How to back up 100GB of data?

dan_aka_jack · 22 Jun 2006 at 19:00

Hi,

Does anyone have any bright ideas about how best to backup >100GB of data? I've been using external hard disks but they keep failing on me!

Are there any alternatives to the very expensive tape drives out there?

Thanks,
Jack

dan_aka_jack · 22 Jun 2006 at 19:14

OK, it looks like a 320GB DLT drive will cost about £600 and then each 320GB DLT tape is about £30. Hardly a bargain when you can pick up a very fast 320GB hard disk for £70.

LewisStuart · 22 Jun 2006 at 19:21

2 x 120gb+ drives & raid 1 them

Messiah Khan · 22 Jun 2006 at 19:23

LewisStuart said:
2 x 120gb+ drives & raid 1 them

Agreed. Or 3 and RAID5 them.

basmic · 22 Jun 2006 at 20:45

Get a solid drive, such as a Hitachi or Western Digital - none of this Maxtor tosh that's amongst us.

Dutch Guy · 23 Jun 2006 at 11:48

If you need to have >100Gb backed up I would deffo get a RAID1 setup, no need to backup every once in a while as the data is always up to date and backup up.

squiffy · 23 Jun 2006 at 13:11

180K 5.25" floppies.

dan_aka_jack · 26 Jun 2006 at 11:24

Dutch Guy said:
If you need to have >100Gb backed up I would deffo get a RAID1 setup, no need to backup every once in a while as the data is always up to date and backup up.

Yeah, good point. Except my situation has got a bit more complex: I need to be able to do off-site backups (i.e. I need to be able to backup to tape and send the tapes to a different physical location).

What's the most cost effective tape backup system? DLT?

Many thanks,
Jack

Messiah Khan · 26 Jun 2006 at 11:35

You could look at using exteranl harddisks still, but get an enclose that supports 2 disks and put them in RAID1. Either that or DLT is an option as you suggest. The initial cost may be quite high, but running costs aren't bad.

Dutch Guy · 26 Jun 2006 at 11:48

It looks like a DLT drive is the way to go, here at the office they use DLT tapes and have a tape for each day that is collected every day.

I would not use a harddive if it has to be transported a lot due to the high chance of breaking in transport etc..

dan_aka_jack · 26 Jun 2006 at 11:50

Yeah, I've had problems with hard drives breaking during transport.

How does DLT compare to LTO2 or LTO3?

Thanks,
Jack

Dutch Guy · 26 Jun 2006 at 12:05

dan_aka_jack said:
How does DLT compare to LTO2 or LTO3?

I can't help you with that I'm afraid

All I know is that the IT department uses 320Gb DLT tapes but not how they compare to others.
I doubt our IT department cares much about the performance as they run the backups at nighttime when there is no one working.