Full image backup of LAN workstations to Server share
Hi, I'd like to implement a full backup strategy of all the workstations on the LAN for a company I support.
I don't want to backup anything on their own machine. I'd rather move everything onto the server.
But instead of just file backups where when disaster, doing a recovery is getting the OS up and running, I'm looking at bare bones recovery methods.
So the idea is to do a full image backup with incrementals on a day to day basis, then save it onto the server.
When restore to say another machine, all we need to do is put a CD in, boot it, find the latest for the particular workstation and then press restore and wait.
What sort of configuration would work?
I don't want to backup anything on their own machine. I'd rather move everything onto the server.
But instead of just file backups where when disaster, doing a recovery is getting the OS up and running, I'm looking at bare bones recovery methods.
So the idea is to do a full image backup with incrementals on a day to day basis, then save it onto the server.
When restore to say another machine, all we need to do is put a CD in, boot it, find the latest for the particular workstation and then press restore and wait.
What sort of configuration would work?
ASKER
Hi, it's a window's environment, all windows xp pro clients, about 10 of them.
Each will have about 50-60 GB thereabouts to backup and then incrementals.
Server needs a larger hard disk but that's no problems. Putting an extra hard disk onto the clients is just too costly.
Does imagex do a full image everytime? Or incremental?
Also, this method that you're talking about, how would we restore to a new workstation say with a new hardware configuration.
Each will have about 50-60 GB thereabouts to backup and then incrementals.
Server needs a larger hard disk but that's no problems. Putting an extra hard disk onto the clients is just too costly.
Does imagex do a full image everytime? Or incremental?
Also, this method that you're talking about, how would we restore to a new workstation say with a new hardware configuration.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Hi binele,
Another way of doing this would be to use a product like Acronis Workstation:
http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/ATICW/
This product is very simple, you install it on the PC's, and the backups would be pointed to your network share. It also has a number of nice features like Universal Restore which means that the images can be restored to any hardware (with imaging software like Ghost, it doesn't work if you want to restore the images to dissimilar hardware).
-Acronis can to full backups, incrementals, and differentials. (and verify the integrity of the backup after)
-You can put file-type exclusions in the backup to avoid certain kinds of files (eg. mp3s).
-You can specify username/passwords for the destination (if you're worried about users accessing each other's backup data, you can password protect the server store and specify the authentication details in Acronis).
-You can set up email notifications/winpopups on completion of the backups
-You can set priority on the backup so it will use more/less system resources
-Acronis compression is very good
If the PC dies, then the image can be restored by putting a CD in the drive and specifying the source image--either over a network or a usb hdd etc. (the CD is a bootable one created from within the Acronis application, but it doesn't contain any system-specific information. So you can burn one copy of the CD and use it on any machine in the network to re-image).
It's a very good product, I use it at most of my customers. If you want any more info let me know.
Cheers,
Josh
Another way of doing this would be to use a product like Acronis Workstation:
http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/ATICW/
This product is very simple, you install it on the PC's, and the backups would be pointed to your network share. It also has a number of nice features like Universal Restore which means that the images can be restored to any hardware (with imaging software like Ghost, it doesn't work if you want to restore the images to dissimilar hardware).
-Acronis can to full backups, incrementals, and differentials. (and verify the integrity of the backup after)
-You can put file-type exclusions in the backup to avoid certain kinds of files (eg. mp3s).
-You can specify username/passwords for the destination (if you're worried about users accessing each other's backup data, you can password protect the server store and specify the authentication details in Acronis).
-You can set up email notifications/winpopups on completion of the backups
-You can set priority on the backup so it will use more/less system resources
-Acronis compression is very good
If the PC dies, then the image can be restored by putting a CD in the drive and specifying the source image--either over a network or a usb hdd etc. (the CD is a bootable one created from within the Acronis application, but it doesn't contain any system-specific information. So you can burn one copy of the CD and use it on any machine in the network to re-image).
It's a very good product, I use it at most of my customers. If you want any more info let me know.
Cheers,
Josh
forgot to mention, the Acronis images can not only be restored as a complete system restore, but they are also able to be browsed, so you can restore individual files from the image file--a very handy feature.
It will also backup files that are in use while the backup is running.
It will also backup files that are in use while the backup is running.
I'm thinking you could use imagex and capture each workstation to a .wim file. Each workstation would have an image within the .wim file. Because of the .wim's Single Instance Storage it should be pretty efficient. Of course this depends on how many systems and how often you need to backup each.
I better strategy would be to have a 2nd hard drive in each workstation for backup. But again I understand this may not be possible. I'm currently working on a similar backup plan using imagex with 2 hard drives in a system. I'm always looking for creative solutions that don't cost money to implement.