Re: [gentoo-server] Backup Software (Long)

[Robert Sanders]

On Tuesday 23 March 2004 07:32 am, Bill Roberts wrote:
> At the other end of the scale (the original poster has only 2 servers
> with limited disk space) is "net-misc/rdiff-backup". I am backing up 5
> machines (only about 40G) nightly to an 80G harddrive. Love it.
>
> I have no offsite storage, but I would look at some sort of removable
> HD solution if I needed that. Simple, fast. No tape rotations, I have
> snapshots for the last thirty days, restores are simple enough a user
> could do them. Even a full restore is easy using a livecd.
>
> For ten years I listened to the horrors of restoring from tape (I'm
> an instructor). At Digex, I saw tape run amok. Lots of tape, millions
> of dollars, no real security, in my experience.
>
> Where possible, I follow the KISS principle. That, to me, means
> avoiding tape.

I agree.  The only _real_ downfall of using a disk system IMHO is the lack of 
portability.  I work in a data center environment though, and the need to 
transport off-site is a lot less than say an office.  If the need really 
arised, I would probably lease transport to another facility before tapes 
though.  Not a option for a lot of people.

Were backing up ~80 machines to a terrabyte array.  It's nearing ~70% full 
right now.  I've lost drives, PSU's, yet never lost the raid 5 array.  IMHO I 
can not see this being done as well on a tape backup system without spending 
a truck load and still losing some of the convience.

Both have horror story's, but at the end of the day I still prefer a disk 
based system.  Currently, it's attached to the network via two 1000SX fiber 
cards, and I've seen it peak ~600Mbps when its hammered on.  KISS, just a big 
box, with a big nic, and a bunch of big drives ;)

Rob