exact copy backup

[dol5714]

I am new using Symantec Backup exec.  

I have Backup Exec 12.5  and I would like to backup my file server (300GB) to an external hard drive located in another building.  I setup it up and it is working.  However, I setup it up using the differential backup and each night it backs up only the files that have been changed from the last time of backup.  The problem that I am experiencing is that my backup media (external hard drive) is filling up quickly.  

Is there an option to have an exact backup of the server?  Meaning, if a file has been modified, it just replaces the backup copy on the external hard drive, instead of backing up another copy of the same file.  

I would like to avoid having to do a full backup each time, as it takes so much time to backup my server.  

I am running Windows Server 2008 - 64 bit

Thanks for all your help.  Blessings, Steve

[JoaoMatos]

Hi,
What kind of data are you talking about?
MS Office files,  Exchange, SQL...
You have options like CPS, Data replication...
But to help you I need to know what you relay need.
Do you need same data available at same time on both servers

Regards,

JoaoMatos

[tech29 · Accepted solution]

Ok.. So as i understand, you just want to have  one good copy of backup. i.e. the next backup should overwrite the last backup so that you don't have to have a lot of free disk space.

This can be achived by setting OPP and AP in backup exec.

Please go through the following doucment

http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/192265.htm

You have to first consider, how much free space is available for backup and also for how many days you want to retain that backup. for ex. whether you want to retain this backup information for 1 month and then after 1 month this backup information can be overwritten by the next backup.

let me know if you need further assitance.

Regards,
tech29

[Ken_Putnam]

I think what you are describing is known as a "Synthetic Backup" in BackupExec speak

You take a FULL backup, then after that run one or mor synthetics.  Backup Exec grabs only data that is new or changed since the last full or synthetic, and combines it with the last full or synthetic and you have a "FULL" backup as a result, but with conceiveably much shorter backup time   You do still need enough space for two full backups

See page  849 of the Admin Guide

[pkh]

Or upgrade to BE 2010 and use the dedup option.  This will only stream the block of data that is changed, not the whole file.

[dol5714]

Thank you guys so much.  I was looking at some other post that you, Ken and Tech129 posted and it helped me with me problem.  The post were about external USB drives filling up.  

I changed my OPP and that solved the problem.  

I really appreciate all of your help.  Blessings, Steve

Please mark as solved

[tech29]

Hi  Steve,

It was nice to know that the issue has been resolved after changing the OPP settings.

Could you please mark this as solution as we have rights only to reply  to the  posts and we cannot mark any post as solution.

Regards,
Tech29

[pkh]

If you find that the information provided in some other discussions is more helpful in solving your problem, you can close out this discussion by marking your latest reply as the solution.