[Pc_Support] Re: Backup methodology -- centralize for lower TCO

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Tue, 2006-06-27 at 16:34 -0400, Damien McKenna wrote:
> Examples?

3-tier backup -- client to backup server to storage.  It manages the
volumes on the backup server, disk and tape.

> Here's the assumption :-P  I never said we'd be swapping out the  
> external drive.
> Look at what we'll be doing:
> * Weekly backup of ~160gb of data.
> * Daily backup of <5gb of data times five days = <30gb
> Total: < 200gb.
> The only reason to look at an external solution is *simply* because  
> there isn't enough space internally for more drives.  The *internals*  
> of this server (DL380-G2) do not have any free power cords,  
> everything is hard-wired to its custom SCSI setup, i.e. no SATA, no  
> ATA, not even a 4-pin power cord, nuffink.  As a result of this I  
> looked to an external housing of some sort and the most affordable  
> way of doing it will be SATA.

Oh, okay, sorry.

> Because they don't make any good SATA cards that are plain PCI and  
> not PCI-X or PCI-E, unless I'm missing something regarding  
> compatibility between 64bit PCI and PCI-X?

Huh?

The $100 3Ware Escalade 8006-2LP is a 64-bit/66MHz PCI card, universal
3.3V with 5V tolerance.  It works in 66MHz PCI-X slots too.  Then just
use a couple of eSATA cables and you're set (although try to keep the
length down).

Any card that has an "external SATA" port on it is a _gimmick_.
A $10 cable converter will do the same.  ;->

> It is Ultra160 and it shares its bus with the older DLT-1 drive.

Huh, oh.  Is that older DLT-1 drive single-ended (SE)?
If so, then you're bus is running at 40MBps, _not_ 160MBps.

> We only ever have one drive working at any one time, they're just  
> sitting there until needed.  Also, the server has two channels, one  
> internal and one external.

Is the DLT internal?   If so, then it's on a different channel (good).

> Cobian Backup, five minutes to set up, forget it afterwards.  Next?

You just lost me there.

> The hassle-vs-cost benefit is a bit too high right now, we can cope  
> just fine with retrieving a tape from someone's house for the rare  
> occasion that we might need to rescue an old file (hasn't happened in  
> 4 years yet).

Huh?  You lost me there too.



-- 
Bryan J. Smith           Professional, technical annoyance
mailto:b.j.smith at ieee.org     http://thebs413.blogspot.com
----------------------------------------------------------
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