Networker

Re: [Networker] Large File system issues

2004-04-26 11:36:59
Subject: Re: [Networker] Large File system issues
From: Riaan Louwrens <riaanl AT SOURCECONSULTING.CO DOT ZA>
To: NETWORKER AT LISTMAIL.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 15:27:47 +0200
HI,

A resolution that I have implemented a couple of time nows is to do RAW
filessystem backup (yes you can do this on windows as well).

Essentially by specifying the \\.\X name of the drive. This will then do a
block level backup of all the data at raw disk speed - normally very fast.
This is always a FULL backup of the WHOLE disk. So you would want to keep
your disk / partition size a close to the size of the actual amount of data
(if possible) - perhaps create a dynamic disk that you can grow if
necessary.

Typical example - we had a client that had 8GB of files numbering on a 10GB
partition numbering close to 2 million and it took almost 2 days to backup
to a DLT7000. Doing a RAW backup this was done in under an hour ... (10GB
streamend to tape). Our client now does a FULL backup every night - which he
automatically restores to another machine (same night) - just in case he
might need to do file level recoveries. (see below).

Some restrictions though - as it is block level you cannot do file level
recoveries. (But if you only have 20 odd GB of data this shouldnt be an
issue - not sure what oen would do when you talk 100's of GB's).

It "HAS" to be recovered to the same drive letter - so if you a directed
recovery you have to have a drive with the same drive letter (be it C, D, E
... etc).

Hope this helps!

Regards,
Riaan

-----Original Message-----
From: Tarjei T. Jensen [mailto:tarjei.jensen AT AKERKVAERNER DOT COM]
Sent: Monday, April 26, 2004 7:32 AM
To: NETWORKER AT LISTMAIL.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Subject: Re: [Networker] Large File system issues


"atif" wrote:
>Are there any issues anyone can think of that I should consider?
>Also, we might be able to survive with 80GB fs. Any thoughts on that?
>Thanks.

We have used 300GB file systems with Windows 2000, but have decided
against them because they take too long to back up and even longer to
restore. I'm not sure what size is favoured now.

Smaller filesystems means the server can be backed up faster since each
filesystem is backed up seperately.


greetings,

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