Re: [Networker] Backup Master Server

I kind of held back on this, but I will go ahead and throw my 2 cents
in. 

There are multiple ways to accomplish this, but as most always, it comes
down to how much money do you have. 

In our case, after Hurricane Katrina, we looked at a lot of options, and
one of the things that is different, is that we now have 2 datacenters -
not 1 and a hot site - 2 actual data centers (in 2 different cities).   

That's just step 1 - you can do this all the way down to having spare
clients, and even redundant servers powered up just waiting to be used. 

However, the almighty dollar (or whatever your currency may be), plays a
large role in this.   When it came down to Networker, we looked at
having 2 large data systems at each data center, with each one
replicating to the others.  However, you are talking about a BIG 7
figure dollar amount to do this, based on our data storage.  

What we chose to do is have 2 large tape libraries (1 at each data
center), that can be configure into 2 virtual libraries at each site.
We have a spare server sitting at each site that will become the
Networker server, if the other site goes down.  If one site goes down,
you simply bring a bootstrap tape, change some DNS pointers, and you are
up and running. Again, you could use some Legato products to make this
more of a "hot" server, but price does play a part.  

Honestly, I hope we NEVER have to go through this again - but we are
trying to improve the speed in coming up, should it ever happen again. 

Good luck with whatever you decide. 

David M. Browning Jr.
LSUHSC Enterprise Network Operations/Help Desk


-----Original Message-----
From: EMC NetWorker discussion [mailto:NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU] On
Behalf Of Yaron Zabary
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 4:48 PM
To: NETWORKER AT LISTSERV.TEMPLE DOT EDU
Subject: Re: [Networker] Backup Master Server - Redundancy


   Why would you need a second master ?

   When was the last time a Networker server failed on you ? (I manage
Networker for almost 10 years now and I don't recall such an issue. I
have issues with tape drives, but not with the entire server).

   What is the damage (cost) of not having a backup amd restore services
to your organization for a day or two ? (My organization (a University)
can live for two days without backup or recovery till we will fix the
old hardware and re-install).

   My opinion is do risk management right. IMHO, there is no point in
creating a costly and complex redundancy just for the sake of being able
to backup (or restore) in the rare event (once every two years) that
your servers dies on you.

Howard, Patrick wrote:
> Looking to bring a jukebox (STK 12 drive LTO1 SCSI) back on line (has
> been out for over a year), but it's going to take some justification
on
> my part to do it.  I want to get a Server and make it another Master
> Server.  There has been talk of just making it a storage node.  I know
> we wouldn't be able to inter mingle media, etc.    But I was looking
to
> see if anyone had opinions on this.  Repugnancy, etc.  What your
opinion
> on what we should do?  Does anyone have a backup to their Master
backup
> server?
>
> <http://www.anntaylor.com/>
>
> Patrick S. Howard
> Ann Taylor
> 476 Wheelers Farm Road
> Milford, CT 06460
> (203) 283-8772 direct
> (646) 660-0426 mobile
> (203) 878-3836 fax
> patrick_howard AT anntaylor DOT com
> www.anntaylor.com <http://www.anntaylor.com/>
>
>
>
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--

-- Yaron.

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