Offline Backup

[FN-GM]

Hello,

 

I am wondering what you guys do in regards to offline backups please? We use tapes but I am reviewing the solution and wondered what else people are doing.

 

Thanks

[CHiLL]

We backup our procution data to a always connected QNAP NAS using VEEAM. There's also a backup copy job in VEEAM that runs to two 1U rack mounted NAS devices in other buildings, which are never on at the same time (scheduled power on/off). We also have 2x 12TB (one each) external drives that we connect one one month and the other the next month and rotate, then take home. While none of this is true airgapped, nor on different media types, it's the best I could come up with with the money and resources we had available.

 

Production Data > QNAP NAS

QNAP NAS > 1U NAS in another block on Tue/Wed/Thu

QNAP NAS > 1U NAS in another block on Fri/Sat/Sun

QNAP NAS > 12TB external drive (even months)

QNAP NAS > 12TB external drive (odd months)

[3s-gtech]

NASs. Lots of them.

 

I haven't used tapes in the 16 years I've been here - while they do have advantages (bung one in a safe?) they were just far too hands on for me.

[Oaktech]

16TB IoSafe DuoPro external HDD - plus an offsite online backup.

[TwistedHelixis]

At each primary school.....

 

Onsite data

Host backs up VMs to an old server running as an iSCSI target. Windows backup backs this up to external USB every other day. I rotate the USB drives every month.

 

Cloud data

Cubebackup backs up cloud data to Wasabi bucket

Cubebackup backs up cloud data to local server. Windows backup backs this up to external USB. I rotate the USB drives every month.

[howartp]

We have NAS for disk backup, Tape Library (~80 slots) for off-LAN and archive, but just tendering for Veeam Cloud for off-site backup.

 

We got the library about 8 years ago when our old autoloader (~12 slots) died but tape was still reasonably in fashion; we still swear by it.

[mavhc]

Immutable backup is what you want, I have a server that can only receive backups from the network, you can't remotely delete anything

[round2it]

no matter what they say your budget is do not accept it when it comes to backups dont skimp

 

Local backup to Nas backup every vm every night and sims is done every hour (sql and doc storage) separatly (probably overkill but you can never have enough backups

Offsite to wasabi bucket

 

and I also backup to encrypted usb drives as a mirror which i take out each week and swap

 

basically 3 backups on different media types.

 

another thing test test test a backup is only good if you know it works

[FN-GM]

I haven't used tapes in the 16 years

.

 

It’s been a long time for me as well!

 

NASs. Lots of them.

 

How does the offline element work please?

[Squelch]

Once a week I copy the latest full backup to an external drive or use a caddy with a drive in it. I put that drive in a fireproof safe along with all the others. I have around 8 months of offline storage that I can go back to should we get encrypted one day.

 

Day to day I have two rotated external drives, one gets taken home while the other backs up overnight. Swap them over in the morning, rinse and repeat.

Edited October 12, 2022 by Squelch

[msi_school]

Once a week I copy the latest full backup to an external drive or use a caddy with a drive in it. I put that drive in a fireproof safe along with all the others. I have around 8 months of offline storage that I can go back to should we get encrypted one day.

 

Be careful of fireproof safes, they are generally designed to keep cool enough to prevent paper from catching fire not plastic from melting.

[FragglePete]

Veeam - Back up to Local Repository which is then copied over to a NAS in another building. Also have LTO-8 tapes running a full backup on the Friday. Whole school generally fits on one tape usually. I also do a sneaky copy to G-Suite Drive for some of the more critical stuff.

 

Currently doing a Disaster Recovery Simulation at the moment. Have managed to completely restore my Domain, SIMS, Cashless Catering and various Files servers direct from Tape onto a couple of old servers. Will sleep better for a while as it all works, so we have fully validated offline backups. We're transitioning at the moment moving local file shares to Teams/Sharepoint so will review what we do in the near future.

 

Pete

[atcoates]

My Primary sites are backing up to their legacy RDX drives which are swapped once a week and stored in a Fire Proof (data safe) with at least two fire doors between the server. We have Veeam cloud backups into Immutable storage. Where sites have Synology Nas we back up to those as well, and then the Synology is always backed up to another Synology box again, this is also at least two fire doors away from the other Nas.

 

Anything that could be improved upon?