Help with setting up backup schedules

[RHollawayPGH]

I need to migrate my backups to a new server, new das.  Everything is in place, I just need to create jobs but I'm having a hard time trying to figure this out.....

I have 40 servers and have a two week retention policy.

Currently, I do full on Friday, differential mon, tues, weds, thurs - single job, disk to disk to tape.  The Friday full take a very long time because it's only one job.

I have tested that I can have 4 jobs running concurrently.

Question:

Does it make sense to have a B2D folder for each server?

Question:

If I can have 4 jobs running at the same time, then wouldn't I want 4 B2D folders rather than a B2D folder for each server?

Question:

If I have 4 B2D folders, can I get each B2D folder to write to the same tape?

Really, I just want to back up 40 servers disk-to-disk-to-tape in the most efficient manner with a two week retention.

Any help is appreciated,

Tia,

RandyH

[Ken_Putnam]

1)  That's up to you.  BackupExec would work fine writing to only one B2D folder as long as you create the folder to accept more than one at a time.  if you have more than one Disk/Disk Array available, a B2d folder on each may increase throughput

2)  Again, that is totally up to you, but separate folders on separate devices will probably increase thoughput

3)  Yes, Have the first one that finishes Overwrite, and the rest Append to the same (tape) media set

[RHollawayPGH]

Thanks for the reply....

I'm ok with only having one b2d folder(I like simple) and then I could have 4 jobs(10 servers per job) run at the same time and fight for bandwidth.  These 4 jobs would have duplicates to tape and first one to finish would overwrite and the rest append. 

I pick up what you're sayin about separate drives, but I've already configured the array and have other apps running like system recovery.

Does the above make sense to do?

Thanks again,

Randy

[Ken_Putnam]

Looks like it should work

[RHollawayPGH]

Thanks again, I'll give it a shot.