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Evo-ERP and DBA Classic >> General DBA Topics >> Backing up DBA
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Message started by Brian Snyder on 06/23/05 at 11:02:01

Title: Backing up DBA
Post by Brian Snyder on 06/23/05 at 11:02:01

We have been doing daily backups of our data files using Iomega's 1-Step backup program and one of their Zip drives. Somehow the backup program got corrupted and will no longer work. Now the bad part...nobody can find the original software disk and Iomega no longer supports it or has the free download on their site. You must purchase their new program. I'm looking for suggestions on a new backup program that will work with the zip disk. What is everyone using these days?

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by wildco on 06/23/05 at 11:03:10

We use DVD+R drive. Can also backup other data like procedures, drawings, etc due to larger capacity.

Disks are about $0.50 each.

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by Brian Snyder on 06/23/05 at 11:21:28

Are these re-writable or do you use a new one everyday?

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by JNAPIER on 06/23/05 at 11:23:26

Bitzipper backup to zip all files. 1 Gig flash stick x 2 one offsite one in my desk for daily B/U. Weekly to cd's for offsite. Better safe than sorry.

John

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by Tim Keating on 06/23/05 at 11:40:09

Our data security strategy:

1. RAID-5 Array on server.

2. Tape drive on the server to backup all data including OS and user shares (about 8 Gig for us). Differential backup Mon-Thu and Full backup Fri. Tapes go home at night.

3. Windows Backup writes DBA data files to spare space on a workstation each night as a final precaution in case I come in to find a smoking hole where the server was. That way we can fire up DBA on workstation and not miss a beat.

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by Danimal on 06/23/05 at 12:59:07

Brian Snyder wrote:

Are these re-writable or do you use a new one everyday?

The DVD+R is a write-once drive (might be a typo).

We use the DVD+RW, which is a rewritable drive, and backup nightly using WinBackup. It writes directly to a rewritable DVD drive, has been very reliable, highly configurable, offers password-protected encryption and compression, and best of all it is inexpensive (currently $49.99 for Version 2.0 on their website). It is available at http://www.liutilities.com/products/winbackup where you can even download a trial version.

Works much better than the tape drive system that it replaced. In addition, I can create multiple backup files and recover the necessary files or folders from them on the fly.

I also have a script that is scheduled to run nightly that archives a copy of the file locally and rotates them so one copy is kept for each day of the week, in the event the disk gets lost/damaged or the server implodes. :o

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by David Waldmann on 06/24/05 at 03:34:03

We only have about 2 GB of data that is regularly backed up. Our stategy is:

1. A RAID 1 (mirror) array.
2. Copy of all data to a workstation every night.
3. Connected.com remote backup every night.

What I like best about our setup is that it is completely automatic. Not even any tapes/CDs to move around.

I really like Connected.com. Retrieval for an individual file or two is very quick and easy, and it's only $17/mo for up to 4 GB of data. It also keeps the ten most recent versions of a file, so you can go back up to two weeks if need be.

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by wildco on 06/24/05 at 03:41:00

We do use the DVD+R write once discs. At $.50 each for the discs, it is very cost-effective to make a new disc every day and transport it off site of archiving. Then, if the DVD and hard drive go bad (I know it is unlikely), you lose only one day as opposed to up to 5 with DVD rewriteable.

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by Danimal on 06/24/05 at 05:05:06

wildco wrote:

you lose only one day as opposed to up to 5 with DVD rewriteable.

Don't quite understand the logic, but whatever works. I rotate my rewritable discs as well, using 5 of them - one for each day of the week - and can store more than one day's backup on the disc with the compression (actually, upwards of 10). The script I use serializes the files with a datecode and it can automatically delete the oldest file from the folder (to keep the disc from filling up), or I can keep a copy of a particular file at will.

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by Tim Keating on 06/24/05 at 05:38:09

David Waldmann wrote:

I really like Connected.com.

I'm going to look into that. Last time I looked into web backup it wasn't nearly that reasonable.

Title: Re: Backing up DBA
Post by Vman on 06/29/05 at 07:04:28

We use a external USB harddrive. I have read a lot on the long-term reliablilty of CD/DVD's. I have personally had some that became coasters a little over a year after being burned and stored in cases. Are your backups for long term archival purposes? How much data do you have? How much money are you willing to spend on data backup and availablity? (I wish my boss would let me spend more!)