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Dec 22, 2015, 11:30 AM
16 Posts

Backup for SMB

  • Category: Administration
  • Platform: Windows
  • Release: 9.0.1
  • Role: Administrator
  • Tags: Backups
  • Replies: 3

Hi,

I'm keen to hear from other SMB Domino Companies and what they use for backups.  I have been using Backup exec, caking up onto an array of USB drives (not supported by Symantec but was working none the less).  This has stopped working in the last update from Symantec.

I'm looking for something where I can take the backups offsite.  Not too reliant on a great internet connection (currently only have a few ADSL lines) - and can manage databases approx 50Gb in size (my main app db).

Can anyone suggest a cost effective solution?

My main requirement is that the backups are encrypted in case the wrong person gets the backup drive.

I am currently doing an xcopy to cover me for the interrum.

Oh - I should add, I did speak to Symantec.  They really have no idea of what Domino is, and how it can be backuped up, except for saying yes it can.  Lol.

Al

Dec 22, 2015, 8:23 PM
45 Posts
Encrypted backup Q&D
Don't know if this will help, but one suggestion is to dedicate a workstation to running Notes client with local, encrypted replicas. Then you can back up the data using any OS-level backup and when you take the backups off site they're fully encrypted, and the backup software doesn't have to know anything about Domino.
Dec 22, 2015, 11:50 PM
59 Posts
backup

here is another post raising a similar concern:  http://blog.nashcom.de/nashcomblog.nsf/dx/symantec-backup-exec-end-of-life.htm

One option that could be used in a small setting is to run a batch file that shuts down the Domino service, runs a non-domino-aware backup program, then starts the Domino service. the backup program should be able to provide the encryption.

Here is another option I've thought about, but I have no direct experience:  http://nevermind.dk/nevermind/blog.nsf/subject/new-ibm-domino-backup-solution-at-openntf-dombackup

Dec 23, 2015, 1:13 AM
57 Posts
We use Macrium Reflect Server for backups

I'm running Macrium Reflect Server, backing up to a RAID NAS (there are additional redundant backups to other boxes, locations, offsite, etc).  Reflect leverages the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) in windows to backup files while they are in use.  Each backup creates a password encrypted, compressed file container than can be mounted as a drive to recover individual files/databases.  You can do a weekly/monthly/whatever full backup and incremental daily backups.  Or even multiple times a day.  The usual variations.

It has a bare metal recovery option with a boot disk or USB leveraging the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE).  When you create the recovery you can include special RAID/LAN/whatever drivers for the server, if necessary.  It found and included all the drivers for our Dell PowerEdge servers without me having to do anything.

I've not had the pleasure of performing a bare-metal recovery (we're a small shop and I don't have non-production servers sitting around to play with), but I've restored plenty of files and Domino databases (some exceeding 8GB in size with 1-mil+ documents) from the containers easily and without fail. I have also backed up and restored entire workstations with it by recovering a backup to a new hard drive mounted in an external housing, and then moving that drive into the PC. That worked great, even restoring to drives that were a different size than the drive that was backed up.

Been using Reflect since 2009, two or three versions ago.  Totally happy.  They even have a free version for non-business use on desktop Windows OSs, if you want to try it out.  Won't run on a server.  I think the free version is limited to full backups only, but you can schedule them.  My teenage son uses it at home to backup his gaming rig to an external USB3 drive.


This forum is closed to new posts and responses. Individual names altered for privacy purposes. The information contained in this website is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a forum for customer support requests. Any customer support requests should be directed to the official HCL customer support channels below:

HCL Software Customer Support Portal for U.S. Federal Government clients
HCL Software Customer Support Portal