[Wylug-discuss] Back Up Sofware Solutions

[Nick Moulsdale]

Hello everyone.

I have a Red Hat 8.0 Linux Server which will be running a Uniface
Application using MySQL. The server is a Dell with 2Gb of memory and 2 x 73
Gb SCSI Hard Drives. SERVER 1
I also have a Compaq 733 Server with 2 x 40 Gb drives and 1 Gb Memory.
SERVER 2
Finally I have a Red Hat Linux 8.0 Server with a DLT-IV Tape on it and 2 x
73 Gb Hard Drives and 1.5Gb Memory. SERVER 3

I have 50 users running MS Windows 98 or later  7am to 5pm  5 days a week.
Use varies from Graphic File storage and applications on server 2 to the New
MySQL application on the First Server. There are no outward facing
applications and no web applications. Network is 100 Mbps switched, fixed IP
addressing.

The server 3 was bought so as to
Ensure safe backups are performed each night, the previous day's tape being
taken off-site
Be a failsafe if Server 1 or 2 fail.

I have been helped considerably already by DH. We think that we can probably
solve our backup requirements using one of the following

	Arkeia Light
	AFBackup
	Amanda
	Backula

None of the commercial options seem to offer significantly more than these
could provide. I think perhaps a spreadsheet listing desired features
against backup product (product matrix) might be the way to go. Though I
agree that the commercial version of Arkeia looks really good. Especially
the MySQL hot backup plug-in:

http://www.arkeia.com/mysqlhotbackup.html

But we are looking for advice from the real world. We need to have backups
performed by non IT staff and we need to be able to restore both individual
files and whole directories using a "simple" GUI interface. A Bare Metal
Recovery option would be excellent.

We have an ADSL 512kbps line. I am multi-hatted being primarily Finance but
also IT, but a bit limited on Linux, thankful its so hands off after just
under 3 years. I am from a DOS background and have worked with Unix and
Linux and netware, avoiding Windows servers thankfully. I have NO IT staff.
My staff are all Windows background, but all Finance, not IT, so complex
command line solutions are not an option.

Any help gratefully received

Nick


N.G. Moulsdale FCA
Group Finance Director
Ebi Manufacturing Co Ltd
Sandhill House
82 Meanwood Road
Leeds LS7 2RE
United Kingdom
(        44-(0)113-243-2448
Fax      44-(0)113-243-0504
*  Nick at ebi.ndo.co.uk





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