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Running a usb drive backup cycle and overwriting full drive

legaleagle
Level 4

I am currently using Symantec System Recovery to back up our server onto usb drives which I change daily over a 2-week cycle.

The problem I have is that it does not overwrite the usb drive when full. I therefore must regularly check the usb drive and delete files. If the backup can't run because the disk is full it has a knock-on effect and often it won't run the following day without a fix. Generally, I have found that SSR is not well geared for offsite usb drives in the way I want to run my backup hence all the problems.

I am considering switching to Backup Exec 2014 and my main question is whether it will do a better job.

1. How well does it manage a set of usb drive for a backup cycle?

2. Does it overwrite the usb drive when it is full and add the new backup?

3. Once backed up can you restore to 'cold metal' or must you first install the operating system?

Thanks

3 REPLIES 3

VJware
Level 6
Employee Accredited Certified

Backup Exec 2012 and above uses DLM to manage backup sets on disks. Have a look @ this KB which explains how DLM manages the backup sets retention - http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH214945

If the backup was SDR enabled, then you can pretty much perform a bare-metal restore. Have a look @ this KB as well regarding SDR - http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH180099

If the backup is not SDR enabled, then one can install the OS first and then restore.

Colin_Weaver
Moderator
Moderator
Employee Accredited Certified

For rotating USB drives, use a drive pool so that any job that tries to run will use whichever drive is online in the pool.

Make sure you are attaching the USB drives to the media server and not to some other device and using a share (as then the insert notification of re-attaching the drives is handled correctly)

If rotating USB drives I'd recommend attaching them to the media server in the morning (or at least 4 hours prior to the jobs running) as then the DLM expiry will  definitely have done a cycle to remove expired backup sets.

We never overwrite the whole of a disk storage device we always reclaim (delete) backup sets/media within the drive based on their expiry.

 

 

legaleagle
Level 4

Thank you. I cannot at this stage understand all the jargon until I've actually tried using it.

I take it that drive pool means a set of drives which are rotated and that the system specifically caters for this. Is this right?

As to system recovery, I understand from the kb article that that this is run as a one off and set aside while the cycled set is just for the files and data. Is this also right?