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Windows Best Backup Software?

Discussion in 'Software' started by LordLuciendar, 18 Jun 2012.

  1. LordLuciendar

    LordLuciendar meh.

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    I have a client with several TB of backup requirements which I have been unable to find a solution for which I felt satisfied with. Originally they used NovaSTOR, which had many issues hiccuping on their backups, then I had them switch to Acronis which I have always favored due to the bare metal restores from an image, but it seems to be very unwieldy and the backup routines seem difficult to manage. Now that they have moved to a new server, they are faced with an $800 charge to continue to use Acronis, so I attempted to use Windows Server Backup on Windows Server 2008 R2, but after several errors I discovered it is incompatible with 4k formatted disks. Since the backups go to 3TB USB 3.0 external drives, it just doesn't work.

    Any thoughts on other solutions?

    I thought about using a smaller, 1 or 2TB disk with Windows Server Backup for the operating system and system state (2TB drive), then using Microsoft SyncToy or SyncBack to manage the file backups from their 9TB data array (3 sets of data, 3 different 3TB drives).

    All drives are switched and cycled to an offsite storage location on Wed. each week.
     
  2. Phalanx

    Phalanx Needs more dragons and stuff.

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    If it's a business, why not buy off-site cloud storage (Amazon S3 for example)?

    If it's just data rather than the operating system to backup, then perhaps a NAS/SAN of some sort that takes the data daily/weekly/whatever. Could even combine the two and have the cloud backup alongside it, for really redundant storage.

    As an example, at home I run a NAS with RAID 1, which backs up to a USB drive every week, then sends a copy of that to my Amazon S3 account the day after. I don't think I've worried about backups for almost a year now. It just happens without my interference. Makes it very easy.

    Essentially, on-site backup plus off-site backup. Best of both worlds and very easy to setup, with no interaction once it's done. The principle is the same even on larger scales.
     
  3. deathtaker27

    deathtaker27 Modder

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    Hi,

    While amazon S3 is a useful backup method, think how long it will take to upload the data, and if the worst does happen, and you need to do a restore, how long will it take to download all the data back to the machine?
    If you do decide to use the S3 route, might I suggest giving: http://www.jungledisk.com a go as it is a brilliant bit of backup software

    Bare metal restores are good, I presonally use them everywhere possible, I am a fan on the StorageCraft Shadow Protect system with image manager, benifits are you can have a local and a cloud backup which auto transfers everytime. It has its own VSS Writer, and has something called headstart restores (Read that as bringing a full server back online in 15-30mins!), its not cheap but it is very useful http://www.storagecraft.com

    Backup assist may work for your local backups, however I am not sure what it is like for 3tb drives and if it will work so It may be best to use a trial before going live with it

    If you need to backup any desktops, I would recommend Windows Storage Server 2008R2 as it does client backups with ease, however I dont think this is what your after, but I thought i would put it out there anyway.

    PS: Sorry about my grammer/spelling
     
  4. Votick

    Votick My CPU's hot but my core runs cold.

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    Backup Exec. I use 2010 at home and 2012 on servers we manage at work.

    Backup Assist is poop.

    Yosemite is poop also (Can only have 1 backup per drive as no way of telling it to hand onto 5, it will just keep going till it's full and fails.)

    For cloud storage I use Keepvault which are very good.
     
    Last edited: 18 Jun 2012
  5. LordLuciendar

    LordLuciendar meh.

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    Cloud backup isn't an option, as the data is sensitive (read: classified).

    The server has a 2TB OS array (also hosting Active Directory and a SQL database) with maybe 500GB total on it, and a 9TB data array with 4 types of files, 2 large folders each for a specific project, each with a separate 3TB drive on which to back up, an archive folder which is backed up manually on another hard drive, and an active data folder, with everything else the office works on, which has a 3TB drive on which to back up.

    I have an eval copy of Shadow Protect sitting on my desk, it might be worth it to try that. I really despise Symantec products, and I've heard horrible things about what they did with Backup Exec after they acquired it.

    Another issue is that the data requires long paths. We tend to use Roadkil's Unstoppable File Copier, which is an awesome program, for file copies. Acronis didn't hiccup on that, just on the massive amounts of data causing backups lasting over 24hrs on USB 2.0 and issues properly managing drives which were swapped every week.
     
  6. Picarro

    Picarro What's a Dremel?

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    Get an eSATA card for the server and eSATA enclosures for the drives? Should speed up the transfer time.
     
  7. Tichinde

    Tichinde Minimodder

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    Top vote is Netbackup from me (but it ain't cheap).

    Have you looked into HP Data Protector or EMC Networker as options?
     
  8. Margo Baggins

    Margo Baggins I'm good at Soldering Super Moderator

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    I normally use a combo of backup exec and backup exec system recovery. Backup exec system recovery for image backups and thus bare metal recovery, and backup exec has a schedule of tape jobs - with that amount of data its probably worth getting a tape robot, have a couple of weeks of backup tapes and keep some off site, likewise with system recovery have a couple of weeks of HDD's to backup onto and keep some of them off site.

    It is true that when this product was veritas it did seem to "work" alot better, I do find sometimes backups with backup exec can be a pain in the ass.
     
  9. LordLuciendar

    LordLuciendar meh.

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    In the move to the new server, we gained USB 3.0 (4 full 5Gbps ports), the limiting factor at this point will be the hard drives in the external chassis.

    Unfortunately from what I have seen here, I am stuck with an $800-1200 server backup solution, and none of them have any real definitive reason why they would handle drive swaps better than Acronis. I am still a fan of Acronis backup format, even if I've been less than pleased with their backup speed. Looks like my next step is to install the trial and be sure it can run a backup in less than a week.
     
  10. Votick

    Votick My CPU's hot but my core runs cold.

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    Anyone else in this thread get head hunted by Symantec for feedback or was that just me?
     
  11. Burnout21

    Burnout21 Mmmm biscuits

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    Duplicati

    It is my favourite new little application in the past 4-5 months running on my windows boxes, its got all the joy of open source and extremely capiable backup application with minimal overhead.

    Currently my microserver is using it to backup my sensitive documents to another drive internal on a daliy bases, but if i remember it can be set to check for changes at bit level and keep the back up dynamic.
     
  12. Margo Baggins

    Margo Baggins I'm good at Soldering Super Moderator

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    I hope you told them they should start un-doing whatever they started doing when they bought it from veritas, as it worked alot better then.
     
  13. deathtaker27

    deathtaker27 Modder

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    The best line for Symantec I know:

    Symantec where good software goes to die

    /Ontopic

    I know the cost of the backup software is expensive, but put that number besides how much all the data is worth and then you will see its a reasonable price to pay
     
  14. Votick

    Votick My CPU's hot but my core runs cold.

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    I said a few features in 2012 where nice but fancy GUI with windows with shadows on annoys me as it lags.

    Overall it's not too bad.
     
  15. Meercat

    Meercat Banned

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    Handy Backup Network Server 7.2 seems to suite just fine.
    First, it's capable of bare metal restore and, from tests, does it faster then Acronis.
    Second, it doesn't have any limits on backup set size. Actually, it's more up to storage space (for instance, in my case backup of approx 2,8 TB didnt make it on 3 TB storage drive because of all the temp files).
    Third, HB7 has flexible scheduling options.
    Last, but not the least: as far as I know, the price is around 600 $.
     
  16. ryan498

    ryan498 What's a Dremel?

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  17. Mister_Tad

    Mister_Tad Will work for nuts Super Moderator

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    For small businesses, CommVault has some compelling advantages over the products you mention, has amongst the best dedupe engine of the lot and builds content index and archive in to the software (licensable though).

    NetBackup and Networker aren't terribly suitable to small environments, though standalone Symantec 5200 or Avamar appliances could be an option - none of these are cheap though.
     
  18. Bob Berkowitz

    Bob Berkowitz What's a Dremel?

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    At work we back up the servers and pcs on NAS with Praetorian Guard. It can be used to do backups, system restores for specific files or all of them and it seems the IT team is pleased with it.
     
  19. RichCreedy

    RichCreedy Hey What Who

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    hey i've seen something with praetorians in it, can you really trust them :naughty:
     

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