Cloud Based Backups

[truebluesteve]

Hi All

 

I'm doing some initial research into cloud based (online) backups and wondered if anyone here had experience of it, or even better are using it now. I'm aware of many of the issues about security, data centre location etc, etc. so my real interest is cost, ease of use and so on.

 

Thanks

 

Steve

[nicholab]

The alternative is can you and another school in the same LA come to an agreement to put a server in each others school for off site backup/DR?

 

For cloud I would only backup up my AD, DC, SIMS and current e-mail. I would then use tape for archive as it does not use energy when the data is at rest.

[RTFM]

We backup all our Servers to the cloud (as well as snapshoting them between our SANS and keeping a backup on a HP MSA60).

 

We do a 'traditonal' backup of them using Backup Exec to begin with on a weekend (they are snapshoted hourly / daily through our NetApp) then send the Backup Exec files off to CrashPlan PROe UK Online Backup UK and Europe for Business, Enterprise and Home Users with UK Cloud Storage from CeeJay Software runs on Apple Mac, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple iOS and Android.

 

If worst came to worst, we could download the files, inventory them back into Backup Exec and restore from there.

 

Edited February 1, 2013 by RTFM

[bandgeekmafia78]

We have just started using cloud-based backups for our SIMS and FMS data, just to bring us even more contingency.

The rest of our data is backed-up onto a Tandberg LTO4 Storageloader. We have so much data that it is far too expensive to backup to the cloud.

[andyrite]

We backup all our Servers to the cloud (as well as snapshoting them between our SANS and keeping a backup on a HP MSA60).

 

We do a 'traditonal' backup of them using Backup Exec to begin with on a weekend (they are snapshoted hourly / daily through our NetApp) then send the Backup Exec files off to CrashPlan PROe UK Online Backup UK and Europe for Business, Enterprise and Home Users with UK Cloud Storage from CeeJay Software runs on Apple Mac, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple iOS and Android.

 

If worst came to worst, we could download the files, inventory them back into Backup Exec and restore from there.

 

 

How much are you uploading to them?

[RTFM]

How much are you uploading to them?

 

The retention is set to 3 weeks so its around 600gb in total.

[andyrite]

THanks for that. We have a lot more data than that. Think I will contact them about it.

[Edu-IT]

You could look at Redstor too.

[RTFM]

THanks for that. We have a lot more data than that. Think I will contact them about it.

 

this is only our servers though, our actual data would be 4-5tb.

[bwestlake]

crashplan is what we use here and I use it at home aswell

[Mr_Jiminy]

then send the Backup Exec files off to CrashPlan PROe UK Online Backup UK and Europe for Business, Enterprise and Home Users with UK Cloud Storage from CeeJay Software runs on Apple Mac, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Apple iOS and Android.

 

If worst came to worst, we could download the files, inventory them back into Backup Exec and restore from there.

 

 

When you say 'send the backup exec files off to' - how are you sending? Is there an initial seed backup taken/sent or am I getting the wrong idea.

 

feature:seed_service [CrashPlan Support Site]

 

My understanding with cloud based solutions is that a seed backup is taken, then transferred to data centres, followed by only amended files being backed-up to the cloud.

 

I'm looking into cloud based solutions for a number of clients, costs are obviously a big factor, so CrashPlan is certainly sounding good.

[truebluesteve]

I'm guessing that CrashPlan's servers are not based in the UK?

 

Just noticed that the Pro option isnt available outside the US and Australia/New Zealand

Edited February 4, 2013 by truebluesteve

[RTFM]

I'm guessing that CrashPlan's servers are not based in the UK?

 

Just noticed that the Pro option isnt available outside the US and Australia/New Zealand

 

Edinburgh I believe

[truebluesteve]

lol.... just seen another link for a company selling CrashPlan in the UK. Obviously they dont deal direct!

 

PS Is Scotland still part of the UK......

[RTFM]

When you say 'send the backup exec files off to' - how are you sending? Is there an initial seed backup taken/sent or am I getting the wrong idea.

 

feature:seed_service [CrashPlan Support Site]

 

My understanding with cloud based solutions is that a seed backup is taken, then transferred to data centres, followed by only amended files being backed-up to the cloud.

 

I'm looking into cloud based solutions for a number of clients, costs are obviously a big factor, so CrashPlan is certainly sounding good.

 

I backup to the cloud the 'backup2disk' folder that Backup Exec saves into.

 

It initially does a full backup, then its differential backups after that on a weekly basis (the differential though is going to be the new files from the new weekly backup). I didn't use the Seed service. We backup around 200gb weekly and it now overwrites the oldest files so we have 3 weeks of server backups stored there now.