Backup Multiple Linux Servers

[wstran]

Greetings,

I have 3 Linux servers: Web, Data, and FTP servers. I would like to back up each of them to different tapes without operator intervention. I read some articles that HP StorageWork LTO-2 Tape Autoloader has the ability to automatically back up multiple servers. Please advise, thanks!

 

[birky]

Hi

An LTO2 autoloader will definately allow you to backup multiple servers to different tapes without operator intervention and will give you a capacity of 200/400Gb on each tape (usually find that it's around 300Gb though with compression).

To automatically do this you would also need some backup software to do your backups which would also contol the movement of tapes & maintain an index of on which tape the data resides (or else you would have a nightmare when it comes to restores).

Plenty of backup software to choose from out there dependant on the size of data that you are going to be backing up.

Any particular reason why you need to back them the 3 servers up to individual tapes?

 

[wstran]

Thanks Birky. The main reason that I want to back up 3 servers into 3 different tapes is for sending the backup tapes into three different places for storage. However, if I can not find any good and cheap way to do that then it will be OK to back up all 3 servers into one tape. Please advise me which one (different tapes or all to one tape) is the easiest way to restore the backup data because I don't need any more nightmare.

I'll need to back up about 20 GB of data every day. If you know any specific backup software, please give me the names. Your help is always appreciated!

 

[birky]

For 20Gb you definately wouldn't need to splash out the cash for an LTO2 autoloader..personally I would get yourself a DLT drive which would give you 40/80Gb on a single tape (something like this on ebay would do you fine

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1484&item=5782487306&rd=1

)....you would fit all 3 servers onto 1 tape & all you have to do is change the tape each day & offsite it.

Regarding the backup software you don't need anything expensive, there are many different vendors out there who would backup linux & provide easy restores all depends how much functionality you require & how much you want to spend.

For 3 Linux servers & 20Gb per day I would look at one of the cheap solutions such as Arkeia (would cost you about $99)

http://www.arkeia.com

. I have used it on Linux boxes & found it worked very well...you can also get a free trial.

Something like this would allow you to schedule your backups to run automatically at the time you specify & then you can just remove the tape the next day to offsite.

 

[wstran]

Thanks very much! Your solution seems reasonable for my backup need. I also checked the backup software from Arkeia. Do you use SCSI cables to connect multiple Linux boxes to your backup tape drive? Do you need SCSI switchbox or daisy-chain the Linux boxes? I just want to learn how to do it, thanks!

 

[birky]

You would allocate one of your linux servers as the backup server which you would then install the backup software on & connect the tape drive by a scsi cable.

I would (dependant on the specs) allocate the 'data' machine as the backup server. This would then handle all of the backups from all of the servers. The backup server would maintain the indexes (info about data backed up, tape info etc)& data would travel across your network through the backup server to the tape drive.

btw. you would need to email Arkeia for a quote

http://www.arkeia.com/prices.html

as the $99 I quoted previously was for a standalone server backup & you need the network version (wont cost much though for your environment).