Recommend me a server backup software

[I0s]

Looking for a backup software that can be installed on a server which backups up computers on the same network, also the software should restore over the network in the event of disk failure.
I have 1 server and 4 computers to backup. Looking to backup the 4 computer's system files and data files onto the server, all the computers and server are running Windows XP Pro in a small home office.

I tried Acronis True Image 9.1 Workstation, which is what I am looking for in terms of function, but do not like it and does not seem to work very well.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Pantoot]

If you are adventurous you can try the beta for Windows Home Server, it sounds like its client software would suit your needs:
Windows Home Server Blog

 

[I0s]

Na, not the adventurous type =).
Need a solid reliable tried and trusted software, data is too precious to be played around with.

Thanks for the recommendation anyways.

Originally posted by: Pantoot
If you are adventurous you can try the beta for Windows Home Server, it sounds like its client software would suit your needs:
Windows Home Server Blog

 

[SoulAssassin]

I do consulting work primarily focused on designing and implementing enterprise backup solutions using Veritas Netbackup. It's much more than you would need for backing up a handful of machines (and probably more expensive than the rest of your environment combined) but I also do Backup Exec work and it's the killer app if you're only backing up Wintel boxes in a small/medium environment. Check the link below for product info as well as a trial version you can download and install right away.

http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/products/overview.jsp?pcid=1018&pvid=57_1

Let me know if you have any questions. Not trying to make a buck on consulting fees or anything but I'll help you out if I can.

 

[I0s]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
I do consulting work primarily focused on designing and implementing enterprise backup solutions using Veritas Netbackup. It's much more than you would need for backing up a handful of machines (and probably more expensive than the rest of your environment combined) but I also do Backup Exec work and it's the killer app if you're only backing up Wintel boxes in a small/medium environment. Check the link below for product info as well as a trial version you can download and install right away.

http://www.symantec.com/enterprise/products/overview.jsp?pcid=1018&pvid=57_1

Let me know if you have any questions. Not trying to make a buck on consulting fees or anything but I'll help you out if I can.

First, thanks SoulAssassin for your helping hand. I bet you did not reach 2451 posts by charging people, instead by generously helping out and positively contributing to this forum. Keep up the good work

Sorry for the late late late reply. Someone suggested Acronis products and just finish trying out its trial. Its a okay software but now very reliable for my environment. I hope Backup Exec is more solid.
So as stated in my original post, SoulAssassin, which version do I need? I looked at the page and got blown away by the choices and features and I am not a very very technical guy.

 

[SoulAssassin]

The standard Backup Exec for Windows Servers will run on XP.

http://www4.symantec.com/Vrt/offer?a_id=30140

At least a good portion of the posts were wasting time in Off Topic.

 

[I0s]

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
The standard Backup Exec for Windows Servers will run on XP.

http://www4.symantec.com/Vrt/offer?a_id=30140

At least a good portion of the posts were wasting time in Off Topic.

hahaha, still works for me =)

On a much serious note, I am totally stumped over by the advance level of Backup Exec. I do not even understand more that half of the stuff in the user manual and during installation, there is SOOO much options and I do not even know what they mean. This might be tooo good for me.
Or maybe SoulAssassin can hold my hand and walk me through?? or recommend me a dumb guy's version of backup software

 

[Pirotech]

Originally posted by: I0s
Looking for a backup software that can be installed on a server which backups up computers on the same network, also the software should restore over the network in the event of disk failure.
I have 1 server and 4 computers to backup. Looking to backup the 4 computer's system files and data files onto the server, all the computers and server are running Windows XP Pro in a small home office.

I tried Acronis True Image 9.1 Workstation, which is what I am looking for in terms of function, but do not like it and does not seem to work very well.

Thank you for your time.

Hmm, workstation version of true image isn't a server backup software, try Server version of true image, in our office we use it to backup our windwos server, it works quite stable and reliable.

here

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: I0s

Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
The standard Backup Exec for Windows Servers will run on XP.

http://www4.symantec.com/Vrt/offer?a_id=30140

At least a good portion of the posts were wasting time in Off Topic.

hahaha, still works for me =)

On a much serious note, I am totally stumped over by the advance level of Backup Exec. I do not even understand more that half of the stuff in the user manual and during installation, there is SOOO much options and I do not even know what they mean. This might be tooo good for me.
Or maybe SoulAssassin can hold my hand and walk me through?? or recommend me a dumb guy's version of backup software

Don't take this the wrong way, but I think Backup Exec is as simple as it gets. It's 95% wizard driven if you want to use them. What are you backing up to? Tape or disk? Short version of the story, you install the software, install the tape drive driver and configure the rive in the software or create a disk based storage unit (which is basically just a directory on a drive you want to backup to). Then create a backup job, determine what you want to backup (c drive, d drive, system state, etc) and how you want to back it up (full backup, incremental - all files changed since last full, differential - all files changed since last diff/incremental) and setup a schedule (m-f at 6pm run differential, saturday at 11pm run full or something like that). On the other network machines you have to backup you typically would install a backup agent on it but with Backup Exec you really don't -have- to although it greatly helps performance. To save $$ in your small environment where I'm guessing performance isn't a huge deal and $$ is, I wouldn't install the agent on the network clients.

Let me know if you have specific questions.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

I've used backup exec and tapeware and still find them too cumbersome to do what I want.

I want to put a tape in the drive and back stuff up. I don't want to retire media. I don't want to create media sets. I don't want to have rotation schedules.

I just want to say "back up drive G: at 11:50PM" and have it write to whatever tape I stick in the drive, regardless of if it's brand new, or two years old.

The only program I have gotten this to easily work in is, sadly, Backup on the accessories menu in Windows Server 2003.

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
I've used backup exec and tapeware and still find them too cumbersome to do what I want.

I want to put a tape in the drive and back stuff up. I don't want to retire media. I don't want to create media sets. I don't want to have rotation schedules.

I just want to say "back up drive G: at 11:50PM" and have it write to whatever tape I stick in the drive, regardless of if it's brand new, or two years old.

The only program I have gotten this to easily work in is, sadly, Backup on the accessories menu in Windows Server 2003.

Backup, unfortunately, require a certain level of attention. What if that random tape you stuck in the drive was the backup you did last week for SOX or HIPAA compliance and now you just overwrote it? Programs like Backup Exec would recognize that media hadn't reached it expiration date and would protect the data from being overwritten (and your ass potentially ending up in court). I'm not saying that using the built-in backup application doesn't have it's place...sometimes the KISS principle has to come into play.

 

[I0s]

I was doing something wrong in acronis, but now it seems to be working fine. So I am going test it out further and if that fails I will try out Backup Exec

Thanks SoulAssassin hopefully I will stop bothering you =)