asked on

SBS 2011 Essentials backup solution.

Does SBS 2011 essentials have the necesary tools/application to do image backups of server?
What about xp/windows7 client computers? Can the server backup them up?
How reliable is the backup solution?
Can I not worry about installing a third party backup solutions i.e. shadow protect?
Is it suitable for a small office of less than 10 computers?

SOLUTION

Asokkumar

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

rindi

The baclup tool built into SBS 2011 is already an image based backup tool. Whether it is able to backup other clients I don't know, and I really wouldn't care as that does only only asks for trouble. When you have a server you have all the data on that server and it also gets secured and backed up. There is no point of also having separate data on workstations and additionally having to back those up. If there are laptops involved which need a copy of the data, then that is OK, but it is only a copy of the reference data on the server, if it gets changed while on the road, the server wouldn't be able to back it up anyway, and when the user connects to the server again, that data is automatically synced with the server, so it is up to date on there again and can be backed up.

Of course if you need a better product, then shadowprotect is a super product and there is nothing against using that.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Cliff Galiher

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

stevenvel

ASKER

Thank you for your comments.

Cliff, I intend on using 2x500GB in RAID 1 for SBS and 1TB drive (internal) for backups then copy from 1TB to external USB drive for offsite.
If I was to also use a NAS, can the dashboard also send copy to the NAS?
Can you customize how many copies of the backups to retain so the USB and NAS don't exceed max storage?

rindi

Why bother using an internal drive for backups? Backups need to be external, so you might as well do that directly to external USB disks. Make sure you have several of these. A NAS in my point of view also isn't the best place for backups, as that also can't easily be taken off-site. It's just not on the server itself...

stevenvel

ASKER

using an internal drive for two main reasons:

1) Performance - its faster doing snap shots to a local disk (I may even install storage craft shadow protect at a later stage and this is much happier with a local drive).

2) A user can forget to swap or even connect a USB drive

Using a NAS is a just a bonus backup not something to heavily rely on - its bundled with server deal.

SOLUTION

rindi

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

SOLUTION

Cliff Galiher

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

rindi

That's something that crossed my mind too. Normally when you get SBS Essentials that means your are short of funds, and then having to pay for the best backup tool available doesn't make too much sense... Although there is nothing against it.

stevenvel

ASKER

rindi,
backing up to a computer with sufficient resources to get virtual box running sounds like a useful strategy.

Cliff,
Thanks for pointing out high-rely and CRU dataport - sound like good products but as you both can see SBSe solution can get quite expensive and my intention is to keep it simple.
I take your point that EE is illequiped to handle serious DR panning.

I can possibly do away with the internal drive if I copy backups via USB3/e-sata.
Perhaps I should just stick with Windows backup - this will backup the server and also protect the workstations - in case one needs to be restored.

stevenvel

ASKER

Thank you very much for your comments
I am keen to make use of windows backup to protect server and clients