Network Backup Software

Slime101 · 25 Aug 2009 at 19:13

We are after some network backup software.

we have a server with a large raid 5 array, and half a douzen networked machines, mostly running XP although for operational reasons there are a couple of windows 98 machines too!!

We require some software that will back up each of the network machines to the server, and then somehow back up the server too.

It need to be scheduled, and havethe usual features such as resuming if its interrupted or not turned on, incremental or full backups etc etc.

It needs to be robust and reliable as its for business use, and preferrably not cost a lot!

theheyes · 25 Aug 2009 at 20:14

Have you tried ntbackup? It will be good to go on the Pro machines, not sure about '98 though. It might not have the high end features but it does the job and at no extra cost. What is the server running, 2003? or is it just a RAID5 box?

Slime101 · 25 Aug 2009 at 20:35

The server is running XP Pro, its basically a Raid5 box built for redundancy for our main database system and that is mostly what it does apart from act as a print server for the big duplo printer.

As it is hugely powerful by comparison and has loads of redundant storage we wish to backup the other machines to it for data security.

theheyes · 25 Aug 2009 at 22:30

If you make a share on the server accessible to the client machines, ntbackup will easily do a scheduled backup to it. Watch out though because XP restricts the number of concurrent connections (basically because it's not designed to be a server OS) so if you do choose to do that don't set up all the client machines to back up at the same time - stagger them.

Backing up the server itself is a different issue. How much storage has it got? What you've got will affect on how you back it up. I have about 400GB of data that gets backup up to external disk, encrypted, and taken off-site in the evening.

Slime101 · 25 Aug 2009 at 22:36

The server drive is shared across all the machines and visible on all for operational reasons.

I'll have a look at NTBackup although never found it much cop in the past but if it handles networks then it might work ok.

As for the server backup, prob only about 500gb of data max - the problem with backing this up is its in use every second people are in the office andthe database cant be backed up whilst in use, so i guess that it will have to be a cheduled overnight type affair.

samuria · 26 Aug 2009 at 01:03

Richcopy is a free tool from MS by Joshua Hoffman its a backup on steriods and runs multiple threads so one reads the files and 3 copy the files and a lot more you can use it over the network it can resume and you can script it if needed its really the old robocopy revamped but on steriods with a GUI

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.utilityspotlight.aspx?pr=blog

Oxide™ · 26 Aug 2009 at 13:45

Symantec Netbackup Puredisk?

guys at work are busy testing it out on our network but it sounds like it could be of use to you perhaps

Slime101 · 26 Aug 2009 at 19:11

I tried some software by Memeo today and so far it seems to be performing excellently, very clever features. The manuals are non existant but the online live help was superb and answered all my questions.