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atut's avatar
atut
Level 2
13 years ago

How to backup 150GB data to harddisk?

[SPECS]

- Windows 2008 Enterprise Server R2

- Backup Exec 2010 R3

- Two internal SATA harddisks for 1TB each.

 

I have 150GB of data and it still growing. I need to back up to local harddisk. I need guideline.

I have two harddisks: one harddisk for Drive C and D (system and data), another one for E (backup of drive C and D)

The backup strategy plan I want to create is two rotation every 2 weeks:

1st week: Sat - FULL BACKUP (First backup rotation)

2nd week: Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri - INCREMENTAL BACKUP (First backup rotation)

2nd week: Sat - FULL BACKUP (Second backup rotation)

3rd week: Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri - INCREMENTAL BACKUP (Second backup rotation)

3rd week: Sat - FULL BACKUP (Overwrite first backup rotation)

4th week: Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri - INCREMENTAL BACKUP (Overwrite first backup rotation)

4th week: Sat - FULL BACKUP (Overwrite second backup rotation)

For the above strategy, I understand the limitation of Backup Exec schedule is not able to rotate every 2 weeks. So I use windows task scheduler to run every 2 weeks by running bemcmd.exe

 

How to create the above backup strategy plan?

My questions:

1) What is the size do I need to set for Maximum size for backup-to-disk files?

2) What is the number do I need to set for Maximum number of backup sets per backup-to-disk file?

3) How many media sets do I need to create?

4) For each media set I create, how long should I set for Overwrite protection period and Append period?

5) As I backup to harddisk, what is the use of Retension media before backup?

6) How many jobs do I need to create to fulfil the above strategy?

7) What are the jobs? Which full backup using which media? Which incremental backup using which media?

 

Much appreciate if anyone can answer in detail.

Thanks & Regards,

Hasan

2010
Backing Up
Backup and Recovery
Backup Exec
Best Practice
Managing Backup Devices
Tip-How to

7 Replies

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  • AmolB's avatar
    AmolB
    Moderator
    13 years ago

    1) What is the size do I need to set for Maximum size for backup-to-disk files?

    Ans: Default is 4GB but since you are going to backup 150+ GB of data i would suggest 20-30GB 

    as the max size. 

     

    2) What is the number do I need to set for Maximum number of backup sets per backup-to-disk file?

    Ans: I would stick to default i.e 100
     
    3) How many media sets do I need to create?
    Ans: 1 media set
     

    4) For each media set I create, how long should I set for Overwrite protection period and Append period?

    Ans: 2 weeks of opp for full and inc, after 2 weeks data will get ovwerwritten as per your plan.

     

    5) As I backup to harddisk, what is the use of Retension media before backup?

    Ans: not clear about the question.
     

    6) How many jobs do I need to create to fulfil the above strategy?

    Ans: 2 jobs, 1 full and 1 incr
     
     
     
     
     
     
  • pkh's avatar
    pkh
    Moderator
    13 years ago

    You should set your OPP to 13 days.  This is because the OPP is calculated from the END of the last job that writes to the tape.  You have to cater for this and set your OPP accordingly.

    Let's say, you have a daily job starting at 10 p.m. and ending at 11 p.m. Your OPP is set to 1 day.  When Mondays job finished writing to the tape at 11 p.m. on Monday, the tape is protected until 11 p.m. on Tuesday.  When the Tuesday job starts at 10 p.m., the tape is still not overwriteable and it would have to use another tape.

    You should also use overwrite for any job that backs up to disk because there is no advantage to appending to disk media.

    Retension media is for job which backs up to tape to retension the tape.  It is not applicable for backing up to disk.

    I would suggest that you familiarise yourself with the Managing your data section of the Admin Guide before proceeding further.  The Admin Guide can be found in the BE installation directory.

  • atut's avatar
    atut
    Level 2
    13 years ago

    Thank you. I am quite new to Backup Exec.

    I am not quite clear about Maximum size for backup-to-disk files that AmolZeroCool suggest for 20-30GB. My data is 150GB, how it can fit into 20-30GB size?

    Does it mean that each BKF file is 30GB, if the backup data reach 30GB then it creates another BKF file, something like part01.rar, part02.rar, part03.rar, part04.rar?

    I first tried set 10GB for Maximum size for backup-to-disk files and it failed.

  • Kiran_Bandi's avatar
    Kiran_Bandi
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Does it mean that each BKF file is 30GB, if the backup data reach 30GB then it creates another BKF file

    Yes, once the bkf file reaches the maximum size specified, BE will create another bkf file to continue backups. Also if you select "Allocate maximum size for backup-to-disk files" option, BE creates a bkf file of size 30 GB irrespective of the size of data written to it. I prefer not to select this option.

    Your backup job may be failed for some other reason, not because of bkf file size. Check the job log for any other errors.

    Regards....

  • atut's avatar
    atut
    Level 2
    13 years ago

    Can I create 2 media sets?

    - One for first backup rotation (full and incremental)

    - Another one for second backup rotation (full and incremental)

  • Kiran_Bandi's avatar
    Kiran_Bandi
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Not required. One media set (with proper OPP and AP) will suit your requirement perfectly.

    Already pkh suggested the OPP value. (13 days)

    Choose the Append Period as 1 Hour. (or None)

    Start all B2D jobs as Overwrite only. Select the Media management setting as "Overwrite recyclable media in targetted media set before overwriting scratch media". 

    With these settings, BE will create/write to seperate bkf files, each time a job runs. So during the third iteration earlier backups will be overwritten. First week FULL backup set will be overwritten with third week FULL backup set, third monday's incremental backup will be overwritten with first monday's incremental.

    Give a read here: https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/blogs/faq-how-configure-media-setsb2d-jobs-and-backup-exec-proper-management-disk-space-while-using-

    Regards....

  • MrShelby's avatar
    MrShelby
    Level 2
    13 years ago

    Does ANYONE know if you can get 3TB External USB HDD's to work between SBS2011 and BU Exec 2010 R3???  I certainly get there.  Been trying to get just ONE successful backup over the last 12 days... Can. Not. Do. It.   Farthest I've been able to get is 41% complete.  Then I get failure with error messages stating the drive/media is off-line, job was cancelled by user (no), or was deleted, renamed...

    HELP.  PLEASE.  I'm going to jump.