Cloud backup for SBS?

[MobileTechie]

I get asked about good cloud backup setups for SBS 2003/2008

What do people here recommend and use themselves? Are you going for something installed on the server or backing up to a NAS and backing that up?

Is cloudberry any good?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Datto Alto

..pie filling

 

[MobileTechie]

That looks good but expensive. Is it?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Alto is Dattos new entry level product....the device is free with a 1 year contract, monthly costs depends on what size plan you want (based on gigs of course). You want a plan that covers about 2.5x the total drive capacity

Datto has been building up their market in the UK...my second sales rep with them recently went over the to headup and expand their UK presence...his name is Hallett...look them up and check it out.

The days of just backing up data folders on servers are pretty much over (which is basicaly all cloudberry is) , you want to be able to restore that server quickly. Backup for servers is about image based backups now.

 

[MobileTechie]

Nice one I'll check it out.

Out of interest, do you know if the average file level cloud backup system is capable of backing up a very large file incrementally. I.e. if you have say a 10GB PST file, they are capable of only backing up the data that has changed since the last backup or whether they backup the entire PST each time?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Look for products that do data deduplication. (or whatever their word is for that process that tries to make them sound unique but it's really the same thing)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_deduplication

You may have used the PST file just for an example...but do realize that PSTs often don't backup well....and you're talking about SBS here..which includes Exchange....so that got me thinking "wait...what?"

 

[MobileTechie]

Look for products that do data deduplication. (or whatever their word is for that process that tries to make them sound unique but it's really the same thing)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_deduplication

You may have used the PST file just for an example...but do realize that PSTs often don't backup well....and you're talking about SBS here..which includes Exchange....so that got me thinking "wait...what?"

I was just using a PST as an example of a large file that might need backing up. Lots of people use services like Carbonite and Mozy on their PCs and have large PST files. I alway wonder if they actually get backed up.

From a server perspective the questions might refer to using an image backup to a NAS and then trying to backup that say 100GB image nightly.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

From a server perspective the questions might refer to using an image backup to a NAS and then trying to backup that say 100GB image nightly.

Well...the way the Datto Alto works, think of it as a NAS....but with an interface. Backups go to it..and then it replicates offsite. Plus it can virtualize offsite and bring the servers services down to the local network through a secure VPN tunnel if the server happens to catch fire and melt into a puddle of steel and plastic.

Dattos Siris backup product is a few notches higher, it does local virtualization and can handle many more servers and workstations..the Alto is only for a max of 2x devices to be backed up.

If you don't want the security of virtualizing a backup wrapped up in one appliance or service...I have done a primitive setup of what Datto is loosely based on....get a Synology NAS on the network..and use StorageCrafts SBS product to backup to it. If you want to come up with your own offsite replication, they have a separate product called ImageManager which you can configure to do those things.

DattoBackup utilizes Storagecraft Shadowprotect. They've hired a few StorageCraft employees....recently onboarding Storagecrafts eastern US rep. I have a feeling they may totally pickup Storagecraft in a few years.

 

[MobileTechie]

Well...the way the Datto Alto works, think of it as a NAS....but with an interface. Backups go to it..and then it replicates offsite. Plus it can virtualize offsite and bring the servers services down to the local network through a secure VPN tunnel if the server happens to catch fire and melt into a puddle of steel and plastic.

Dattos Siris backup product is a few notches higher, it does local virtualization and can handle many more servers and workstations..the Alto is only for a max of 2x devices to be backed up.

If you don't want the security of virtualizing a backup wrapped up in one appliance or service...I have done a primitive setup of what Datto is loosely based on....get a Synology NAS on the network..and use StorageCrafts SBS product to backup to it. If you want to come up with your own offsite replication, they have a separate product called ImageManager which you can configure to do those things.

DattoBackup utilizes Storagecraft Shadowprotect. They've hired a few StorageCraft employees....recently onboarding Storagecrafts eastern US rep. I have a feeling they may totally pickup Storagecraft in a few years.

Datto are gonna send me some pricing details.

So did you backup the Synology to the net? If so using what?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

So did you backup the Synology to the net? If so using what?

No..the client I set that up on didn't want offsite replication technology, she wanted to do the manual "sneaker-net" herself. Basically she picked up a half dozen WD passport external drives, and I setup folders for the back up on the NAS with a Mon/Tues/Wed/Thu/Fri setup and she copies those manually once a week for offsite.

 

[MobileTechie]

I was thinking. I have a couple of those cheap HP microservers. Could install an OS on one, use shadowprotect to backup to that and use a file cloud backup service on the HP with deduplication.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Maybe....I've seen those little HP microservers.....I've never sold/installed one nor would I want to....although I like HP with their Proliant servers (350 series and higher) and their DC series business desktops....that little thing ain't a server in my book. For the money I'd rather have a Synology. BUT...if you have a handful already and want to get rid of 'em...suppose they'd work. I'd just want to monitor them...I wouldn't have faith in a long life with them.

 

[MobileTechie]

Apparently the Alto isn't out in the UK yet only the Siris which is overkill for most of my clients.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Doh! No Alto yet...bummer, hopefully soon.

 

[Knightsman]

We use Crashplan Proe to backup to our own servers, (makes restores a lot faster on our pipe) It only backs up file level.

We use Easeus to backup sql databases, and to make an image to the onsite NAS.

For us, a restore from the NAS will take all of 45 minutes and that includes time once I step onsite, and wont hamper the business to much. My biggest client only has 460GB of space.

Now if I had a data critical business, that would lose money, then it would be an easy sell to a business to buy datto or synology. right now the price point is just to high for my clients.

 

[drjones]

I was just using a PST as an example of a large file that might need backing up. Lots of people use services like Carbonite and Mozy on their PCs and have large PST files. I alway wonder if they actually get backed up.

From a server perspective the questions might refer to using an image backup to a NAS and then trying to backup that say 100GB image nightly.

To directly answer this question; "it depends."

Most of the business-grade backup services like GFI MOB and I believe Datto/StorageCraft absolutely do incremental/block level backups.

So to use your example, obviously you're not changing all 10GB of a PST file in a day, so yes, only the blocks of the file that changed are what gets backed up.

As far as Mozy/Carbonite doing that, who knows. It depends if the user has told that software to backup their PST location (for 2007 we all know it's buried in appdata/local) and depends futher on the clients upload speed.

I have one biz client whose former IT had them on carbonite and because of their crappy DSL connection (soon switching to cable) I literally never saw their carbonite complete a backup; it has constantly been running in the entire almost year I've been servicing them.

We're hopefully going to soon switch them to a Datto anyway.

 

[drjones]

To answer your OP, I couldn't possibly agree more with StoneCat; forget about file-level server backups.

You know what keeps me up at night?

Worrying about a catastrophic server failure at one of my biz clients and what's going to be involved in putting humpty back together again, particularly for clients running Exchange.

*Assuming* Datto is absolutely as robust as it says & works as well as it should, that will make me rest much better at night.

I would agree that you want to forget file-based backups except as a second or third layer of redundancy, and move to image-based backups.

I'm going to keep learning more about Datto & will be trying my best to move my clients to it, if it all checks out OK.

We just installed our first Datto at one clients, submitted a proposal to another client for one.

 

[freedomit]

Never tried it but check out Acronis SBS backup with Cloud.

http://www.acronis.co.uk/backup-recovery/smallbusiness.html#add-ons

1TB of cloud storage for £529 per year