Backup to USB disks strategy

[Oliver_Buckie]

Dear All

We using Backup Exec 10d (10.1). We would like to setup a backup strategy (Monday thru Friday) on our SBS 2003 server using 3 x external 250 GB Hard Disks. We would like to have the possibility of being able to restore any given file for up to 1 month. Currently, the data amount which needs to be backed up is less than 30 GB.

I have 'played' around with Backup-to-Disk folders using full and differential backup types, however, we have problems 'appending' to the files on the USB disks and I don't really know what the best daily/weekly strategy should be.

I would really appreciate your comments on how we best setup a backup strategy to 3 external USB disks.

Many thanks.

[Rodney_Flint]

G'Day

I would recommend that you do not use USB disks, if a drive fails then you loose all you backup sets that are on the drive.

Can you put some drives into the server using RAID, this way you will have some redundancy if a drive fails.

That said, I do use USB drives for testing and have had no issues except that they are very slow. There is a setting for the maximum size of the disk files, maybe this needs to be decreased, the size on our system is set to 4GB.

In relation to a strategy my choice would be to perform a full backup each weekend to disk (into a media set with a retention period of 1 month) and then have a job linked to this that copies the data to tape. Each weeknight perform a differential backup to disk (into the same media set as the weekly). Each month perform a full backup to disk (into the same media set as the weekly) and follow this with a copy job that places the data onto tape (into a media set with a retention period of 1 year).

You need to keep in mind when setting up this sort of strategy the disk space requirements.(4 full’s and 20 differentials). I am currently working on setting up a strategy where we have 200GB differentials each night.

Cheers
Rodney

[Sharvari_Deshmu]

Hello,

Backup Exec will choose the media for backup depending upon how the following parameters are set:
1. Overwrite Protection Period
2. Append Period
3. Overwrite Protection Level

Refer to the following TechNotes for more information:
http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/192265.htm

The above TechNote explains, "The basics of Advanced Device and Media Management for VERITAS Backup Exec (tm) for Windows Servers."

Also, please refer to the following TechNote:
http://seer.support.veritas.com/docs/237374.htm

The above TechNote explains, "An explanation of the "Overwrite Protection Period" and the "Append Period"


Thanks,

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