[plug] On and off topic - Fedora working with Win2003 SBS? Backup software recommendations for a DDS4 tape drive under 2003 SBS

[Daniel Pearson]

I've found that the built in Windows Backup program can work well, 
assuming its been well scripted and the tapes are in the drive ready to 
go for when the scheduled time is.

What kind of data is being backed up, and of what capacity? Does it all 
fit on one tape, etc.

Cheers
*Daniel Pearson
*Flashware Solutions ABN 58 438 456 919
Mob: 0438 118 897  |  Email: daniel at flashware.net 
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Ari Finander wrote:
> Hi again all,
>
> Hope you are well. Obviously I haven't shuffled off yet and it appears 
> I've achieved something resembling a remission (for serious lack of a 
> better word - motorised wheelchair is now a permanent feature but I 
> get around a lot on my crutches pretty well for short distances 
> still). Anyway, I've gone back to uni to do the degree I should have 
> done instead of a PhD in the degree I did do and I've also started 
> back at work, in a field I'm not so qualified in: network and server 
> administration. Hence, I've come back here to the experts.
>
> Firstly, the on topic bits. My employer really hates windows, but 
> feels forced into it. He wants to start using a multi OS compatible 
> office and productivity software, particularly a new thing coming out 
> from IBM (if they'd ever bother replying to his repeated queries by 
> email and phone!!). He also wants to know if it's worth buying a 
> commercial distribution such as RedHat or Suse. I suggested we turn 
> his old Dell server (running win2000 server) into a Fedora server to 
> test the waters first. It'll go online alongside the Win2003 SBS 
> server which will continue to act as the PDC. Are there network 
> disasters waiting for me in the near future? I should reiterate that 
> I'm learning all of this as quickly as I can, as I have never been 
> exposed to Active Directory or Sharepoint or Exchange and am learning 
> as I fix them and turn his windows server into what he wanted in the 
> first place...
>
> Now this brings me to my off topic bit. His current backup strategy 
> consists of a rotating set of DDS4 tapes and Tapeware software. I hate 
> this software. It is not intuitive and it does not generate logs and, 
> apparently, if a folder gets moved it just freezes until I get back 
> into the office and manually stop it - sometimes days later. This 
> business really really needs a better backup software. I really like 
> this place, and they help a lot of people, so I'm really trying to do 
> the absolute best I can with them. Can any of you recommend a good 
> piece of backup software that'll run on Win2003 SBS that will work 
> with their DDS4 tapes and provide good error messages and logs? 
> Preferably one that is not too expensive, they've had to pay a lot 
> recently already for other things, and that has a user base that I can 
> turn to for support?
>
> Thanks all, I appreciate your help.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ari
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> PLUG discussion list: plug at plug.org.au
> http://www.plug.org.au/mailman/listinfo/plug
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>   
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