RE: how to back up a small PC network?

>From: Adam Lang [mailto:aalang@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
>Granted I could set up a cheapo box with a 200 GB
>IDE drive to simulate.  Think that is a good idea?

What's your plan should the server fail? If you're ok running on an IDE
drive (could even be raided) then try the restore there, after all, that's
where you'll restore for real if you need to. 

As for testing data backups, you can have enough space for everything, or
restore in parts (check 1st 30 folders, now next 30, then next 30...)

I do my backups in two parts. The first is the system backup. I grab what I
need to make the machine run, but no data. The only time I'll need this
backup is if the machine frags itself and I want to restore to another
machine on bare metal. The second backup is my data -- this is the backup
you need more often. This is the backup that handles the "oh sh*t" restores.
Additionally, if a machine frags itself, I can always rename a development
server, load the data and I'm back up and running. 

-Walden

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Walden H Leverich III
President
Tech Software
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Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)