Re: [Networker] Windows backups.

> I am looking at upgrading to NW 8.* and was hoping there might have been
> some advancements to the Windows backups.  Reading the documents, it 
seems
> to have gotten even more convoluted.  There is a BMR option now with
> the DISASTER_RECOVERY:\
> save set but there are caveats.  There are a lot of "be careful" - if 
that,
> then this or mixing this with that and so on.  The DISASTER_RECOVERY:\ 
save
> set has it's own caveat of a huge double backup when doing a full
> backup if critical
> data is deemed to be on a volume. 

That is not limited to NW 8. I have this problem on NW 7.6.2. The problem 
is that the DISASTER_RECOVERY: saveset includes "system critical data", as 
you say. And some applications register themselves as "system critical", 
so you can end up with multiple backups.

For example, I run Lotus Notes. It registered itself - and it's mail drive 
- as "system critical" data. Which means that a DISASTER_RECOVERY: savset 
is like 1.3TB in size, since it includes the mail drive. Which means that 
if I use the ALL parameter on my client definition, I get the mail drive 
*twice* - once a part of the DISASTER_RECOVERY: saveset, and once as an 
enumerated drive of the client.

(we clone this client, and keep 2-3 nights of backups available on AFTD 
disks, and I don't have disk space to have 3TB per night, for 2-3 nights, 
for just this client. Hence that's why I skip the DISASTER_RECOVERY: 
saveset, and save just the mailfiles)

I posted about this at the time, must be close to 2 years ago now.

> this adds up in a hurry.  I am interested in how others are handling 
this
> issue?  I know deduplication is an option but it is an expensive 
solution
> and adds another layer of complexity.  Are there other backup
> software/solutions other than NetWorker available?  I assume all the 
other
> backup software has the same problems because as far as I can tell this 
is
> a Microsoft "enhancement".  Although, this would be nice to confirm?

I'm lucky, in the sense that Notes is not tied into the Windows registry 
like a lot of applications are. So I backup all the VSS savesets, and my 
data drives. In the case of a disaster, I will re-install Windows, 
re-install Notes, restore the data drive (which includes the configuration 
files). At least, that's the plan ...

And yes, this is part of the change to system level backups that MS 
institued, starting with Win2008. NW didn't come up with this scheme, MS 
did ...