIT-2 drive & Veritas on the new web server and take 2 tapes home with me anyways.
That was extremely helpful, and you've got me pointed in the right direction. I'm looking at either going with an AIT-3 drive or the SDLT drive like you mentioned. I see that the AIT 50 drive I'm using is simply too small to accomodate our growth, and taking 2 AIT-2 tapes home every night doesn't seem too appealing.
QUESTION: The 3rd web server I'm adding will not be on our domain, can I still back that up with Veritas? I guess the worst case scenario is I install the old AIT-2 drive & Veritas on the new web server and take 2 tapes home with me anyways.
DaveFarquhar
Technical User
You sure can. I do it all the time. Create a local account on the machine that isn't on the domain, and when you set up its backup job, give it alternate resource credentials (Backup Exec's terminology), and enter the username in the form of MACHINENAME\USERNAME and the password. That's all there is to it.
Dave Farquhar
Dave Farquhar
Another alternative to NAS is simply a backup server. I built one with four 300GB SATA drives. I run full backups on Thursday and differentials the rest of the week, all to the backup servers SATA drive.
I then just have another job that backups the Thursday full backups from the backup server to tape (AIT-3) as well as my Tuesday differential (just to have off site capability).
Works like a charm after I got all the settings straight.
I'm Certifiable, not certified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.
I then just have another job that backups the Thursday full backups from the backup server to tape (AIT-3) as well as my Tuesday differential (just to have off site capability).
Works like a charm after I got all the settings straight.
I'm Certifiable, not certified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.
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