[Hidden-tech] server backup software

[Mark Bucciarelli]

Reva Reck writes: 

> I'm sure some of you have experience with Windows-based SERVER (Win2003) 
> backup software. I need to  backup to USB hard drives & am exploring 
> software like NovaBackup & BackupAssist as well as more expensive products 
> like Acronis & BackupExec. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who's 
> used these or similar products. I'm not interested in software that will 
> only run on a PC, and I'd like to stay under $400. I'd use Acronis, which 
> I know lots of people really like, but it's too expensive. I can upgrade 
> BackupExec within my budget, but I've gotten some bad feedback about using 
> that for backup to disk. So if you've used w. Backup Exec with disks, I'd 
> like to hear about that, too. Thanks, Reva

This tool [1] is free software and is well spoken of.  (I haven't used it 
for a while--dump/restore works for me on *nix.)  Some generous soul has 
built a windows version [2]. 

If your server hosts a database, be sure you back up the database files in a 
consistent state; either use some utility like mysqldump or write-ahead 
logs.  You cannot rely on file-system backups (unless your filesystem 
support snapshots). 

No matter what tool you use, make sure you test the restore process before 
the need is critical. 

No matter what tool you use, make sure you test the restore process before 
the need is critical. 

[Marketing rule of thumb is eight impressions, but I'll stop at two. ;) ] 

m 

[1] http://www.nongnu.org/rdiff-backup/
[2] http://solutionsfirst.com.au/~dave/backup/