Incremental Backup and Media Set Configuration

[Blake_Baxter]

I am needing to setup a backup that is incremental. I have a bunch of images that are created on a daily basis for my radiology and dental xray needs in my business. Currently, the total size of all of the images I need to backup are about 70gb and it grows about 1gb a day or so. I have a 1TB Network Attached Storage drive that I would like to back this information up on. I have setup the backup device in backup exec, but I dont want to do a Full backup every night, as this takes several hours. How should I configure the Media Set so my backup file is constantly growing in size? Basically, is it possible with an incremental backup to just have it add that data to the original backup file so its all in one place, or do I need to create a bunch of backup files for each night the backup is ran? Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Blake Baxter 

[Claudio_Veronez]

Something about retention period.

all backups must be infinite retention?


Here We have 4 schedules and pools

SUN            FULL backup       30 days
MON-THU  Cumulative           7 days
TUE-FRI     Cumulative           7 days
WED-SAT   Cumulative           7 days



so if U lose some tape you will have the " yesterday" backup tape

but I think that u need infinite retention bacause the exams won´t change and U will need it forever.
an Archive policy should help you,

I´m still a newbie here, I hope it helps

[Blake_Baxter]

 Thank you for the information. keep in mind, this is on a Network Attached Storage, not a tape backup.

-Blake

[Ken_Putnam]

incremental Backups should only grab files that are new or changed since the last full or incremental and switch off the Archive Bit

Generally, one does periodic FULLs with intervening INCR.  Say Full on Fri or Sat night, with INCR the rest of the week.  And your jobs should be all Overwrite if you are using B2D,  Append is rather messy on B2D

How long do you need to keep these files,

[Blake_Baxter]

 These files need to be permanently  backed up. meaning, they need to be able to restore all of the files if data is ever lost.  thank you for your information.

Basically, do I need to create a seperate media set for each day of the week? or each day a backup needs to be ran? 

[Ken_Putnam]

Basically, do I need to create a seperate media set for each day of the week? or each day a backup needs to be ran? 

No, you can use the same job and media set.  (well, two jobs to the same media set.  A Full to start with, and then the INCR) Just make sure the OPP  is "0 - never overwrite" . Eventually, you will need to get a second target device, when your 1 TB device fills up.  if you only do the one FULL and all INCR after that, about 3 years or so

But, if you do one FULL and the rest INCR, if you ever have to rebuild your system, you will need the one full and ALL incrementals, restored in order to get back  to where you were

By doing weekly or bi-weekly FULLS, you will only need the last full and all subsequent INCRs

[Claudio_Veronez]

So, If u set a cycle w/ retention and full/incr.

for example, a FULL every sunday (or one full/month) and a INCR everyday, the FULL backup take it for a month (like that U will have 3 or 4 FULL backups, and the INCR, set retention for a week


U will have something like that..


FULL1 FULL2  FULL3  INC3.1  INC3.2  INC3.3 INC3.4   INC 3.5  INC3.6


I use to have more than one FULL backup because of the S**t in S**t out.