Looking for a Backup Solution? Don't Forget Tape

In the case of backing up, these consequences can include data that is either lost forever or corrupted beyond use. Nonetheless, many people still avoid backing up.

Much of the problem stems from a combination of ignorance and fear. Many people %96 users and system builders like %96 believe that today's hardware is so reliable, backup is unnecessary. Or they may simply be intimidated by the complexities of backing up data. Still others can't decide which backup solution is best.

The simple solution is to consider the versatility offered by tried-and-true tape backup subsystems. Sure, newer technologies, such as removable hard drives and remote storage devices, get all of the attention. But those technologies have not yet approached the versatility offered by tape backup. Unlike them, tape offers portability, offsite storage capabilities, long-term archival backups, and low costs.

While tape drives come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, they all share a common foundation: They save data to a removable cartridge, on magnetic media. The most popular formats center on cartridges based on Travan, DAT/DDS, AIT, LTO, and DLT technologies.

When selecting a tape drive, consider several elements:

• Drive capacity
• Internal or external installation
• Drive interface
• Drive speed
• Media and cartridge prices
• Bundled software

Each of these elements will help you determine which drive to select. That said, there are some general guidelines help to simplify the process:

Capacity: To maximize usable life of the unit, choose a drive that offers more capacity than your customer's current storage needs.

External vs. internal: External drives are more versatile than internal drives. They also are easier to install. As an added bonus, external drives can also be moved quickly from system to system.

Drive Interfaces: Several are now available. Internal drives use either SCSI or IDE interfaces. The latest external drives add USB and Firewire to the mix. Also, USB and Firewire ports are often built into current PCs and servers, further simplifying tape drive installation and reducing costs.

Drive speeds: These are often driven by budgetary issues. Faster, larger-capacity drives cost more. Get the fastest your customer can afford.

Bundled software: Your choices are driven by operating system concerns, with different server and desktop OS's driving what works best for a particular installation.

Once you've selected a tape unit, the next step is to install and configure it. For most drives on the market, installation procedures are pretty much similar. For this recipe, we selected an external Firewire drive from Exabyte, fittingly named the VXA-2 Packet Tape Drive with FireWire. This drive retails for about $1,000, offers 160 GB of capacity and a 12-Mbyte/sec. transfer rate. The unit also includes Dantz Retrospect Professional/Desktop software for Windows and Macintosh systems.

Lock and Load

By the way, according to Exabyte, a major difference between the VXA-2 tape drives and those of competitors is that the VXA-2 standard writes data as packets on tapes. Drives from other manufactures write data in large blocks on linear or helical tracks. Exabyte's packet approach promises to increase reliability and speed while lowering costs.

For the rest of our system, we chose a Hewlett-Packard TC2120 server running Windows Small Business Server 2003 as our backup candidate. The TC2120 does not include Firewire ports, so we installed a Belkin three-port PCI Firewire card. Why Firewire in a server? Because adding a Firewire card was much less expensive then adding a SCSI card. Also, for backup purposes, Firewire offers adequate speed. What's more, if there is a major system failure, the drive can be quickly plugged into a notebook or desktop system via Firewire to quickly access critical data files. The image below shows the Belkin Firewire card:

Installing the Firewire card consisted of little more then opening the system case and inserting the card in an available PCI slot. The image below shows how the Firewire card looks once it's installed in the PC:

Next, make sure the Firewire card is recognized by the operating system. This is basically an automated event with Windows XP or Windows Server 2003. Once you've done this, it's time to install the bundled backup software, in this case, Retrospect from Dantz. The image below shows Retrospect's wizard-driven install. It handles any drivers required by the bundled tape drive:

After Retrospect installation and a mandatory reboot, you will need to input a license code to finalize the installation of Retrospect. That code should be included in the tape-drive packaging. After you've finished the installation, store the code in a safe place as part of your disaster-recovery plan. The image below shows the dialogue box asking for the Retrospect code:

Once the bundled software is installed and configured properly, it's time to physically add the tape drive. This consists of little more than plugging in the power supply and attaching the tape drive to the Firewire card using the included Firewire cable. The operating system will automatically recognize the tape drive and will add the drive to the operating system; no user intervention is required. By the way, that is one of the most important benefits offered by Firewire based tape drives: true plug-and-play functionality that does not require a reboot. It's a key consideration for server-class systems.

The image below shows the Exabyte VXA-2 Firewire Tape Drive's attractive external case, which eliminates most setup concerns for PCs and servers equipped with a Firewire Port. Setup takes only a matter of minutes and the unit leverages plug and play technology, while offering hot-swap capabilities:

Once the drive is plugged in, all of the action takes place with the backup software. You have two options when it comes to backup, namely, scheduling backups or performing backups manually. If you're looking for the maximum in data protection, consider performing both types of backups: a manual backup monthly, with scheduled backups occurring every business day.

Two factors will drive how backups are performed: the amount of data to be backed up, and the time it takes to back-up the data. Ideally, all system data should be backed up. In other words, perform a complete backup of the server's hard drive. The image below shows the backup wizard, with the drive/volume selected to backup.

Retrospect offers several options for selecting files to backup. Best practices dictate selecting All Files to ensure a comprehensive backup. The image below shows just that:

Once the files are selected and options set, Retrospect will prepare the media and execute the backup. The image below shows the Retrospect performing an immediate backup:

Best Practices for Tape Backup

Pay special attention to scheduled backups. These backups should be verified and checked often. When it comes to protecting critical data via tape backup, there are several best practices that should be followed:

• Perform daily backups: That goes for all critical data, no exceptions.
• Rotate backup tapes: Multiple tapes should be used throughout the week.
• Multiple tapes ensure that a customer has several days worth of backups. That helps if a failure is due to a virus or worm attack. Data can be restored from before the infection.
• Perform complete backups: Time and storage capacity allowing, back-up all system files.
• Perform manual monthly backups: And keep several months' worth on hand for the archives.
• Provide off-site storage: Some backup tapes should be rotated off-site.
• Off-site backup helps to preserve data in case of a natural disaster, such as fire, flood or storms. Even if the office and all equipment is a complete loss, most businesses can get to their data quickly by turning to a tape stored in another location.
• Verify backups: Backup logs should be checked, and tapes should be verified.
• Create a disaster-recovery plan: For starters, document all software and hardware.
• Then integrate off site storage into the plan. Select equipment that adheres to industry standards, that allows for quick and easy replacement. Also test the data restoration process, make sure your backups have all of the critical company data. Consider an alternate location to run the business from, just in case of a total office loss. Finally, make sure your plan and inventory documents, along with valid backups are stored offsite.
• Assign responsibility: Make sure it's someone's job to manage the backups.

By following those rules, your customers can avoid the most severe consequences associated with data-loss disasters.

FRANK J. OHLHORST is Technology Editor at CRN.