[ale] Backup strategies

[Chris Fowler]

Pat Regan wrote:
> The cheapest loader I can find from Dell is a 114T with 1 DAT72 drive
> for $866.  That's only 36 gig uncompressed.  The price goes up about 400
> bucks to switch that to LTO-2 to give you 200 gig uncompressed.  You
> might also need to spring for a scsi controller and cable, of course.
> In this case that would be a pretty good size percentage of the cost as
> well.
>
> If you're a smaller IT shop that might be a pretty big expense.
> Especially if you have to do work to move tapes off-site every day.
>   

This is something I live with and it hits a nerve.   I've dealt with 
people "too cheap" to purchase a full replicated clone of their server 
for use when their's
die.   During training I inform them that if their server dies then it 
can be 2-3 business days for use to replace their hardware, IF we have 
it in stock.  We don't stock much.  Normally I don't care but in this 
case, they are selling their customers a service. 

How would you feel if you found out the company providing you a service had
no way to come back online for a few days after a major failure.  IMO, 
they are selling a service and uptime but not backing it.  Happens all 
the time.  We call it gambling. 

Next, when their server goes by, it is my job to somehow magically fix 
it.  Now had they "invested" in a clone, they simply tell the clone to 
take over.  5 minutes of down-time max.

That data we back up is so small, we can do it on DVD and in some cases 
CD.  We even move it to servers at QTS.  I can't talk much about the 
current state tape drive technology but the idea is the same.

Take an inventory of your data.  Calculate what the value of that data 
is,  Calculate what the cost would be for loss.  When you have those 
numbers, sit down with the decision maker in your organization and 
formulate a *budget* for hardware that can prevent the spending of the 
dollars you just calculated.

It is hard to justify backup system expenses because unlink a network 
switch, they do not immediately show a change or an effect to the 
organization.  Tape drives are there to show what they can offer when 
needed in a pinch.  Its like insurance and a policy is only worth what 
or who is backing it.



> Pat
>
>   
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-- 
Chris Fowler
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