Is Backup Exec the right product for this requirement?

[odyne1980]

Hi - we currently use Backup Exec 2010R3 which writes data to tapes using full & incremental backups on a 4 week retention period. We are going to start backing up our data to an offsite location, and I would like to move to a snapshot based system where I can perform one initial full backup (around 3TB) and then only ever backup the changes in future. In a traditional full/incremental system I'm not sure this would scale, so I was wondering if backup exec is the correct product for this requirement, or if there is another Symantec non-cloud based product that would work better (as the data needs to be in our data centres)? Many thanks

[Jaydeep_S]

It would be better if you mention what data you might want to backup. If it is files and folders data that you are looking at, Synthetic Backups (Backup Exec Advanced Disk Based Option) might be the right option. With this backup you would perform a initial baseline backup (Full) and then keep performing regular Incremental backups. You also provide a synthetic backup once in a which reconsiles all the sets and provides a single image to restore from.

Having said this, the above method is only valid for File system (Files/folders)

I would also suggest you to put this same post in Net Backup forum to try and find out if they have any solution that might cover more data types.

[odyne1980]

Thanks for your reply.

The data is files, folders & exchange logs.

I'll post on the net backup forum too.

Thanks

[Jaydeep_S]

For Exchange data (Database and logs) you would have to perform traditional Full / Incremental backups using backup exec and for the Files and folder data go with Synthetic backups.

[pkh]

You got to take a look at how much data is going to across your WAN link and how long it is going to take.  Also, BE is sensitive about link quantity.  Any dropped packets and your backup will fail.  Your initial 3TB will probably give you problems.

[teiva-boy]

What you want to investigate is an incremental forever. Neither BackupExec nor Netbackup can do. Synthetics work with a full and incrementals, and generate a "synthetic full," by joining the initial full and about a weeks worth of incrementals. However you have to do a new full at least once a month according to best practice. 3TB fulls are not fun with BackupExec. File deletes and moves are NOT addressed with a synthetic backup scenario. Also BackupExec cant do it with a lot of files (my experience puts it at around 50,000 files it chokes) Netbackup with it's accelerator is interesting, but its a very new product with lots of issues and limited functionality. Dovoyu have a SAN? Could you do snapshots from it? Netapp is fantastic in this regard.

[pkh]

 File deletes and moves are NOT addressed with a synthetic backup scenario

They are addressed by synthetic backups.  The deleted files will not appear in a synthetic backup and moved files are reflected accordingly.   Otherwise, it would defeat the purpose of a synthetic backup.

[odyne1980]

Thanks for your comments. One of the reasons I posted is people are constantly trying to sell me incremental forever solution, especially Asigra, however we are part of the Symantec EXSP program so can use any Symantec product on a sunscription basis. Our data needs to go to a different site asn I have quite a bit of internet bandwidth free. I'm also told that the inital 'full' backup can literally be data onto a USB drive and manually loaded to the 2nd site, then incrementals after this. I was lookign to see if there was something comparable within Symantec.

Thanks for your comment about SAN. We do have an IBM V7000 so I'll investigate what options there are with this unit.

Many thanks for your help.

[pkh]

Regardless of the backup software/solution that you use, if you just do incremental forever, you are going to have a problem when you restore something.  You will need to restore the full backup and ALL the incremental backups since the full backup.  This is why it is recommended that you do full backups on a regular basis.