Server 2012 and Backups

[Michael Byrne]

Hi,

A client of mine is running Server 2012 and wants to have onsite backups of a few PCs on the netwrok.

Are they better off using the backup feature on 2012 or would anyone recommend anything else??

Any advise would be great!

 

[Moltuae]

Depends on what needs to be backed up. Full system backups or data only? And how much data are we talking?

Everyone has their own methods and favourites so you'll probably get a lot of different answers.

Assuming data-only and a domain environment, my own preference would be to use folder redirection to get all the data off of the workstations. Then I would use Macrium Reflect on the server to make full weekly backups, with incremental/differential backups at whatever frequency is required by the customer (daily, hourly, etc).

 

[Michael Byrne]

I'll know more in a day or two when I call into them but I think various software packages on a certain PC on the domain.

If I was going to backup the whole of that drive, I think its around 250gb

 

[Moltuae]

If it's just a convenience/business-continuity thing (ie to enable quick restoration of systems rather than protecting irreplaceable data), a NAS and Macrium Reflect would be sufficient. You could schedule full drive image backups, say every week/month, with incremental image backups daily.

 

[TAPtech]

As always, third party will do a better job than the built-in tools... but the Essentials software is actually pretty decent. If you're able to install the Essentials Experience Role, I think that'll do it for you. Setting that up for image backups with File History does a good job. For small businesses I use good backup instead of Folder Redirection.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I also agree that the Essentials role on the server does a great job at doing client workstation backups, if you want full backups.
It does come at the cost of a LOT of disk space on the server...
For business networks I try to treat workstations as expendable and use folder redirection to store user data on the server. If a workstation goes belly up, install new workstation, install software, join to domain, and first or second login as the user..."Presto" there's all their data.

Else, we use Solarwinds BDR for really unique workstations, or...for clients that have Datto Siris...I have a few clients with workstations with unusual software setups where I have those go on the Datto also.

 

[Metanis]

Since hard disk drives got so cheap I sometimes install a 2nd one in the client PC and use Win7 Backup and Win10 File History and point it at the new internal drive. However, it doesn't do much if you want to centrally monitor, control, and provide offsite copies for disaster recovery.

 

[fencepost]

Also harder to do recurring revenue off of a backup simply going to a second drive.

 

[sctechsystems]

Try and always remember, where a backup is concerned try and use the 'factor of 3', we don't generally backup users PC's. Obviously, files and folders on their machine aren't backed up, but file shares they use are. We do offer a service whereby we request a company director to nominate VIP machines, these PC's will have an image and file/folder backup daily. This might be the MD's PC, the FD, Admin etc, any PC that is critical to the running of the business, usually the FD's PC. We would have an image backup and files and folders, backed up to a local USB Hard Drive or Second Drive in the machine, Backed off also to the local server, then sent offsite to our HQ.

 

[Mick]

This might be the MD's PC, the FD, Admin etc, any PC that is critical to the running of the business, usually the FD's PC. We would have an image backup and files and folders, backed up to a local USB Hard Drive or Second Drive in the machine, Backed off also to the local server, then sent offsite to our HQ.

Really? They are happy for you, a third-party, to have a copy of all their financial and other critical data?

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

Really? They are happy for you, a third-party, to have a copy of all their financial and other critical data?

Many backup providers give the ability to encrypt the data, but if you are managing a network/servers/whatever you have access to all of the data anyway.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Backups? Of servers? Limited to devices physically attached to the servers?

Can you say crypto and the world is over?

 

[Mick]

Many backup providers give the ability to encrypt the data, but if you are managing a network/servers/whatever you have access to all of the data anyway.

That's true, of course, but it's not how most of my business customers would perceive it. The idea of all their really important stuff being physically in someone else's hands/office would give them nightmares! For some reason, the fact you, as a tech, can access it all remotely or whatever just doesn't seem to register with them or, if it does, it just doesn't have anything like the same significance.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

That's true, of course, but it's not how most of my business customers would perceive it. The idea of all their really important stuff being physically in someone else's hands/office would give them nightmares! For some reason, the fact you, as a tech, can access it all remotely or whatever just doesn't seem to register with them or, if it does, it just doesn't have anything like the same significance.

Human's are interesting aren't they, lol. I get it. I have a law firm I've been working with and had the same conversation about the same things and one of the partners said he "didn't trust the cloud". Then I explained that most of their apps are hosted including practice management, O365, billing, etc.

 

[sctechsystems]

Many backup providers give the ability to encrypt the data, but if you are managing a network/servers/whatever you have access to all of the data anyway.

Indeed, and our traffic is encrypted, aswell as living on encrypted volumes, inaccessible from the public and backup systems are on a segregated, firewalled network.