Proper way to backup a storage server??

[Pete King]

Whats the proper or recommended way to backup a windows 2003 based HP storage server?

We are using Veritas Backup Exec for windows servers, using the remote agent and OFO.

But when the backup is happening on the NAS, operations slow to a crawl and people can't access their files, home drives and such.

There something fancy you can do with Volume Shadow copy and just back up that with Veritas?

[Alzhy]

What storage do you use on your NAS head (aka your Storage Server)?

If your storage server allows for installation of its own Backup software instead of being "agent" based or a client of another backup server - I suggest you ook at that possibility.

The idea is to not add network load due to your backup streams and instead localize the backup so your filesystems on your STorage Server goes direct to your Tape on the same server.

If it is connected to a virtualized storage -- i.e. EVA, then you can use split mirror backups.

[Pete King]

Its a DL380 G4 Storage server with a MSA20 attached via SCSI. That has 250GB 7.2K RPM SATA drives.

Pretty much the only way to get those files backed up in over the network to the BE9.1 server. It's only running a single 1GB Nic.

I was thinking of hooking up the 2nd nic and teaming the two together for a 2GB connection.

Was hoping that would allow the NAS to be usable while it was getting backup up.

[Steven Clementi]

Pete:

You can dedicate the 1GB card to a "backup" LAN.

Teaming would work to I guess, but if your backup stream surpases 1GB during transfer, then your stil lstuck with less than 1GB for your NAS Usage.

Dedicating the 1GB card for backup would limit it to 1GB. I don't think a network backup stream would surpase 1GB NIC Speed, but you never know.


Steven

[Pete King]

I do have that setup. I have tried that with Veritas Backup Exec. I have a dedicated 1GB switch and servers with completely different IP ranges on the 2nd NIC to isolate Backup traffic.

My server IPs are say 198.x.x.x and I just made up 10.x.x.x addresses for the 2nd NIC..attached to the 1GB switch. Then I setup Veritas to use that 10.x.x.x network to talk to the servers.

Think we had problems with that in the past.. I.E, Server communication errors.

But I will try that again.

Thanks!