What technology is used today for backup & restore
We want to update our backups and restore process. Currently we use external drives and use 3-2-1 method (or try at least because sometimes we justa backup and that’s it); also using differential where once a year a we clone the server and sometimes the computer. For the computers daily backup we use synchronization where a copy of my documents are sync to a certain area of the server. As for restore, it gets tedious and tricky because we have to search by area since it’s “differential”.
Reading uo on the subject, we found we can use something called VDR or even the cloud for backups. We like would to know if there an updated process to what we do in backups/restore to current techonoly times
Reading uo on the subject, we found we can use something called VDR or even the cloud for backups. We like would to know if there an updated process to what we do in backups/restore to current techonoly times
The steps I would take:
1. As mentioned by Andrew, assuming you're using Windows servers and workstations, and that you have an Active Directory domain, you should be using group policies to redirect all user-created data to a server location. This would involve using AD Group Policies to configure roaming profiles for users and/or using folder redirection to move user folders (Documents, Desktop, AppData/Roaming) to a server location.
2. Once you have all user data directed automatically to a server, you don't have to worry about backup for workstations.
3. You can continue to use just local backups, or you can go to a local/cloud based system, or even a cloud only system (although that's not my personal choice). There are lots of companies that offer these types of solutions. We use Storagecraft but if you're using one of the popular backup solutions such as Veritas, you may already have a cloud-based solution available to you with the software you have.
1. As mentioned by Andrew, assuming you're using Windows servers and workstations, and that you have an Active Directory domain, you should be using group policies to redirect all user-created data to a server location. This would involve using AD Group Policies to configure roaming profiles for users and/or using folder redirection to move user folders (Documents, Desktop, AppData/Roaming) to a server location.
2. Once you have all user data directed automatically to a server, you don't have to worry about backup for workstations.
3. You can continue to use just local backups, or you can go to a local/cloud based system, or even a cloud only system (although that's not my personal choice). There are lots of companies that offer these types of solutions. We use Storagecraft but if you're using one of the popular backup solutions such as Veritas, you may already have a cloud-based solution available to you with the software you have.
ASKER
Appreciate the the info provided: separate the OS from the Data and directed automatically to a server.
What about the actual devices?
What is used now a days based on you guys experience?
That is, tape drives, tapes media, external drives or cloud service?
Note, did see your use of Veritas & Storagecraft; do you use it for daily backups, differential, full, etc.?
What about the actual devices?
What is used now a days based on you guys experience?
That is, tape drives, tapes media, external drives or cloud service?
Note, did see your use of Veritas & Storagecraft; do you use it for daily backups, differential, full, etc.?
We've not used tape since 2004.
We are now virtual, so we use many different types of backup products.
and we now back to cloud, and also on-site, using Veeam, Unitrends...
We are now virtual, so we use many different types of backup products.
and we now back to cloud, and also on-site, using Veeam, Unitrends...
ASKER
Can you give me some these product name to followup on? (maybe which do you you use or your client?)
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You need to start back at the beginning - backup/restore should be a part of your company's business continuance plan!
Once you know what the business needs in terms of allowable downtime etc, you can then work out what the RPO/RTO is (NB There may be other actions required after the Recovery is complete).
Then you can decide on the technology that is going to meet that requirement - What you need for a 24 Hour RTO is completely different to what you need to achieve 24 Minutes!
Then you start negotiating with the business in terms of what they can afford v the RTO - The smaller/shorter the RTO, then the more expensive it becomes!
Once you know what the business needs in terms of allowable downtime etc, you can then work out what the RPO/RTO is (NB There may be other actions required after the Recovery is complete).
Then you can decide on the technology that is going to meet that requirement - What you need for a 24 Hour RTO is completely different to what you need to achieve 24 Minutes!
Then you start negotiating with the business in terms of what they can afford v the RTO - The smaller/shorter the RTO, then the more expensive it becomes!
I cannot argue with anything said to date.
But if setting up active directory is too much of a pain, or you have multiple OS (Mac, PC, Linux) in your environment, you can go with something like Retrospect (https://www.retrospect.com/). (I do not work for them.)
I have used that software for decades and it just keeps getting better. Works on Linux, multiple versions of Windows, and Macs.) Every client machine gets a small installed piece of software to allow the Retrospect Machine access to their data (encrypted and password protected access). Retrospect will do full and incremental backups of all their user's data, and is smart enough not to duplicate files already in a backup, so it saves some space on the destination. Compression is an option on saving files. Backups can be encrypted and password protected as well, so access to Retrospect's backup drives does not give access to the user's data.
In a small office environment, we back up to a network drive, and in one case, a few large hard drives that are rotated on a weekly and or monthly basis. All the backups can be automated with scripts to do any combination of hourly, daily, weekly, etc backups as well as rotation of backup media.
There are other systems like this, but I like this one for several reasons: It has been around a long while, so it works well and is updated regularly. It works on multiple operating systems. Set it up and basically just check it occasionally (look at its logs) to see it is working. It takes care of itself fairly well actually.
On restore, you can recover an entire bootable system, or just a few selected files or folders. It has a great search system, and you can configure it for how many revisions you want to keep. The server will purge older backups to make space as needed. My current small office gives me about 8 months of recovery on about 8 computers onto a network drive, so I can recover multiple versions of any file if needed.
NO, I do not work for them. I just have used it for so long it just seems to work.
But if setting up active directory is too much of a pain, or you have multiple OS (Mac, PC, Linux) in your environment, you can go with something like Retrospect (https://www.retrospect.com/). (I do not work for them.)
I have used that software for decades and it just keeps getting better. Works on Linux, multiple versions of Windows, and Macs.) Every client machine gets a small installed piece of software to allow the Retrospect Machine access to their data (encrypted and password protected access). Retrospect will do full and incremental backups of all their user's data, and is smart enough not to duplicate files already in a backup, so it saves some space on the destination. Compression is an option on saving files. Backups can be encrypted and password protected as well, so access to Retrospect's backup drives does not give access to the user's data.
In a small office environment, we back up to a network drive, and in one case, a few large hard drives that are rotated on a weekly and or monthly basis. All the backups can be automated with scripts to do any combination of hourly, daily, weekly, etc backups as well as rotation of backup media.
There are other systems like this, but I like this one for several reasons: It has been around a long while, so it works well and is updated regularly. It works on multiple operating systems. Set it up and basically just check it occasionally (look at its logs) to see it is working. It takes care of itself fairly well actually.
On restore, you can recover an entire bootable system, or just a few selected files or folders. It has a great search system, and you can configure it for how many revisions you want to keep. The server will purge older backups to make space as needed. My current small office gives me about 8 months of recovery on about 8 computers onto a network drive, so I can recover multiple versions of any file if needed.
NO, I do not work for them. I just have used it for so long it just seems to work.
(folder redirection, roaming profiles, network home drive, network group shares)
and then have a Automated Deployment, like MDT to push out the Workstation configuration.
So you no longer have to backup Workstations, all data is saved to Server, and the server just needs to be backed up.