Backup Tapes Replacement & Backup Schedules

[robknowles]

Hello,

 

I'm wondering how often other schools replace their backup tapes and how often they are used (i.e. each tape used once a week etc)?

 

Also what backup schedules do users use as well. I'm looking, now I've just brought a Tape Auto-loader, at doing a full backup on the Friday night (so it runs over the weekend) and then an incremental backup every day and have two sets of tapes so I've got two recent weeks worth of backups and also two sets of tapes for monthly full backups.

 

Rob

[sqdge]

We have five tapes that are labelled, not surprisingly, Monday to Friday. Our Friday tape does a full backup, but the other tapes merely record the changes. We have only ever replaced the tape if it is faulty or if we buy a new tape drive.

 

On top of this, our Curriculum server backs up personal files to an external hard drive every night, and our Admin server backs up to an XP machine at the other side of the school. It seems to run smoothly, despite both servers being technically corrupted (they are due to be replaced in the next week)!

[DMcCoy]

24 slot loader with:

 

Mon-Thurs

Fri1-4

12 Monthly tapes

1 Cleaning cartridge confogured on the autoloader

 

All tapes remain in the loader except the 4 weekly tapes with are kept off site. Full backup each night. Incremental is not my prefered choice as it requires all the intermediate tapes, look at using differential - everything since the last full backup, that way a restore only ever requires two tapes.

 

I replace tapes every 1-1 1/2 years.