Data Backup Methods?

[nvisibl]

I need to implement a data backup method that backs up all company data on a daily basis. and that accounts for the requirement to maintain 12 monthly archive tapes and 21 yearly archive tapes

The data in question will be 2 Terrabytes in size backed up from our cluster storage device running off the back of 2 x Windows 2008 Servers

This solution isn't yet in place, so I also need recommendation on which backup hardware and medium to use for when it is in place

thanks

[Wand3r3r]

21 yearly archive tapes? Strange number

You would need a raid tape library would be my suggestion.

[djaburg]

A solution that would be viable for recovery in 21 years? Sounds like what you need based on capacity and longevity will be costly. Looking at relatively simple backup solutions that have 72 TB of storage like this one from Dell are $13k excluding media. I'd say you're looking at a substantial investment, but it can be done.

[loda117]

Ya data storage is costly

Let me give you the little info about my situation. one client needed all 12 months of data so 12 sets of monthly full backup 900GB each
8 sets of daily incremental around 300GB
3 sets of weekly full backups 900GB each

and atleast 2 years of year end backup full

so I ended up diverting from TAPES because that would have been $30k in tapes and then a room to store all those tapes

I build a rack 4u server with 20 Drives 2TB each SATA (back they were like $130 each)
put a small board in them and 2 extra nics
USe FreeNas as the OS to keep them all under raid and boom

[djaburg]

Of course there's no real option for securing or taking off site with NAS.

[loda117]

True that
I have a 2 2TB drives in a clouser with E-sata to the system to take off site whenever client wants to once a week

[Wand3r3r]

What raid level are you using?

If you and your client are content with all the eggs in one basket than great.

But any risk analysis would highlight this backup method as risky.

One lightning strike, serious flood or fire and all the data is gone.

[loda117]

Using a weather and fire proof cabinet for the system
Running raid 6 in system

Client currently takes external Drive to their house with a full weekly backup

As for the "all eggs in one basket" client's budget only would allow for this even at that

[Wand3r3r]

Good to hear raid 6 which can substain two drive failures. Upon third failure its toast but you would have hot spares making that unlikely.

There is no such thing as a fireproof safe. Fire resistant is not fireproof. They work by having a clay or other material liner that allows heat to escape by steam. Once that is used up everything frys. So if the building burns down you know there is no recovery.

[loda117]

Yes the fire resistant lol
Only thing is that this client has not have any issues since they have been in business where they had to get the backup to restore the data so they don't understand the importance of the backups (not trying to bad mouth them just lack of knowledge) and took me around 3 months to actually get this going for them because before this they had 2 8TB raid 0 WDsharespace drives as backup devices

[TankEngine]

What do you think of online backup?

[Wand3r3r]

Thank God you got them off the raid 0. They don't know how much of a hero you are for doing that. They would have lost everything with one drive failure.

[loda117]

Online backup is a good solution but the only issue with that is "TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE"
and quiet frankly those little companies who advertise on TV and radio won't cut it in Enterprise market

As for the solution
In my mind atleast, hard drives in Raid 6 config are best solution for your backup onsite
AS for the off site backups you can either can go with HDDs or Tapes or combinations of both

[nvisibl]

thanks
i've been researching a little further to cover both needs:

1 - to backup 2TB worth of data from the DELL Powervault MD3000i storage array

2 - to store monthly/yearly backups offsite (these just need to be some application databases. i.e. not 2TB worth)


For point 1, I was thinking one of these Powervault Backup to Disk Devices (don't know the cost of them yet!) PowerVault DL Backup to Disk Appliance

For point 2, I was thinking to archive from this Backup to Disk device onto the RD1000 backup unit that I already have. Storing say the essential 500GB each month onto the 500GB cartridges that I already have 12 of! I'd then take a yearly backup too and store this onto a 500GB cartridge each year indefinitely.

So in this all i'd need to purchase is the Powervault DL2200 including 2TB worth of hard drive space, and the additional 500GB cartridge each year for storing offsite.

What do you think?

[TankEngine]

Originally Posted by loda117

Online backup is a good solution but the only issue with that is "TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE"
and quiet frankly those little companies who advertise on TV and radio won't cut it in Enterprise market

Too expensive depending of the company size I suppose. See SkyNox online backup by example for workstation or server and all low price.