Best solution to back up? Kit needed?

I run three computers for the business, currently I don't do many back up's whip. What I want to know is which solution is best to use?

I don't want to go mad, probably just an external hard drive for the cheap route.

Please recommend what kit I would need and how I would go about it.

Hey DT - area for data stored nice and neatly and not scattered about the place?

If so, how big are the data drives?

You'll just need an ext HD. Simon or Andy may be able to help. Otherwise take a trip to Comet. We run Seagate externals and have many of them. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Have heard about on line back ups....might be worth looking at ?

Would rather have it physically on my desk, so external HDD is the solution.

http://mozy.com/ supposed to be good and cheap and Carbonite

Here what your saying but with the online route you dont have to worry about, no forgetting to take it home etc and it is all automated

The data is stored currently on my laptop and another two computers.

I wouldn't have thought that the data is huge, probably 4gb max.

Currently I have a two HDD in my main computer, the additional (300GB Western Digital) one I put in for recording the CCTV which will be no longer used as I have bought a standalone system.

Maybe I could do one back up on this internal HDD and one on another external HDD.

How would you go about scheduling back ups every evening?

Yeah, but just don't feel it has the security although it probably does.

Mozy has excellent security.

Quote from their site:
"When you use Mozy, your files are encrypted on your computer using 448-bit Blowfish encryption and then transferred to the Mozy servers using 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption. You have the option of using a Mozy key or your own private key to encrypt your data"

more on the blowfish cipher here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowfish_(cipher)

The only thing is (god forbid), if you had a fire at your premises would your external hard drives still be safe where as the online backup would be.

Why not have have both, its worth it IMHO.

If it's your livelihood at stake, are you sure you want cheap? Personally I would seek VFM for an effective backup strategy.

Automated online backup is the only method that properly mitigates all risks. It will backup even when you forget, are ill, on holiday, even on Christmas Day!

Are the computers networked together or could they be?

I'd use and external HDD and also an online backup service to a remote data centre.

That way you are sorted in the case of a nightmare scenario such as a fire

Yes they are.

Thanks to everyone who has suggested the online back up route. I didn't realise it was this popular. Will look into it. Anyone know who the best company is to tie in with for this service.

As Ray has suggested will also back up on an external HDD.

Ah Chub has already suggested a couple. (And sorry mate for doubting this method in the first place!)

I love cheapness! :001_tongue:

Right then, make yourself comfy

1) Go and get an external hard disk with about 500GB of space. If you can get a wireless all the better as it can be easily removed then.

2) You now need software to back the computers up. Now this may seem like self promotion but we sell a bit of kit called Backup for Workgroups. We use it in the office and also across 16 servers in our hosting network and it's very, very good. You would need three licenses but you get a discount if you bought all three at the same time.

The comp with 2 hard disks, think of this now as your primary storage point. You install the BFW software onto this computer and use the 2nd HD as the main storage point. On the other computers you just install a client license so they can talk to the main comp.

On each computer you can then decide what you want to back up and set schedules to do this. You can even set multiple schedules to back up more important stuff more frequently.

Then use the external HD as a mirror of the main comp backup disk and you will have two copies of your backup and if you are really funky, use an online service to back up the mirror.

This would give you a nuclear proof solution. It could be done cheaper but the way to look at it is how much is your data worth? I know that if my office comp got wiped out, it would set me back weeks if not months without good backups.

Hope this helps

Thanks Phil for a very detailed explanation. Will get onto all this next week and look into your back up software. Hopefully my data will survive till then!

(Currently having a big move).

My IT man Adam recommends Carbonite for online backup - it's $49.95 per annum

I would recommend www.mozy.com as I have been using this now for about a year and it has worked spot on every time.