What is the best backup program for a small office using SBS

[computerdoc]

A small office's main server is running SBS 2011 and has 3 workstations attached to it, 2 running Windows 7 and 1 running XP.

What is a good, reliable and easy to use backup program that can be depended on to provide backups for the server that don't fail. It should also be easy to restore when necessary. If it can support the workstations also, that would be a bonus.

 

[angry_geek]

Why not just use the built-in server backup. It works quite well.

 

[mein]

We always use macrium to take nightly images. It's fast, reliable and recovery is so easy. It just works

 

[computerdoc]

Sounds like a good idea. Others have recommended it.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

I'm a big fan of image based backups....for fast restoration.
If you don't want the native SBS backup.....I like StorageCrafts products. Ability to take the backup in VMDK or VHD format and stick it to different bare metal or import as a guest into a hypervisor....how nice is that.
http://www.storagecraft.com/shadow_protect_SBS.php

My favorite backup is DattoBackups Siris product.
Keeps a months worth of backups in VMDK format in a local appliance next to the server..plus it synchs a years worth offsite. If the server has a major physical problem (like the motherboard catches fire)...you can boot up the most recent backup image from the Siris appliance and have it available on the network in about 15 minutes. Talk about awesome!
http://www.dattobackup.com/siris

 

[BDNTech]

While most any backup app will accomplish the job of backing up initially. Over time backup needs change. The key is that backup logs need to be monitored frequently to check for errors and adjustment need to be made if you want a successful restore. Otherwise when you try to restore you find out that someone added or moved some important files that weren't included in the backup job, or they had been failing for months.
If you haven't thought about this yet this is a great MSP service. Monitored or managed backups. About 90% of our backup clients are using our managed backup service.

 

[JustInTech]

+1 for shadowprotect, as can boot up image in virtualbox and get client up and running in a couple of hours.

 

[krtechsolutions]

Shadow protect for sure or a bdr that is shadow protect based

I love their virtual boot feature you can get a client up in several minutes

 

[PBComputer]

+1 For Macrium got it running in several clients and mine, really good and not had a problem with it.

 

[FoolishTech]

Not sure which version of SBS 2011 you have or if it includes the WHS style backup, but mine is Essentials and does. I actually recommend this to people for backup of workstations and other servers as opposed to 3rd party software. The system is as close to perfect as it gets. All workstations/servers are backed up to the SBS 2011 Essentials box nightly, where you can do individual file or entire image based recovery of the whole system. The SBS box itself is backed up twice a day along with all of it's stored backups of other workstations/servers to an external HDD or NAS where you can do an image based restore of the SBS box itself should it fail.

 

[computerdoc]

If the built in backup can do all that, it sounds like a solid solution. It's also appealing because it would not incur any extra cost. It's certainly worth a try.

Thanks to all for your insightful suggestions.