Re: Server backup suggestions.

On Sat, Jun 14, 2008 at 4:39 AM, Roger Vicker, CCP <rv-tech@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I've been looking at the $oftware to use the tape drive on Windows
Server 2008. If I have been reading the prices right, to get BEWS + AD
agent + SQL agent, the software comes to a lot more than 7 SATA hard
disks and removable drive carriers and frame.

You do not need the AD Agent for BEWS. It is only necessary if you
want to be able to do specific restores of specific OUs. The same
functionality, albeit with a bit more work, can be achieved by normal
system state backups.

There's generally a pretty hefty price difference between consumer
software and enterprise software. The same goes with hardware.

As long as Windows Server Backup can indeed backup everything including
AD and SQL, even if it is not as friendly as BEWS, it and removable
drives look a lot cheaper. I know that the hard disks are going to be
more prone to physical damage than the tapes.

IMHO, Windows Server Backup is not suitable for production
environments. If you're using SQL Server you'll want to do proper log
file backups in short intervals (depending on your recovery model) -
this can't be achieved using WSB.

I remember years ago when IBM actually had sales offices attending a
session where one of the reps said that they were working on an improved
(faster, bigger, cheaper) backup and that it didn't mean tape. Although
most of us grumble about Microsoft, perhaps they are fulfilling the
rep's statement for the cheaper backup in the smaller shops.