[NTLUG:Discuss] backup options?

[David Neeley]

There are numerous routes you can go, depending upon many factors. First is
the size of the data being backed up. Putting the backup data in one place
is a key to successfully backing up in the simplified manner much preferred
in the typical law office.

Since the VA machine is to be a fileserver, it would be fairly simple to
create a partition dedicated to data storage. That way, you'd have a
discrete place for all files to be backed up to reside.

The more simple backup devices have various limitations. Speed, for one.
Since you don't have any internal bays available, and probably don't have an
available high-speed port. You might check the USB support you may have. It
could be you could use that.

However, I'd be tempted to put on the network another machine (perhaps the
machine which was previously a file server) with a removable hard drive. By
having two small drives (say, 300 MB or so each) in portable slots. the
attorney could have an off-premises backup each day. Put the new drive in
the bay, boot up the machine, and let it execute a CRON job which would back
up the server.

I've seen 300 MB WD drives for $20 or so in several stores. Anything two
gigs or less seems to be at giveaway prices. If you have an obsolete machine
sitting around, that could be an extremely cost-efficient backup.

Hope this helps.

David Neeley

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Cobbe [mailto:cobbe at directlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 5:34 PM
To: discuss at ntlug.org
Subject: [NTLUG:Discuss] backup options?


Hello, all.

I'm putting together a proposal for a Linux system to function as a
combination Samba server and router (ip masq) for a friend's small law
firm.  What recommendations do you guys have as far as backup software and
hardware are concerned?  I'm used to mkisofs + cdrecord, but these people
are not as comfortable with low-level interfaces as I am.  (Plus, the
possibility of a backup failing due to a bad CD burn is probably not
acceptable.)

There is, of course, an added wrinkle: we're looking at VA Linux's smallest
system, the StartX SP.  It has only a single IDE controller on the
motherboard, and it drives the HD & CDROM, so additional ATAPI devices
would require buying a separate controller.  To make matters worse, it
comes in a really small case that has no free drive bays, internal or
external, once you put in the HD, CDROM, and 3.5" floppy.  This is less
critical; I think they can handle the $50 or so it would take for a larger
case, and I've switched cases before.

Beyond those constraints, however, I think we're flexible as to hardware:
CD-R, tape, Zip drive, whatever.  Cost is an issue here, so getting the
biggest, fastest, latest, and greatest isn't as important as getting the
job done.

Their requirements are pretty simple: just back up the stuff that's
exported via SAMBA and allow restores with a minimum of fuss.  Incremental
backups would be nifty, but are probably not a requirement.

Thanks in advance,

Richard

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