Automated Imaging/Backup Software

**fusion** · 28th March 2006

Hi Guys,

Looking at a new, simple but functional solution for managed backup services really.

We are currently using backup for workgroups for windows boxes, and find it 'okay' but am now looking for a proper backup management suite really.

Have been looking at Arconis Enterprise True Image 9 which is pretty impressive, and just what we are after - but just want to see some alternatives.

Basically looking for a solution that resides on a windows NAS platform, and simply takes incremental/differential backups of both windows and linux platforms. Any ideas?

**philb** · 28th March 2006

We have acronis installed at a number of customer sites and while 8 did have some shortcomings the just last week released 9.1 appears to have addressed every single one of them (and then several more!) - still waiting to get my hands on a copy of 9.1 at the moment though.

As an aside, we are Acronis resellers. Please do ask me for pricing or if there's any advice we can offer.

**fusion** · 28th March 2006

Sounds good to me phil.... considering so far the winner is acronis out of all of them, looks very good but can be expensive :P

**philb** · 28th March 2006

Well we might be able to do something for you on the price - particularly if you're looking at any sort of volume of licences.

**JonWitte** · 28th March 2006

rsync works very well for us

**fusion** · 28th March 2006

Looking for something to be based on a windows box, with a nice windows management console etc etc :P

Looked at rsync as alternative option as well.. might have to give it a go, but obviously its not like an application that I can deploy on any platform is it or such like..

**JonWitte** · 28th March 2006

rsync also available in a windows flavour

**AndyGambles** · 28th March 2006

Can I ask why you want to move away from BFW?

I have found it to be by far the best [windows] backup solution we have ever used.

**TDMWeb** · 28th March 2006

From experience of dealing with situations when Windows servers have gone belly-up and a restore from backup is needed:

1. Just keeping one backup using rsync or similar can easily result in a useless backup, as it may well just be a backup of a corrupted/trashed system. I think it's essential to have some kind of rotation, eg daily/monthly/weekly or better.

2. I'd prefer a file by file backup to a disk image any day, so I can restore what I need/want to.

3. Having backups of crucial config/setup/data files (eg IIS metabase, DNS files...) in a form which makes it easy to restore a system to a working state, as well as a full system backup (which can be less frequent) has worked best for us. This means a bit of work writing some custom apps, batch files and scripts, but is definitely worth it.

Hope that helps.

**JonWitte** · 28th March 2006

Also depends if you're paying for that backup bandwidth.

**philb** · 28th March 2006

Acronis can restore individual files from images (even version 8 could, as long as the image wasnt on tape).

It also now supports selected file backups rather than image dumping and differential imaging.

Assuming it actually works (havent had chance to test) the new feature in 9.1 to make images portable between hardware (eg you can use a completely different box and use your image on it) is pretty useful - sometimes boxes go bang and are suitably old or dont have suitable onsite support that you need to suddenly use a different bit of kit to have it on.

**Cranky** · 30th March 2006

Is ATIES licensed at $999 per server you want to backup, or per storage server?

**Cranky** · 30th March 2006

Also, can it handle backing up MySQL/PgSQL databases whilst running, or would we need to run mysqldump's first and backup the dumps?

**fusion** · 30th March 2006

On first investigation - it seemed that it was per storage server....

but I currently beleive that isnt the case, that the is a further charge per server, but Phil maybe able to state otherwise.... as he is the man in the know with arconis...

I have put aside some time to investigate costs and play with it properly before we go for it and use it full wack as an alternative

so i can tell you more tomorrow I hope...

**fusion** · 30th March 2006

It definately does MS SQL and mySQL so I can not see why it couldn't do others as well...

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