Backup w/ 2 external USB drives

[Anonymous]

My friends arch firm just had a server drive failure and are scrambling to
recover data. Just like almost every firm I've seen they relied on burned
cd's as backup which is a major PITA so they might have lost a week or so
worth of work. Made me stop and think about my back up. I've got one
external usb and will gladly purchase another. It seems like the best way
to go. My questions is how do you get it to automaticly copy the server
drive info every day. I really think htat the key to a good backup routine
is to avoid making anybody do anything.

Thanks,
Kurt

[Anonymous]

xcopy e:\*.* k:\ /s /e /k /r /h /y /c


Saved as a .BAT file and scheluded to run at 3:00am everyday.


Site explains syntax:
http://www.computerhope.com/xcopyhlp.htm

I have a 80Gig USB2 connected to my computer and is backed up from here.
Other than server failure, it has compensated for user errors.



"Kurt westerlund" wrote in message
news:F351465248DF45D0E0B50124B6608EA7@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> My friends arch firm just had a server drive failure and are scrambling to
> recover data. Just like almost every firm I've seen they relied on burned
> cd's as backup which is a major PITA so they might have lost a week or so
> worth of work. Made me stop and think about my back up. I've got one
> external usb and will gladly purchase another. It seems like the best way
> to go. My questions is how do you get it to automaticly copy the server
> drive info every day. I really think htat the key to a good backup
routine
> is to avoid making anybody do anything.
>
> Thanks,
> Kurt
>
>

[Anonymous]

A great freeware utility that'll mirror your selected drives, folders, etc -
all that as well as exclude .bak files, other functions: Cobain Backup v.5
http://www2.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cbu5.htm

[Anonymous]

We use Second Copy 97 - (good options with the program) on a second server -
For the main server we use mirrored drives.

[Anonymous]

We also use SecondCopy. You might also look on line for an external USB with
swap capability. I set this up for a friends office, with two drives in
caddies. You swap the drives like tapes, and you don't need to pay for
another enclosure to add a drive, just the drive and a $15 caddy.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

Gordon,
Could you possibly give me a bit more info (hardware) on your usb/swapped
drives? I looked into it (may have looked at the wrong equip) and the $$
seemed a bit high - around $1500-1800. I would like that type of backup -
as a redundant- if I could get my boss to lay out the cash.
Thanks,
Matt

"Gordon Price" wrote in message
news:924B242856123208891F359D4F5C80A5@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> We also use SecondCopy. You might also look on line for an external USB
with
> swap capability. I set this up for a friends office, with two drives in
> caddies. You swap the drives like tapes, and you don't need to pay for
> another enclosure to add a drive, just the drive and a $15 caddy.
>
> Gordon
>
>

[Anonymous]

Kurt,

I can't think of a single reason to use CDs as a backup means, and
tape is generally a pain, so I think a hard-disk based backup is
definitely the way to go. If it's USB, so much the better.

Windows 2000 and XP's 'NTBackup" utility is excellent, because it's
(a) schedulable and automated and (b) free. I even use it for my
company's primary backup utility, even though there are better ones
out there. It works great with Exchange Server as well, so there's no
real reason for us to move to something else at this time.

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com


On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:09:37 -0700, "Kurt westerlund"
wrote:

>My friends arch firm just had a server drive failure and are scrambling to
>recover data. Just like almost every firm I've seen they relied on burned
>cd's as backup which is a major PITA so they might have lost a week or so
>worth of work. Made me stop and think about my back up. I've got one
>external usb and will gladly purchase another. It seems like the best way
>to go. My questions is how do you get it to automaticly copy the server
>drive info every day. I really think htat the key to a good backup routine
>is to avoid making anybody do anything.
>
>Thanks,
>Kurt
>

[Anonymous]

"Matt Vozzella" wrote in message
news:F08C11F86EF96A39D31414F5819825A3@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Gordon,
> Could you possibly give me a bit more info (hardware) on your usb/swapped
> drives? I looked into it (may have looked at the wrong equip) and the $$
> seemed a bit high - around $1500-1800. I would like that type of backup -
> as a redundant- if I could get my boss to lay out the cash.
> Thanks,
> Matt

I think I can find the receipt tonight. The company is in Freemont, CA, and
the device was only $150 or something.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

Thanks Gordon-
yeah, would love to look into it- I don't necessarily need your recipt
price - just a ballpark and company name.
Thanks again,
Matt

[Anonymous]

Yep, thats the way to go. My problem is convincing the boss that I need to
buy 4-20Gb drives and 3-80Gb drives (M-Th = 20Gb, Fr-Monthly, Spare = 80Gb),
plus carriers. 😕

Rick
"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
news:1s0kmv8ed00gcctpurq3eim99qb392og1f@4ax.com...
> Kurt,
>
> I can't think of a single reason to use CDs as a backup means, and
> tape is generally a pain, so I think a hard-disk based backup is
> definitely the way to go. If it's USB, so much the better.
>
> Windows 2000 and XP's 'NTBackup" utility is excellent, because it's
> (a) schedulable and automated and (b) free. I even use it for my
> company's primary backup utility, even though there are better ones
> out there. It works great with Exchange Server as well, so there's no
> real reason for us to move to something else at this time.
>
> Matt
> mstachoni@comcast.net
> mstachoni@bhhtait.com
>
>
> On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:09:37 -0700, "Kurt westerlund"
> wrote:
>
> >My friends arch firm just had a server drive failure and are scrambling
to
> >recover data. Just like almost every firm I've seen they relied on
burned
> >cd's as backup which is a major PITA so they might have lost a week or so
> >worth of work. Made me stop and think about my back up. I've got one
> >external usb and will gladly purchase another. It seems like the best
way
> >to go. My questions is how do you get it to automaticly copy the server
> >drive info every day. I really think htat the key to a good backup
routine
> >is to avoid making anybody do anything.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Kurt
> >
>

[Anonymous]

Rick,
That's the problem I'm faced with....I'm curious about the system that
Gordon mentioned (the thread above). You might want to keep an eye on
that - could be helpful.
Matt

[Anonymous]

Thanks again Matt. I'm going to go get 2 USB2 drives tomorrow. I'll use
either Pauls .bat method or XP's backup.


"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
news:1s0kmv8ed00gcctpurq3eim99qb392og1f@4ax.com...
> Kurt,
>
> I can't think of a single reason to use CDs as a backup means, and
> tape is generally a pain, so I think a hard-disk based backup is
> definitely the way to go. If it's USB, so much the better.
>
> Windows 2000 and XP's 'NTBackup" utility is excellent, because it's
> (a) schedulable and automated and (b) free. I even use it for my
> company's primary backup utility, even though there are better ones
> out there. It works great with Exchange Server as well, so there's no
> real reason for us to move to something else at this time.
>
> Matt
> mstachoni@comcast.net
> mstachoni@bhhtait.com
>
>
> On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:09:37 -0700, "Kurt westerlund"
> wrote:
>
> >My friends arch firm just had a server drive failure and are scrambling
to
> >recover data. Just like almost every firm I've seen they relied on
burned
> >cd's as backup which is a major PITA so they might have lost a week or so
> >worth of work. Made me stop and think about my back up. I've got one
> >external usb and will gladly purchase another. It seems like the best
way
> >to go. My questions is how do you get it to automaticly copy the server
> >drive info every day. I really think htat the key to a good backup
routine
> >is to avoid making anybody do anything.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Kurt
> >
>

[Anonymous]

"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message:
> Windows 2000 and XP's 'NTBackup" utility is excellent, because it's
> (a) schedulable and automated and (b) free.

Matt,
I use this @Home for backup.Is there a way to configure it so a scheduled
backup job will run the next time the computer is powered up, if it was down
at the time the backup was set to begin?
Not so much of a concern for my Daily Incrementals, but if it misses the
Weekly Normal, that's trouble...

--
CoreyL

[Anonymous]

Corey,

>I use this @Home for backup.Is there a way to configure it so a scheduled
>backup job will run the next time the computer is powered up, if it was down
>at the time the backup was set to begin?

As far as automating the backup in case it was missed due to a
power-off situation, I don't think there's nothing built in to the
application to do this. You would have to build this yourself.

One mechanism I can think of off hand is to use Scheduled Tasks to run
a batch file that fires off the backup process using preconfigured
backup sets. This is documented here:

http://www.jsifaq.com/sube/tip2200/rh2265.htm

I use a variant of this to run my backups automatically.

By using a batch file fired from Scheduled Tasks, you can do some
other peripheral things like check to see if the last backup worked.

For example, to set the initial status of your backup, have the batch
file set an environment variable called "BackupStatus[date]" to
"False". The link above directs you how to create a string of the
current date in the batch file, so you can use that parameter as part
of the env. variable name. Then at the end of the backup process
simply set the "BackupStatus[Date]" environment variable to "True."

Then, in your Startup folder create a batch file that checks the
status of the BackupStatus[Date-1] environment variable. If the power
was out when the backup started, there won't be a value. If the power
fails while the backup was happeining, it will be False.

Therefore, if the variable is anything but True, you know you didn't
get a true backup of the night before, so it can fire off the backup
batch file again.

Of course, this is totally off the top of my head so I don't know if
it really would work, but I think you get the idea.

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com



On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 06:03:55 -0700, "Corey A. Layton"
wrote:

>"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message:
>> Windows 2000 and XP's 'NTBackup" utility is excellent, because it's
>> (a) schedulable and automated and (b) free.
>
>Matt,
>I use this @Home for backup.Is there a way to configure it so a scheduled
>backup job will run the next time the computer is powered up, if it was down
>at the time the backup was set to begin?
>Not so much of a concern for my Daily Incrementals, but if it misses the
>Weekly Normal, that's trouble...

[Anonymous]

Kurt westerlund wrote:

> Thanks again Matt. I'm going to go get 2 USB2 drives tomorrow. I'll use
> either Pauls .bat method or XP's backup.
>
>
> "Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
> news:1s0kmv8ed00gcctpurq3eim99qb392og1f@4ax.com...
>> Kurt,
>>
>> I can't think of a single reason to use CDs as a backup means, and
>> tape is generally a pain, so I think a hard-disk based backup is
>> definitely the way to go. If it's USB, so much the better.
>>
>> Windows 2000 and XP's 'NTBackup" utility is excellent, because it's
>> (a) schedulable and automated and (b) free. I even use it for my
>> company's primary backup utility, even though there are better ones
>> out there. It works great with Exchange Server as well, so there's no
>> real reason for us to move to something else at this time.
>>
>> Matt
>> mstachoni@comcast.net
>> mstachoni@bhhtait.com
>>
>>
>> On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:09:37 -0700, "Kurt westerlund"
>> wrote:
>>
>> >My friends arch firm just had a server drive failure and are scrambling
> to
>> >recover data. Just like almost every firm I've seen they relied on
> burned
>> >cd's as backup which is a major PITA so they might have lost a week or
>> >so
>> >worth of work. Made me stop and think about my back up. I've got one
>> >external usb and will gladly purchase another. It seems like the best
> way
>> >to go. My questions is how do you get it to automaticly copy the server
>> >drive info every day. I really think htat the key to a good backup
> routine
>> >is to avoid making anybody do anything.
>> >
>> >Thanks,
>> >Kurt
>> >
>>

Hi Guys

A word of warning from my experience, for what it's worth.

We've been through the hard drive idea and it screws up unless you use
drives and caddies that are designed to be shifted about day to day to and
from work in your bag, on the train. Most external hard drive manufacturers
to my knowledge make it quite clear that their USB and Firewire external
drives are NOT designed for portability day to day. We did it and within 6
months the drives were getting error messages and within 12 months they
were scrap.

At home I've got 6 180gb external Western Digital Firewire drives stacked at
the side of my machine for image libraries and DV footage which is what I
think these external drives were intended for, mass storage and yes a bit
of moving around to your mates etc. But you'd struggle to fit 6 drives in a
PC Tower case and then they'd have to be scsi, at what price.

I've seen special drives for mobility but there's a hefty price premium to
pay. So at work we're now using 10 HP Ultrium 200gb tapes in a two week
rotation and it's quick, simple and lightweight. We presently get a full
backup on a tape nightly, archive a tape off at the end of each month and
replace it with a new one in the two week set.

Good Luck

ChrisR

[Anonymous]

Just a quick note, I have been using a combo usb2 / firewire drive for
backing up client files. The firewire is blazing fast (and does not require
the power cord!). The USB 2 seemed exaggeratedly slow, even though it is
supposed to out perform firewire. Anyway, the drives are based on laptop
sized HD's and a 40 gig is relatively cheap @ 220.00 u.s. direct
They are external, no carriers / trays required.

http://www.simpletech.com/simpledrive/simpledriveDeluxe.php

they also provide backup software with media controlled backup options. The
backup job is stored on the media, so plugging in Friday's disk will
instruct the softwae to do a full backup.

Just some food for thought.

"Kurt westerlund" wrote in message
news:F351465248DF45D0E0B50124B6608EA7@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> My friends arch firm just had a server drive failure and are scrambling to
> recover data. Just like almost every firm I've seen they relied on burned
> cd's as backup which is a major PITA so they might have lost a week or so
> worth of work. Made me stop and think about my back up. I've got one
> external usb and will gladly purchase another. It seems like the best way
> to go. My questions is how do you get it to automaticly copy the server
> drive info every day. I really think htat the key to a good backup
routine
> is to avoid making anybody do anything.
>
> Thanks,
> Kurt
>
>