Media Rotation with Windows 7 pro native backup program
Hi
This is really frustrating.
Prior to Windows 7 we were able to give a user two drives, setup a schedule to backup some folders and use two drives to rotate the storage.
This appears not to work in Windows 7. I have goggled and seen statements saying as such but no real reason why not.
So.
1. Does Windows 7 support rotating media for partial backups (IE a few folders and files)
2. If not, why not and how should this be achieved in Windows 7
Thanks for your help in advance.
Regards
This is really frustrating.
Prior to Windows 7 we were able to give a user two drives, setup a schedule to backup some folders and use two drives to rotate the storage.
This appears not to work in Windows 7. I have goggled and seen statements saying as such but no real reason why not.
So.
1. Does Windows 7 support rotating media for partial backups (IE a few folders and files)
2. If not, why not and how should this be achieved in Windows 7
Thanks for your help in advance.
Regards
CompProbSolv
If all that you want to do is to back up data files and can count on them not being in use, you could accomplish this with CMD files using xcopy or robocopy. I've used SyncBack (free edition) from 2BrightSparks.com frequently for backups, too.
ASKER
Hi CompProbSolv
Well I'd like to get the position clarified really (yes I do need a solution but having to use third party software for this sort of thing is frankly ridiculous - your own practice respected of course!!)
Can you confirm that native W7 backup will not support media rotation???
Do you know why not if not???
Does Syncback support media rotation ???
I know simple backup is straight forward, its the disk rotation issue that seams to have been dripped in W7.
REgards
Well I'd like to get the position clarified really (yes I do need a solution but having to use third party software for this sort of thing is frankly ridiculous - your own practice respected of course!!)
Can you confirm that native W7 backup will not support media rotation???
Do you know why not if not???
Does Syncback support media rotation ???
I know simple backup is straight forward, its the disk rotation issue that seams to have been dripped in W7.
REgards
I've not used Win 7 backup enough to be able to answer the question about media rotation. I'm hoping someone else here with better authority can do so.
What are you hoping for with media rotation? For example, with SyncBack (or xcopy or whatever), if you are just wanting a single backup, then you can delete the prior backup immediately before performing the new one.
My preferred method is keeping a history of backups, based on disk space. Let's say that I want to keep 5 backups. The backup process starts with deleting backup 5 (typically a folder named 05), then renaming 04 to 05, 03 to 04, etc. The new backup goes to a folder named LastBackup (which gets renamed 00 the next time a backup is made). The backup is then made to the LastBackup folder.
The start of the CMD file to run this creates the base folder (I usually use \SyncBack)) into which all of the backups are made. If you install a new external drive, it starts a new series of backups. If you swap out drives, it will just continue with the process.
What are you hoping for with media rotation? For example, with SyncBack (or xcopy or whatever), if you are just wanting a single backup, then you can delete the prior backup immediately before performing the new one.
My preferred method is keeping a history of backups, based on disk space. Let's say that I want to keep 5 backups. The backup process starts with deleting backup 5 (typically a folder named 05), then renaming 04 to 05, 03 to 04, etc. The new backup goes to a folder named LastBackup (which gets renamed 00 the next time a backup is made). The backup is then made to the LastBackup folder.
The start of the CMD file to run this creates the base folder (I usually use \SyncBack)) into which all of the backups are made. If you install a new external drive, it starts a new series of backups. If you swap out drives, it will just continue with the process.
ASKER
Hi
Media rotation achieves many things.
1. Spreads the duty cycle across multiple devices
2. If you have a minimum of 3 then offsite storage can be achieved easily, you have to think about why this needs to be 3 rather than just 2.
3. If you do full backups you get a second chance to restore a file.
Backups aren't truly backups until they are part of a media management process where the offline media is separated from the device being backed up. This for DR reasons like flood, theft, fire, etc Fixed drives that are always connected to the PC are just data copies not really backups for business DR or just data recovery purposes.
Hope that helps you, but I'd still like to know about the W7pro position of all of this
Cheers
Media rotation achieves many things.
1. Spreads the duty cycle across multiple devices
2. If you have a minimum of 3 then offsite storage can be achieved easily, you have to think about why this needs to be 3 rather than just 2.
3. If you do full backups you get a second chance to restore a file.
Backups aren't truly backups until they are part of a media management process where the offline media is separated from the device being backed up. This for DR reasons like flood, theft, fire, etc Fixed drives that are always connected to the PC are just data copies not really backups for business DR or just data recovery purposes.
Hope that helps you, but I'd still like to know about the W7pro position of all of this
Cheers
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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No argument here with the basic points suggested.
With the xcopy/whatever approach you do have the ability to keep as old of a backup as you wish, depending on external disk space. A more expensive solution will do a much more efficient job of keeping old backups, though. My approach works well where inexpensive external drives (2T or 3T) will hold as many backups as you would ever want.
It is correct that the simpler approach does not manage incremental backups well at all.
I usually recommend at least two external drives, rotated on a regular basis. That allows one to be offsite and protected from a number of possible failures.
With the xcopy/whatever approach you do have the ability to keep as old of a backup as you wish, depending on external disk space. A more expensive solution will do a much more efficient job of keeping old backups, though. My approach works well where inexpensive external drives (2T or 3T) will hold as many backups as you would ever want.
It is correct that the simpler approach does not manage incremental backups well at all.
I usually recommend at least two external drives, rotated on a regular basis. That allows one to be offsite and protected from a number of possible failures.
ASKER
Hi
Although this does not answer the question posed it does provide a solution, which I guess is what I and any one reading this would want.
Thanks Andrew for thinking out of the box. I'll look at Stagecraft but if this is anywhere near expensive then my smaller clients will not bite.
Thanks
Although this does not answer the question posed it does provide a solution, which I guess is what I and any one reading this would want.
Thanks Andrew for thinking out of the box. I'll look at Stagecraft but if this is anywhere near expensive then my smaller clients will not bite.
Thanks