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veedarFlag for United States of America

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Best app to backup 300 XP PC's over the net?

Hi, I'm looking for suggestions on the best software for backing up 300 desktop WinXP boxes over the net to a central server?

Is EMC Retrospect (formerly Danz) a good choice?

Does Veritas have a product for this?

I would normally go with an OpenSource solution but my boss wants to spend money that's in our budget. So I'm not looking for the least expensive solution.
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Lee W, MVP
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We already have shared folders on a server that are used to store data. That server is being backed up.

But our users also store some data locally. So I'm mainly looking to back up that local data. I'll check into symantec and acronis. Thanks.
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Oh, and even tho my solution is open source mostly, you can spend the bucks on storage for it so that it can really store lots of backup info.

Travis
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And I meant to add, you MUST go with the very latest Symantec GHOSTEnterprise, or Acronis client-server, only the latest versions can accurately capture the running files open by the OS, using "snapshot" technology, without these open running files on server and WSs, you cannot recover the complete working setup of any computer.
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Thanks all I'm looking into your suggestions give me a few days to settle on one.
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MasPreguntas

You can actually map your My Documents folder to the server (folder redirection). If you do this, their 'my docs' will actually be stored on the server and not on the PC. This also helps improve loading-time of user profiles since the my documents folder does not have to be loaded/checked for changes; the actual profile is greatly reduced since 'my docs' is not part of the profile size. If you do folder redirection on the DC (using SBS 2003 or any other MS server OS), make sure  you place the folders on another disk set and apply Microsoft Shadow Copy Services (or at least think about it). This will allow users to restore their own files by simply right clicking files or folders then clicking on the 'version' tab. You can set the frequency and length of time the snapshots are taken. Although this is 'sort of' a backup method, the traditional methods of backup are still important.
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Guys thansks for all the feedback. My attention has been directed to other areas so rather than leave this open I'll spread the points around and close it out.

I did download a trial of Acronis True Image Windows. It seems to have a lot of good features. But that's about as far aas I got.

Simon, I would be interested in seeing your batch script if you have it handy.
Hi, OK here's the (VERY simple) batch file to use 7za.exe to compress My Documents into one file, with a password, and send to a destination of your choice.

It needs to exist in folder c:\bak and you also need 7za.exe in the same folder.
Get 7-Zip and the 7za.exe command line utility here:  http://www.7-zip.org/

If you call the batch file bak.bat, you run it with three switches, ie:

bak.bat server01 jsmith johnbackup    would create a folder on \\server01 called jsmith and the backup file would be called johnbackup.7z

The batch file pings the server before starting backup - if your server doesn't respond to ping you need to rem that line out.

There's a GUI version of 7zip too, which can be used to unzip the file, or you can use a command line to extract files.  Be aware that someone with the Windows GUI version could look at the file listing without a password, but would not be able to view or extract the actual files.

Good luck!

Simon

@echo off
REM This version for both XP and 98 - it decides which version to run
REM Run with 3 switches
REM 1,2,3 = server network name, destination folder, destination filename
REM Destination path is always \\{servername}\backups\{finalpath}\{destination filename}
REM This batch file and 7za.exe need to exist in c:\bak

if "%1"=="" goto :inputerr
if "%2"=="" goto :inputerr
if "%3"=="" goto :inputerr

cd\
if not exist c:\bak\7za.exe goto :no7za
set tserver=%1
set tpath=%2
set tfile=%3

if "%os%"=="" goto :go98

:goXP
cls

REM Navigate first cos otherwise it all goes weird

:TXP
set tos=Windows XP, backing up \%username%\My Documents
echo Backup
echo Windows XP detected, backing up My Documents folder within username
cd\
cd Documents and Settings
cd %username%
cd My Documents

:startxp
set pw=
cls
echo Backup
echo.
echo CLOSE ALL OPEN PROGRAMS FIRST !
echo.
echo OS:        %tos%
echo Path:      %tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%
echo Username:  %username%
echo Password:  Not set
echo.
echo Choose a password.  Make it secure and remember it !
echo.
set /P pw=Password ?
 
if "%pw%"=="" goto :nopw

cls
echo Backup
echo.
echo CLOSE ALL OPEN PROGRAMS FIRST !
echo.
echo OS:        %tos%
echo Path:      %tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%
echo Username:  %username%
echo Password:  %pw%
echo.
SET /P conf=OK to continue?  May take a few minutes. (Y/N)  
if "%conf%"=="" goto :startxp
if %conf%==Y goto :Y
if %conf%==y goto :Y
goto :startxp

:Y
cls
echo Backup
echo.
echo CLOSE ALL OPEN PROGRAMS FIRST !
echo.
echo OS:        %tos%
echo Path:      %tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%
echo Username:  %username%
echo Password:  %pw%
echo.
echo Here we go !
echo.
(set /P MyVar=Checking for server... ) < NUL
ping %tserver% | find "TTL" >NUL
if errorlevel 1 goto :nosvr
echo found it !!!
echo.
echo Deleting your secondary backup, if it exists...
if exist \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.old del \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.old
echo.
echo Renaming your primary backup as a secondary...
if exist \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.7z ren \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.7z %tfile%.old
echo.
echo Compressing your files and moving to server...

REM  THIS IS THE ACTUAL COMPRESSION AND BACKUP ROUTINE !

"c:\bak\7za.exe" a -p%pw% -wc:\bak -r \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.7z
REM  For folder exclusions, add -xr!foldername/ or -xr!*.* for files

pause
exit

:go98
cls

set username=N/A (Windows 98)

REM Navigate first cos otherwise it all goes weird

set tos=Windows 98, backing up c:\My Documents
echo Backup
echo Windows 98 detected, backing up entire c:\My Documents folder
cd\
cd Mydocu~1

:start98
set pw=
cls
echo Backup
echo.
echo CLOSE ALL OPEN PROGRAMS FIRST !
echo.
echo OS:        %tos%
echo Path:      %tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%
echo Username:  %username%
echo.
echo You will be asked for a password when the backup begins.  If you choose
echo no password, your files will not be protected.
echo.
pause

cls
echo Backup
echo.
echo CLOSE ALL OPEN PROGRAMS FIRST !
echo.
echo OS:        %tos%
echo Path:      %tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%
echo Username:  %username%
echo.
echo Here we go !
echo.
echo Checking for server...
ping %tserver% | find "TTL" >NUL
if errorlevel 1 goto :nosvr
echo found it !!!
echo.
echo Deleting your secondary backup, if it exists...
if exist \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.old del \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.old
echo.
echo Renaming your primary backup as a secondary...
if exist \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.7z ren \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.7z %tfile%.old
echo.
echo Compressing your files and moving to server...

REM  THIS IS THE ACTUAL COMPRESSION AND BACKUP ROUTINE !

"c:\bak\7za.exe" a -p%pw% -wc:\bak -r \\%tserver%\backups\%tpath%\%tfile%.7z
REM  For folder exclusions, add -xr!foldername/ or -xr!*.* for files

pause
exit

:inputerr
echo.
echo Input variable missing !
echo.
echo This program must be run from a shortcut in the format:
echo bak.bat servername destinationfolder destinationfilename
echo DO NOT USE BACKSLASHES !
echo.
pause
exit

:no7za
echo.
echo 7za.exe not found !
echo.
pause
exit

:nosvr
echo Can't find it !
pause
exit


:nopw
echo.
echo You must set a password !
pause
goto :goxp

:inputerr
echo.
echo Input variable missing !
echo.
echo This program must be run from a shortcut in the format:
echo bak.bat servername destinationfolder destinationfilename
echo DO NOT USE BACKSLASHES !
echo.
pause
exit

:no7za
echo.
echo 7za.exe not found !
echo.
pause
exit

:nosvr
echo Can't find it !
pause
exit
Excellent!

Thank you SimonUK

Bookmarking this page for your script.

- gurutc
Pleasure!  I wrote a little an deployment script too, that pulls the batch file and 7za from a network location, and creates the correct folders for them, etc.  Simple but slightly quicker than copying and pasting.  I keep meaning to create a desktop icon using VBScript or something, but don't know enough about it.  Here's the script anyway.

Simon

___________________

@echo off

if "%os%"=="" goto :go98

REM Set the path to wherever the files are stored on your network here.
REM Don't put a trailing backslash
set blocation=\\servername\path

:goxp
cls
echo.
echo Backup Utility Installer
echo Windows XP detected
pause

:Y
echo.
echo Checking for directories, creating if they don't exist
echo.
cd\
echo c:\bak
if not exist utils md bak
cd bak
echo.
echo Checking for files, getting if they don't exist
echo.
echo 7az.exe
if not exist 7za.exe copy %blocation%\7za.exe
echo bak.bat
if not exist bak.bat copy %blocation%\bak.bat
echo.
(set /P MyVar=Checking directories and files... ) < NUL
cd\
if not exist c:\bak\7za.exe goto :fail
if not exist c:\bak\tinbak.bat goto :fail
echo OK!
echo.
echo Installation complete.
echo.
echo.
echo Create a shortcut from c:\bak.bat to the desktop
echo.
echo Remember that the shortcut properties must contain the server, path and filename
echo.
pause
exit

:go98
if "%os%"="Windows_NT" goto :instfail
cls
echo.
echo Backup Utility Installer
echo Windows 98 detected
pause

:Y
echo.
echo Checking for directories, creating if they don't exist
echo.
cd\
echo c:\bak
md c:\bak
cd bak
echo.
echo Checking for files, getting if they don't exist
echo.
echo 7az.exe
if not exist 7za.exe copy %blocation%\7za.exe
echo tinbak.bat
if not exist tinbak.bat copy %blocation%\bak.bat
echo.
echo Checking directories and files...
cd\
if not exist c:\bak\7za.exe goto :fail
if not exist c:\bak\bak.bat goto :fail
echo OK!
echo.
echo Installation complete.
echo.
echo.
echo Create a shortcut from c:\bak\bak.bat to the desktop
echo.
echo Remember that the shortcut properties must contain the server, path and filename
echo.
pause
exit

:fail
echo.
echo ERROR !
pause
exit

:instfail
echo.
echo Both 98 and XP detected!
echo Installation error
pause
exit