Backup and DR suggestion.
We are a small company and we're trying to figure out the most cost effective method of backup and disaster recovery. Emphasis on the most cost effective, since one of my biggest struggles is budget.
There are approximately five critical mission servers. One with RAID5 and another this is our AD server. Also an AD server at our remote site that we have replication setup between. Collectivity these machines make up approximately 150 to 200 gigs of data that need to be backed up, while the servers need to be up and running at all times and quickly back on line in the case of a Disaster Recovery. The latter is especially true in the event of a hurricane and in the possible days long power outage due to natural disaster.
I am looking for insight/suggestions on the best way to organize a backup and DA system. I am considering both a software and tape(Veritas and SDLT) drive in additional to off site backup storage via a backup service. This would be the ideal setup I think, but should I consider just relying on a off site backup service? Would that be smart/reliable? Also, with the amount of data I have to backup off these servers, does it make sense to invest in a single SDLT tape drive or would it require considering a tape library instead. I have no experience with tape libraries. In regards to the Disaster Recovery a generator is not an option do to the way our building is setup. I am considering a written plan outlining servers and power supplies that would be taken off site and to certain backup(home) office setups in order for users to gain access to the servers.
Any suggestions/opinions on how to best approach these decisions and implementing these processes would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
There are approximately five critical mission servers. One with RAID5 and another this is our AD server. Also an AD server at our remote site that we have replication setup between. Collectivity these machines make up approximately 150 to 200 gigs of data that need to be backed up, while the servers need to be up and running at all times and quickly back on line in the case of a Disaster Recovery. The latter is especially true in the event of a hurricane and in the possible days long power outage due to natural disaster.
I am looking for insight/suggestions on the best way to organize a backup and DA system. I am considering both a software and tape(Veritas and SDLT) drive in additional to off site backup storage via a backup service. This would be the ideal setup I think, but should I consider just relying on a off site backup service? Would that be smart/reliable? Also, with the amount of data I have to backup off these servers, does it make sense to invest in a single SDLT tape drive or would it require considering a tape library instead. I have no experience with tape libraries. In regards to the Disaster Recovery a generator is not an option do to the way our building is setup. I am considering a written plan outlining servers and power supplies that would be taken off site and to certain backup(home) office setups in order for users to gain access to the servers.
Any suggestions/opinions on how to best approach these decisions and implementing these processes would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
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I agree with rindi
When you choose to hand your business to an outside source, your control over the data is lost: control over access OF it, control over access TO it, control over restoration, control over the data housing company going out of business (because no data housing company ever goes out of business ;-))
If the company does go out of business, and you have to go through arbitration to extract your data from the disks that the company no longer owns or controls, you won't be happy. In the past, outsourced connection protection companies--ie firewall services--have gone bankrupt and simply truned off protection. Whoa!
When you choose to hand your business to an outside source, your control over the data is lost: control over access OF it, control over access TO it, control over restoration, control over the data housing company going out of business (because no data housing company ever goes out of business ;-))
If the company does go out of business, and you have to go through arbitration to extract your data from the disks that the company no longer owns or controls, you won't be happy. In the past, outsourced connection protection companies--ie firewall services--have gone bankrupt and simply truned off protection. Whoa!
Hi, fellow budget struggler. How's the solution choice going?
ASKER
Still working up a plan, while Hurricaine season is fast approaching...
Feel free to post your final couple of choices if you are weighing them.
interested
same here...
http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product_Code=LAC+300875&JRSource=google.datafeed
Joe