Number 1 below is what we have put in place at about 35 remote sites,
using Backupexec on Netware servers and a few Windows 2000 servers. It
is definitely a pain, and our computer room manager spends more time
than he should have to making sure we have compliance from remote users
on changing tapes, but having only one person at each site that is
responsible for it helps. I estimate we get pretty close to 70% backups
each week with tapes changed daily. 
Really not a technical issue, more of a training thing. You're right
about the scapegoat issue, but that, unfortunately doesn't help if a
server dies hard. 

>>> "Anderson, David" <anderson.david AT scrippshealth DOT org> 3/25/02
3:06:36 PM >>>
Dan,

Here are my favorite options....your mileage may vary, check dealer
for
details.....

1.  Person at remote site changing tapes.  This is the most common and
cheapest, but sometimes (usually?!) unreliable.  Management loves
this,
network/server administrators hate this one.  However it does provide
a
GREAT scape-goat in the event of a real problem!

2.  Operate some kind of tape library/changer using backup software at
the
remote site yourself.  This will cost more but is controllable and
verifiable.  Have a user at the remote site change at "batch" of tapes
at a
time.  In NetBackup parlance, this remote server would become a Media
Manager ($$$).

3. Perform full backups on weekends and differential/incremental (some
variant of changed files) on weekdays using your current setup. 
Netbackup
can help here with multistreaming.

4.  Have management upgrade all remote sites to full ISDN, cable or
DSL
speeds (yeah, like this would ever happen, right?!?!?)


David Anderson
Scripps Information Services

------------------

Original Msg.....

Message: 9
From: "Sixbury, Dan" <Dan.Sixbury AT aquila DOT com>
To: "'veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu'"
         <veritas-bu AT mailman.eng.auburn DOT edu>
Cc: "Sixbury, Dan" <Dan.Sixbury AT aquila DOT com>
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 13:11:41 -0600
Subject: [Veritas-bu] Backing up lots of small remote sites.


Has anyone architect a solution where they had lots of small servers
in
field offices that had to be backed up, and the network bandwidth
wasn't
sufficient to do network backups to a central office where the primary
data
center was located?  This doesn't seem to have an easy answer/
solution.
These field sites have non-IT people and would make implementing local
backups difficult and unreliable.  i.e. Is the local guy changing the
tape,
is he putting the right tape in, does he leave the tape on the kitchen
counter, etc.  The servers in each of the field sites are primarily NT
or
2000 servers. 

Thanks,
Dan


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