Backup-to-Disk Compression Options

[Searle]

Can someone please advise the best method of data compression on a removable USB disk?

1. No compresson

2. BackupExec compresssion option

3. Configure the backup disk to use Windows Server 2008 disk compression prior to using it soley for BackupExec?

[CraigV]

Hi,

I'd go with Software Compression, otherwise None as the option. The external drive won't do Hardware compression so that's not an option.

Doing Software compression will place a performance overhead on your media server, so just be advised of that. What it will be is another story.

I would also leave off Windows 2008 compression...backing up to an already compressed drive USING compression in the job might create issues. Let BE try compressing the data as much as possible.

Thanks!

[ArulPrasad · Accepted solution]

Backup exec uses the STAC software Compression technique.

Before the Data is Sent, the data is Compressed and sent to the storage device.

The bigger the block sizes the better the compression ratio. With better compression ratio, the drive is able to achieve not only better throughput, but also increased capacity.