[WEB4LIB] Re: Web Server Backups

[Dennis Brantley]

Mark Pecaut wrote:
> 
> Try IDE RAID:
> http://www.arcoide.com/
> I have not used it, but I hear it works well.
> In addition to this, you should also keep copies of your important
> stuff off-site (or at least in a different room).  Look into
> getting a tape drive or some other form of removable storage.
> -Mark
> 
> On Mon, Nov 06, 2000 at 06:11:07AM -0800, nancy glassman wrote:
> > I am currently running our library web server using a standalone
> > workstation: Apache v. 1.3.14, FilemakerPro v.4, Windows2000 Professional,
> > with service pack 1, 650MHz, 128 Megs ram, 2 hard drives [one used for
> > backups].
> >
> > I currently backup my system by making an image of my working [first] drive
> > onto the 2nd drive using Driveimage v. 4 [Powerquest].
> >
> > While this disaster recovery scheme works well, in order to use Driveimage
> > I do have to boot out of Windows2000 [using a Driveimage boot-up diskette]
> > to image the drive. The entire process takes about 60 minutes. During this
> > time the library web server is down and unavailable. Is there a backup /
> > disaster recovery solution that anyone can recommend that will perform a
> > complete system/hard drive image or backup while Windows2000 remains online?
> >
> > Thank you very much for any advice you can offer.
> >
> >
> >
> > -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Nancy Glassman, MLS, AHIP
> > Reference Librarian
> > D. Samuel Gottesman Library           Phone:  718-430-3108
> > Albert Einstein College of Medicine
> > 1300 Morris Park Avenue               Fax:    718-430-8795
> > Bronx, NY  10461                      Email:  glassman at aecom.yu.edu
> > Library WWW: http://library.aecom.yu.edu

A caution for using RAID as a 'backup' solution.  The idea of RAID
(usually) is that everything is either mirrored to another set of drives
(RAID 1) or a parity disk is used to allow recovery in the event another
disk fails (RAID 5).  Both of these take place transparently as the
system is operating, and are intended to keep a good system running when
there is a hardware problem.  The gotcha is this:  with NT/W2K, it is
more likely that something sorta important will become corrupt than a
drive will fail.  With RAID, as soon as something like the registry gets
hosed, so does the 'backup'.

An alternative would be to take a good system, and -temporarily- install
RAID and another drive.  Let RAID do its thing i.e. mirror the drive. 
Then break the mirror and disable RAID.  Unfortunately, this is tedious
to do on a regular basis.  Using something like DriveImage is probably
more effective.

I like using RAID for its intended purpose of keeping a good system
running.  For backup, you gotta put the data somewhere else.

--
Dennis Brantley  mailto:dennis at dati.com
Data Access Technologies, Inc.