Advertisement

02.19.2008 at 10:27AM PST, ID: 23175210
[x]
Attachment Details
[x]
The Solution Rating System

With so many solutions, how can you tell which solutions are most likely to help you and which ones are not? To provide you with a tool to use, we rate our solutions based on various elements that most accurately determine if a solution is a quality solution. To explain what factors affect the solution rating, here are the elements we take into consideration when formulating our solution rating.

  • The Grade of the Solution
  • The Zone Rank of the Expert Providing the Solution
  • The Number of Author and Expert Comments
  • The Number of Experts Contributing
  • The Feedback of the Community

Your Input Matters
Because of the way the system is set up, the most important variable in this equation is you. As a member of Experts Exchange, you are able to cast your vote on the quality of the solutions in regard to how complete, accurate, helpful and easy to understand each solution is. When you provide your feedback, each rating is adjusted accordingly. So, if you see a solution that has a poor rating that you think is a good solution, let us know by rating it. As you do, the rating will be adjusted and will become more accurate for other members of our site.

If you have any suggestions that you would like to make for our rating system, please ask a question in the Suggestions Zone of Community Support.

Thank you!

External Hard Drive versus Tape Backup

Tags: data backup options
We have a tape backup system which uses Travan 20/40GB tapes - that is, they should store up to 40GB depending on compression. Realistically, the capacity is usually much closer to 20GB.  Lately the tape has been filling before the backup job has completed. I have cut all that I can out of the file backup list. So, it's time to upgrade to a higher capacity system.

I see that Dell has 1TB USB external hard drives for $300 (Iomega). Meanwhile, a tape backup system for 100GB uncompressed runs around $1500.  I'm wondering about the following solution: buy 2 or 3 of these hard drives, then schedule the Windows Backup Utility to back up the server's hard drive to the external drive.  I have never used the backup utility provided by windows - is it reliable and generally problem free? I would like to hear from Experts as to viability of this solution - are there any difficulties or pitfalls to be aware off? Are there any important reasons as to why I should go for the more-expensive tape drive option?

Server is running Windows 2003.

thanks,
firebird-sc
Start your free trial to view this solution
Question Stats
Zone: Storage
Question Asked By: firebird-sc
Solution Provided By: firstcall
Participating Experts: 2
Solution Grade: A
Views: 42
Translate:
Loading Advertisement...
02.19.2008 at 10:33AM PST, ID: 20931141

All comments and solutions are available to Premium Service Members only.

Start your 7-day free trial and see for yourself why Experts Exchange is the easiest and most proven technology resource in the world. Get Started

Already a member? Login to view this solution.

 
02.19.2008 at 10:34AM PST, ID: 20931161

Rank: Wizard

All comments and solutions are available to Premium Service Members only.

Start your 7-day free trial and see for yourself why Experts Exchange is the easiest and most proven technology resource in the world. Get Started

Already a member? Login to view this solution.

 
 
Loading Advertisement...
20080236-EE-VQP-29 / EE_QW_2_20070628