Tape/Disk Backup Solutions for Windows

Created OnJuly 21, 2017

byAndrew S. Baker

Tape/Disk Backup Solutions for Windows
Last Updated: 26 Oct 2005
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*** PLEASE NOTE: Link(s), If Provided, May Be Wrapped ***

Besides the native NT Backup (written for Microsoft by
Arcada/Seagate Software/Veritas), there are quite a few
Backup solutions [1] for Windows clients:

The native NTBACKUP (up through 2003) does not backup
directly to CD, DVD or other optical media. You will need
to process such a backup in multiple steps, or use a 3rd
party product.

FREE PRODUCTS

• VipMeister MOB ......... http://vipmeister.com/dl/myownbackup/myownbackup.html
• Various ................ http://www.thefreecountry.com/utilities/backupandimage.shtml

WORKGROUP SOLUTIONS

• Arctor D2D ............. http://www.paessler.com/arctor/
• BackAgain .............. http://www.cds-inc.com/
• Backup Made Simple ..... http://www.willowsoft4.com/backup/
• Backup MyPC ............ http://www.stompinc.com/bump/bump-retail.phtml?stp
• BackupMax .............. http://www.internet.com/sections/downloads.htmldownloads/file.asp?id=10009
• BackupOnDemand ......... http://www.caddais.com/Download.shtml
• EasyBackup ............. http://eazy-ware.com/
• GRBackPro .............. http://www.grsoftware.net/grbackpro.html
• Handy Backup ........... http://www.handybackup.com/registry-backup.shtml
• Minuteman Backup ....... http://www.mslm.com/minman.htm
• NovaDisk Backup ........ http://www.novastor.com/backup/datasheets/ndisk.html
• PowerQuest DataKeeper .. http://www.powerquest.com/datakeeper/
• WinBackup .............. http://www.liutilities.com/products/winbackup/

ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS

• ArcServe ............... http://www.cai.com/arcserve/ [2]
• BackupExec ............. http://www.veritas.com/us/products/backupexec/
• Galaxy CommVault ....... http://galaxy.commvault.com/
• NetBackup .............. http://www.veritas.com/us/products/netbackup/
• Legato Networker ....... http://www.legato.com/products/
• OmniBackup ............. http://www.openview.hp.com/prodcategories/storagemgmt/
• Rembo .................. http://www.rembo.com/
• Retrospect ............. http://www.dantz.com/index.php3?SCREEN=products
• SnapBack Live .......... http://www.cdp.com/snaplive.htm
• TapeWare ............... http://www.tapeware.com/ [3]
• Ultrabac ............... http://www.ultrabac.com/

HARDWARE

• ADIC ................... http://www.adic.com/
• BoxHill ................ http://www.boxhill.com/
• Iomega ................. http://www.iomega.com/
• OnStream ............... http://www.onstream.com/
• Quantum ................ http://www.quantum.com/

NEWS & INFO

• SearchStorage .......... http://www.searchstorage.com/

BACKUP STRATEGIES

You have many options when it comes to backup strategies,
but this is what I use on home/soho networks:

• Weeks #1 - 4 (Tapes A - D)
Fri - Full Backup, Overwrite Tape
Sat - Differential Backup, Append
Sun - Differential Backup, Append
Mon - Differential Backup, Append
Tue - Differential Backup, Append
Wed - Differential Backup, Append
Thu - Differential Backup, Append

• Quarterly
Fri - Full Backup, Overwrite (replaces Week-X)

SYSTEM STATE BACKUPS

If you do nothing else, at least consider backing up the
SystemState of your 2000/XP/2003 machines. ESPECIALLY
if you're running Active Directory.

This will greatly improve any recovery efforts that you
might have to undertake. It's easy enough to automate,
and two scripts have been provided.

• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/core/fndf_bkp_kwnd.asp

NTBACKUP AND NEW TAPE MEDIA

• http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBE/tip2200/rh2265.htm

BASIC RECOMMENDATIONS

Generally, for most environments, I'd recommend one
or more dedicated backup servers with their own tape
drive or robotic tape library system, as opposed to
purchasing and installing a local tape drive for each
system that needs to be backed up.

Also, if your network is small, or not 24x7, you have
the luxury of scripting various services to stop during
the backup, to reduce the number of locked files.

Another option is to use NTBACKUP on the local machines
to backup their contents to a file on a remote server,
and then backup that server to tape. Saves you from
paying for backup agents.

Also, smaller environments can consider the validity of
disk imaging products (Cloning Software), periodically
imaging their systems to CDR or DVD.

WHY I DON'T USE OPEN FILE MANAGERS

I don't use open file managers, and although it is
apparent that they work fine for many individuals,
I do not agree with the concept in principle, and
have witnessed a few occasions where "theory" did
not equate with "reality".

Open File Managers require that you install a driver
onto your server or workstation to enable a backup
program to take snapshots of files which are not
necessarily in a consistent state, since these files
would otherwise be exclusively locked by some other
process. Files which can fall into this category are:

- any database-type application
- a service
- application logs
- certain documents of productivity apps

Which is worse? Getting a message that a file is not
available for backup, which allows you to take steps to
have it available, OR having the backup sail through,
only to perform a later restore and have your app
complain that the data in the file is corrupt?

Add to that, the OpenFile options are not free. So,
you're paying for the privilege of added risk and
increased systems management.

No thanks. I'll stick to closing apps and shutting down
services as appropriate.

WHAT ABOUT SQL AGENTS?

The very same thing applies to backup agents for SQL
and other databases.

There is no real incentive to use a SQL Backup Agent
when you consider that SQL can dump backups directly to
disk where any backup program can deal with them in a
completely consistent state. By avoiding the backup
agent, you have the ability to restore directly from
disk, as well as from tape, improving potential recovery
times.

In short, employing an Open File Agent of any type just
increases your software licensing and management costs,
along with potential recovery time, and presents yet
another component for troubleshooting.

WHITEPAPERS & TECH DOCUMENTS

• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=301254
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=239892
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=262006
• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/maintain/monitor/disbare.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en-us/core/fndf_bkp_kwnd.asp
• http://labmice.techtarget.com/windows2000/Backup/automate.htm
• http://windows2000.about.com/library/weekly/aa010610a.htm
• http://windows2000.about.com/library/weekly/aa010617a.htm
• http://windows2000.about.com/library/weekly/aa010624a.htm

PERSONAL NOTES

• Jun 2005: Updated links to free software

• BackupExec has generally been considered the perennial
favorite among Enterprise options for Widnows, but recent
versions have been somewhat buggy, and support is not what
it used to be. And did I mention that Veritas is getting
more expensive by the minute?

• ArcServe is generally despised....

• Ultrabac is a capable, flexible programs, but only a
few followers in larger environments... It's very
fast, though, easy to port to different machines,
and has excellent system recovery options. It is my
favorite of the backup utilities. It is starting to
gain favor with more admins.

• Retrospect is a nice program, with lots of options,
but it takes a little while to get used to the
interface and figure out how to customize it...

• OnStream has risen from the dead. They seem to have
emerged from Chapter 7 bankruptcy with Private Investor
funds.

• If you have very few systems, you can consider using
a disk imaging solution, rather than tape which has
not kept up in price/performance with disk storage.

• Acronis True Backup, a disk cloning product, it pretty
much my only recommended exception to my prohibition
against "Open File Managers".

RELATED SCRIPTS (ALSO IN THIS ARCHIVE)

• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/Scripts/?File=BackupSS.BAT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/Scripts/?File=BackupSched.BAT
• http://KB.UltraTech-llc.com/Scripts/?File=ZipFiles.BAT

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Tape/Disk Backup Solutions for Windows