Backup Solution Advice Needed

[jimbofoxman]

We need to get a new backup solution here for work. We are not a big company, 11 machines connected to 1 more machine acting as a server of sorts all running Windows XP. We don't have huge storage needs, right now we are probably only 25 gig in storage with total drive potential of 45 gig.

I want to find a solution that could be swappable and easy for anyone to use. Can anyone suggest an inexpensive solution to use for a back up in our situation where we could swap out the media daily and toss it in a Fire Proof Safe or Take of Site?

Suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Morphine06]

It's a shame you are just large enough to miss the WHS computer limit (10). That is great for managing small networks and you can set it to schedule off-site backup syncs and user permissions. I don't recommend the up coming Vail version as it removes the drive extender that the previous version was so famous for. If you lose a drive, just "remove it" and pull it and add any drive you like of any capacity. No raid for the win.

Just fire 1 guy so you can use that. =P

 

[jimbofoxman]

I guess I should also clarify that this is for backing up the so called "Server" not all the clients.

 

[Emulex]

25gb is alot. why don't you buy a pair of comcast business class service $109 and run a 10 meg asynchronous replication to off-site (aka home). $109 * 2 - plus rsync/doubletake/lefthand/whatever floats your boat.

you really have 25gb of storage hanging off an XP box? wow. brave.

 

[Numenorean]

You could go with a DAT72 solution. But are you going to grow out of it?

If 36-72GB is enough then here:

Go to Newegg.

Search for:

N82E16840121011

There is a DAT drive. You need DAT72 tapes for it.

Search for item N82E16840998055 for those.

If you think you may expand, I would go with an Ultrium solution:

Search for N82E16840108032 for an HP Ultrium drive.

 

[alaricljs]

Please take a really good look at the duty cycle of the hardware you're interested in if you're going with tape. The Quantum 72GB DATs are rated for 12% duty cycle which is a little under 3hrs a day. That's 1 tape per day. Go beyond that and the life of the drive passes real quick. I ended up rescuing a company running DDS-4 backups ~20 hours a day before they found out that every single tape they had in their possession had no usable data.

You might consider doing external disk backup, if you do make multiple copies on separate disks. Make one of those copies onto a 2.5" HDD, being designed for laptops they are frequently more capable of dealing with being transported.