[dba-Tech] Once and for all time: server backups

Hi all

Sadly, we had to give up on DeltaCopy and rsync. This is just not a
combo for Windows machines with a WAN in between - to many protocol sync
errors, troubles with security settings on folders, and an installation
and configuration task that takes a top notch techie _days_ for tweaking
and testing. It just doesn't pay off.

HOWever, we found a small gem, Gbridge:

  http://www.gbridge.com/

This is a unique combo of VPN connection with authentication via your
Google account, a backup program, a folder sync, a secure web interface
to your file store, remote control (with a little help from VNC), and
extensive logging - at zero cost. The only feature missing is some
method to e-mail a summarized report of the happenings.

You can connect any count of machines both from your intranet and
remote invited machines, you could even build an extranet with this tiny
tool.

This we use for backing up to a remote location (my home).
In addition we backup to a local machine using Second Copy:

  http://www.centered.com/

This is not free but cheap and features archiving of previous versions
of files when updated at the main server.
Finally the main server is backed via MySecureBackup to "the cloud" at
Amazon.
Everything is run an controlled from a dedicated backup station
(actually an old laptop with an external drive).

So now we have a setup for backing up the main file server:

1. Server to local backup station via Second Copy
2. Backup station to remote location via Gbridge
3. Server to the cloud via MySecureBackup

This forms a 2½ way backup setup (2. will fail if 1. fails) which is
satisfactory as a 2 way system is minimum in case one system should
fail.
If you change the main server (NetWare at the moment) to a Windows
Server, Gbridge could run on that and you had a 3 way setup. 
Of course, the backup station represents a single point of possible
failure but for operation only, not for storage. If that is a concern,
the operations of this machine could be split onto two machines or even
three.
Further, with a Windows Server you could activate its default shadow
copying backup for a fourth backup system suited for a system recovery
where the above backup setup is for file backup only.

/gustav