[Shepherd Jim]

Apologies if this topic is covered somewhere deep within the FAQ -- I couldn't find anything very current.

I have an old (original?) HP MediaSmart WHS with three HDs (750 GB) and have been using Amazon S3/Jungle Disk for a couple of years -- apprx 89 GB backed up. The S3 UI is horrible -- not inspiring confidence. I've looked around, but so many of the popular offsite/cloud backup solutions seem to exclude NAS's from what they deal with (have to assume the WHS would be included therein).

I was just wondering what WHS users were having the most success with re offsite backup of the WHS files. ...and, of course, it would also be interesting to hear stories of extreme displeasure and disaster. <_<

So! What IS today's best offsite backup solution?

Jim

[J1mbo]

The two issues for me are cost and upload bandwidth, since what I'd be looking to backup is an extensive photo library. However there are some specific WHS solutions like KeepVault. Another option is to get a network HDD box (Samba/NFS), stick it in the garage or shed (or friends house and run a VPN), and use RoboCopy to sync it periodically.

[RedCat]

I also use 3 - 750gb drives, but I have a somewhat different approach for my off site backup.

One drive is my permanent SYS(C:) and DATA(D:) drive. It is backed up daily (5 AM) using a Scheduled task with Robocopy (for D:) and DriveImageXML (for C:) to a Non Storage drive (E:). DriveImageXML is on a rotating schedule so that I can restore from up 2 weeks prior.

My Non Storage drive is pluggable and I swap it once every 2 weeks with a third drive I keep stored in my bank safe deposit box.

[Shepherd Jim]

J1mbo, on 06 March 2010 - 05:17 PM, said:

...<snip>...However there are some specific WHS solutions like KeepVault. Another option is to get a network HDD box (Samba/NFS), stick it in the garage or shed (or friends house and run a VPN), and use RoboCopy to sync it periodically.

Thanks for mentioning KeepVault. I think I'd long ago looked at it but in those days it didn't permit you to backup "business files." Besides KeepVault's friendlier UI it appears it would also be cheaper than Amazon Web Services: I've been paying close to $16/month for the Jungle Disk S3 to "store and update" about 89 GB -- KeepVault's flat charge for 130 GB will be $139.00 ....

whoops! I just realized the KeepVault I was looking at might just to be to back up PC's -- something different may be required to deal with a WHS ...

I'm going back to read more.

Jim

[Shepherd Jim]

RedCat, on 06 March 2010 - 11:38 PM, said:

I also use 3 - 750gb drives, but I have a somewhat different approach for my off site backup. ...<snip>...

Whoa RedCat! You've sort of undone/disabled some of the things I like most about the WHS.

I've long ago realized that the only kind of backup that works for me is the kind that happens without me having to do anything.

I mean, I have a Palm smartphone that would remind me when it was time to exchange NAS drives or whatever. BUT, that phone's already reminding me to do a lot of things on daily, weekly and monthly schedules. I'd really like all my data backup to happen behind the scenes, in the middle of the night -- without me having to think about it. Once I have something up and running, I'll remind myself once a week just to check that's all's happening as scheduled.

Jim

[wardog (WGS)]

Check out Backblaze. It's $5/mo unlimited on consumer accts.

Whoops, Scratch that. Not WHS specific.

[J1mbo]

RedCat, on 06 March 2010 - 11:38 PM, said:

...I have a somewhat different approach....It is backed up daily (5 AM) using a Scheduled task with Robocopy (for D:) and DriveImageXML (for C:) to a Non Storage drive (E:). DriveImageXML is on a rotating schedule so that I can restore from up 2 weeks prior.

I like this arrangement. But doesn't the post-PP2 built-in backup drive functionality do the same?

[RedCat]

Shepherd Jim, on 07 March 2010 - 05:10 PM, said:

Whoa RedCat! You've sort of undone/disabled some of the things I like most about the WHS.

I've long ago realized that the only kind of backup that works for me is the kind that happens without me having to do anything.

I mean, I have a Palm smartphone that would remind me when it was time to exchange NAS drives or whatever. BUT, that phone's already reminding me to do a lot of things on daily, weekly and monthly schedules. I'd really like all my data backup to happen behind the scenes, in the middle of the night -- without me having to think about it. Once I have something up and running, I'll remind myself once a week just to check that's all's happening as scheduled.

Jim

Jim;
Nothing I have done has disabled any part of WHS. My process is totally automated using scripts and scheduled tasks. With the exception of checking logs and swaping the off site disks every other week I do nothing. If my main WHS drive dies I can do a full recovery of the OS and DATA that is no more than 24 hours old. If my server burns in a fire I have a full backup at the bank that is no more than 2 weeks old. I have tested my recovery process and have successfully completed several restorations (used it to increase drive size).

[RedCat]

J1mbo, on 07 March 2010 - 08:17 PM, said:

I like this arrangement. But doesn't the post-PP2 built-in backup drive functionality do the same?

J1mbo;
As I understand the WHS built-in backup it only backs up your shares. The OS (SYS C:) and your Client PC backups are not backed up. Also since basically the shares are mirrored to the backup drive if a file is deleted, damaged or otherwise corrupted it will likely be copied to backup before you would be able to retrieve a good copy. My backup process occurs once a day and would allow you to retrieve a file before it is overwritten. My entire WHS drive gets backed up and includes multiple generations of the OS. The downside to my method is only using one drive for the WHS server, I could not easily use multiple WHS Storage drives.

[J1mbo]

OK, so I didn't realise you were also backing up C. A couple of thoughts:

- you could use the MS disk approach and script the backups database to it as an alternative
- you could still use multiple drives, by running your scripted backups from UNC instead of physical disk path, i.e. source of \\[servername]\shares\users etc etc

HTH