Re: SBS 2003 R2 BACKUP/IMAGING: What REALLY IS the best solution?

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"bcmoore" <bcmoore@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:9F05BEB9-8AF8-4B21-AED6-2CBCDB53573A@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
My fellow admins/consultants, I need to pose a question for the group -
what
really IS the best backup strategy? On an SBS 2003 Premium server running
Exchange, Sharepoint, a CRM backed by SQL and Active Directory on a
PowerEdge
2900, should I concentrate on an imaging solution or rely on a good backup
application?

My issue: I've read this blog for weeks, gone through no less than 3 SBS
'best practice' tech manuals and I hear 50 different things.

I have a new server with mirrored drives, dual power supplies, dual nics
and
dual processors on an 8 hour UPS. I have a LTO-3 tape drive and a USB 2.0
external drive each capable of holding the entire 500GB data drive. I've
tried the following:

NTBACKUP - no problems - IF it runs. I can't turn my back on this
application, ever since NT 3.51 (yes, I've been around that long)

Imaging Solutions:
PARAGON - little to no reporting, UI leaves alot to be desired, poor
support
and no success if no user logged on. Didn't even go so far as to do a test
restore.

ACRONIS - expensive but good scheduling engine, poor support - REAL issue
with scheduled imaging task being able to lock the system drive? Not sure
why
Paragon doesn't have the same problem but the result is I can't get a good
image while my other services are running. Enabling VSS on the system
drive
did no good and Acronis tech support helped even less.

I feel my situation is simple and common. My strategy is outlined below:

1. Weekly image of the system and data drives to a dedicated internal
drive
as a local store and staging area
2. Weekly copy of above image to an external USB drive for potential
offsite
storage or restore to different hardware
3. Weekly copy of above image to an external tape drive for offsite
storage.
4. Incremental updates to the original image file, etc...
5. Logging
6. Email notification
7. Runs as a service


I think the above is simple. I challenge my colleagues for an intelligent
recommendation for a company that is not interested in 'downtime'.

warmest regards and best wishes,

brian


.

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