Server Backups

[protocol]

Apologies if this is a common topic that has been covered before.

 

I'm currently responsible for looking after the backups tapes and have been tasked with coming up with a new backup system but this isn't something I've done before so I'd appreciate some help and suggestions.

 

We currently have two domain controllers and two data servers. The DCs get backed up on either a weekly or monthly basis. The data servers get backed up daily. Software wise we use Backup Assist.

 

Tapes feel a bit 'old school' so I'm looking at a more modern and better way of doing backups, possibly something like a NAS.

 

How does everyone else do their backups?

 

Thanks for any help.

[zag]

Have a separate backup server in another location. Everything backs up to there.

 

No need for tapes any more, just has a large 2tb hard disk.

[CamelMan]

Have a separate backup server in another location. Everything backs up to there.

No need for tapes any more, just has a large 2tb hard disk.

 

^This plus I have a few encrypted 2TB External harddrives for offsite piece of mind and use Shadow Copy for the regular "my work suddenly just disappeared!" reports from students. Generally - First line Shadowcopy, Second Line (Server room loss) Backup server from other side of side, Third line (Loss of whole site) Backup drive from offsite. Seen people using stuff like FreeNAS etc. I also had a chat with a supplier about using those little Nas boxes and having 2 synced one on site and one at home via VPN which was interesting.

[dhicks]

Tapes feel a bit 'old school' so I'm looking at a more modern and better way of doing backups, possibly something like a NAS.

 

We have a 12TB file server for backups, with a second identical 12TB offsite that it replicates to. Virtual machines are backed up as images, user files are backed up with an rsync script (Robocopy would work just as well, if you're on Windows). The user file backup runs every hour, and the user file share is made available as a read-only file share that users have access to, so if someone needs to restore a previous version of a file they can just go and get it off the backup server.