SOHO Network Tape Backup Recommendation?

[btreloar]

Can anyone recommend a relatively inexpensive tape backup drive/jukebox for a 5-node P2P SOHO networkwith a mixture of 9X and XP clients?

TIA!
Bill

 

[bhamster]

if your peer to peer network is storing all its data on a central machine then depending on the amount of data you could use a zip drive as a backup device. IF not you could take data from each machine just more complex. You could also use a cd read writer. both cheap and easy to use.

 

[btreloar]

I was hoping to do complete disk backups of all machines. We don't do central storage of dtaa; everything is decentralized; the network is mostly for printer and WAN sharing. For full disk backups, CDs just don't have the capacity. We were using a travan 4/8 Gb tape backup, which has died. The 4/8 tapes were not large enough even to backup some of our larger machines without inserting a second tape.

 

[LKAlbert]

I suggest that you not only back up data, but all the hard disks if you do not want to spend days restoring in the event of failure. During the course of operating your business, you will be updating your operating system, most of the software (including virus protection, etc) and if you do not back up everything, then you will spend hours or days getting the crashed system back up to snuff. Admitedly, hard disks do not crash nearly as frequently as in the "good old days", but just one crash and not only will you have the expense of sending the hard disk out to restore data, but you will spend a lot of time restoring your system to the way it was before you crashed.

Therefore, inexpensive is not only a function of upfront costs, but recovery costs and lost business during the time you are recovering. I suggest that you look at a Seagate STD6401 that uses hardware compression and a relative fast SCSI connection and Veritas Backup Exec. Backup Exec Server is expensive, especially if you want their automated Desaster Recovery option, but it is a reliable and fast backup software solution. If you do not already have a SCSI controller, than I suggest an LSI Logic 8953U as being the most reliable, with great customer service and price. You will have to research where to buy the drive economically, but you might try and start at

http://www.pacificdata.com/tapedrives.html

Let me know how you do at ALKolkin@comcast.net.

 

[btreloar]

Thanks! I'll look into your suggestions.
Bill