Network based backup.

No3ntry

No3ntry

No3ntry

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I have 2/3 pcs on a network that I would like to be automatically (if possible) backed up at specified intervals what would be the best way of doing this ?

I am hoping I can run some kind of network server in my attic that will duplicate any hardware attached to the network at the time when it runs its daily/weekly/monthly backup.

At the moment I have a PC with 2TB storage approx half full, and a laptop with ~200Gb storage approx 10% full.

I can easily build A low spec server I would maybe even use Raid for extra security considering how cheap storage is nowadays.

i know nothing about network backups btw have never played about with it before in my life. And I am starting to think I need to.
If this is going to be an expensice way of doing it then perhaps I will just have to look at an External USB drive perhaps and do it manually but I might as well explore the best option first.

regards
James
 
If you are running windows vista or 7 they come with a reasonable backup utility built in.

As for the storage side you have two options:
A NAS or a file server. As for a file server I think Windows Home Server has quite a good backup util built into but personally Id just set up a simple Linux install with Samba file sharing and use that.

RAID-ing depends on what you want to achieve. If its a redundant backup then RAID 1 is for you as it will create a mirrored copy, but then if the information is on your computers and backed up I probably wouldnt bother as what are the chances of both drives failing at once.

One more thing to remember is how hot does your loft get if you are thinking about dumping a PC up?
 
I have just finished building a system for doing this and more. After much research I have built a rack mount server running unRAID as the OS.

Unraid is ideal for a home user for several reasons. It offers redundancy like raid 5, but instead of striping the parity, it stores it on a single disk. This means that if you happen to be super unlucky and loose 2 disks at the same time in the server, you only loose the data of 1 disk. All other disks are fine. If this was to happen in a RAID5 array, all data would be lost. It also means that as long as the parity drive is the largest drive, you can you a mix and match of disk models and sizes. As data isn't striped it also means that most of the time all but one drive can be spun down saving on power and heat.

So for my system I used;

Asus P5Q Premium
Intel C2D 6300
Passive ATI GPU
2Gb Patriot RAM
Norco 4020 case (Sold as XCase 420 in the UK)
2x Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 SAS cards
500GB 2.5" drive for the parity drive
500GB 2.5" drive for the cache drive
4x 500GB 3.5" drives for data

This system will allow me to add up to 20 drives in a nice tidy rack mount case. If I was to use 2TB drives, this is 40TB of storage which is plenty for Blu Ray and DVD rips and everything else. It runs really quietly (I have it sitting in the hi-fi rack under the TV). It also dishes out data pretty fast. Last night I watched my first Blu Ray rip over the network to my pop corn hour without any problems at all. No stuttering and everything was super smooth.

I haven't set up the computer backups yet, but I will most likely set up scheduled robocopy scripts to run once or twice a day. Could even set the server to use wake on lan to wake up the computers in the middle of the night, back everything up and then shut them down again.

I know this system may be overkill, both for me and yourself, but I would seriously recommend looking at an unRAID based system. It will do everything you need and more.

:)
 
Use a decent NAS like a Synology and put your drives in there (can get 2 or 4 bay versions) and use the Windows software to back up to them.
 
NAS seems to be what i'm looking for

i have a MBP and currently have an external caddy with all my music/media on it but i just want something that i can have in the corner and not have to plug into

if i get something like this what way does it work? can i just plug my 3.5 sata into it and then it plugs into a router and away you go?
 
Cruiser said:
NAS seems to be what i'm looking for

i have a MBP and currently have an external caddy with all my music/media on it but i just want something that i can have in the corner and not have to plug into

if i get something like this what way does it work? can i just plug my 3.5 sata into it and then it plugs into a router and away you go?
Click to expand...

Yep. The config is done via the webpage, like you would with a router, so you can set up folders and permissions etc. You can then just set up Mapped Drives if you wish. They can also host torrents, itunes and other things as well (have a look at the Synology site for info). Off the top of my head, you may need to format the drive (as you would with most NAS drives or Windows Home Servers etc) before it can be used.
 
Last edited:
Duke said:
Yep. The config is done via the webpage, like you would with a router, so you can set up folders and permissions etc. You can then just set up Mapped Drives if you wish. They can also host torrents, itunes and other things as well (have a look at the Synology site for info). Off the top of my head, you may need to format the drive (as you would with most NAS drives or Windows Home Servers etc) before it can be used.
Click to expand...

formattings a problem. how would i get my info onto it? i would have to use my external HDD and transfer from it i suppose
 
Yeah would need to copy it elsewhere and then copy it back once its set up. You may not need to do this on a single drive NAS (although I'm pretty sure you would), but you do on RAID ones.
 
Messiah Khan said:
I have just finished building a system for doing this and more. After much research I have built a rack mount server running unRAID as the OS.

Unraid is ideal for a home user for several reasons. It offers redundancy like raid 5, but instead of striping the parity, it stores it on a single disk. This means that if you happen to be super unlucky and loose 2 disks at the same time in the server, you only loose the data of 1 disk. All other disks are fine. If this was to happen in a RAID5 array, all data would be lost. It also means that as long as the parity drive is the largest drive, you can you a mix and match of disk models and sizes. As data isn't striped it also means that most of the time all but one drive can be spun down saving on power and heat.

So for my system I used;

Asus P5Q Premium
Intel C2D 6300
Passive ATI GPU
2Gb Patriot RAM
Norco 4020 case (Sold as XCase 420 in the UK)
2x Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 SAS cards
500GB 2.5" drive for the parity drive
500GB 2.5" drive for the cache drive
4x 500GB 3.5" drives for data

This system will allow me to add up to 20 drives in a nice tidy rack mount case. If I was to use 2TB drives, this is 40TB of storage which is plenty for Blu Ray and DVD rips and everything else. It runs really quietly (I have it sitting in the hi-fi rack under the TV). It also dishes out data pretty fast. Last night I watched my first Blu Ray rip over the network to my pop corn hour without any problems at all. No stuttering and everything was super smooth.

I haven't set up the computer backups yet, but I will most likely set up scheduled robocopy scripts to run once or twice a day. Could even set the server to use wake on lan to wake up the computers in the middle of the night, back everything up and then shut them down again.

I know this system may be overkill, both for me and yourself, but I would seriously recommend looking at an unRAID based system. It will do everything you need and more.

:)
Click to expand...

Can Un Raid be ran without running the disks in RAID ?
I am not going to spend a fortune to achieve this goal (or at least that is the idea)
I have never in the past ran a proper backup system.
My files just arent backed up properly at all tbh.

This is why I want to sort it now.
I'll probably build a low spec server and wack a coupld TB hard drives in it and run the backup system off that.
As has been said probably not important that I have RAID for a home backup being as I am already duplicating the data.

James
 
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