RE: backups when server is remote

[Steve Sowder <sowder at andrews dot edu>]

For another view on this:

When we installed a new server about a year ago we got a system that did 
not have the option for a backup tape drive. (There was some misinformation 
from III regarding this. "No problem".)

Later it was a problem, but what we do now is an unattended backup to a 
hard drive (Yes, there are fees to pay and waivers to sign). Our campus has 
a Veritas tape backup that includes the Innovative backup files in its 
nightly pass. We just make sure that our library backup is done before the 
Veritas system starts.

Backups take 5 minutes. No changing of tapes (for the library anyway). It 
is totally automated. I just check the file information the next day to 
make sure there was no problem.

There was some confusion during our upgrade to Silver. The upgrade 
process definitely asks for a "tape". I called III to check on this
and was told that it would fail, he would reset something, then we could 
complete the upgrade later. Well, it didn't fail. By the time it 
got to a checkpoint asking for input it was better to proceed rather 
than create some confusion between the test for upgrade, and getting the 
right Veritas tape. Fortunately all went well.

The next upgrade cycle I plan to proceed as if there is a tape drive.
No calls to III unless the upgrade software says there is a problem.

Backing up to a hard drive should now be an option. Contact your III sales 
rep if interested.

We think it was worth the extra fee.


My $0.02.


Steve Sowder                        Systems Librarian
sowder at andrews dot edu                 Andrews University



On Thu, 30 Sep 2004, Cheryl Armstrong wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> 
> More from cheryl at SF Law Library;
> 
> John has the problem nailed for me.  At a previous library where I was
> systems manager, we did autmatic backup and it worked fine.  The server was
> next door to my office.
> 
> The difference here is the off site location of the system and the
> sometimes unreliable tape swaps (people!)
> 
> So it seems that if I do a tape initialization before going home for the
> day (and call the IT folks if the tape hasn't been swapped out) and a
> verification the next day (until we upgrade to Silver), I have it covered.
> 
> I know this is small potatoes compared to the call number thread, but what
> I didn't know, and have learned today, is that Silver will verify
> automatically.
> 
> [Now I just need a device with a week's worth of tapes that swap in and out
> on daily basis and the software to manage that, like on my Novell
> server....]
> 
> Sigh.
> 
>  Message from "John Goodyear" <john dot goodyear at pima dot edu> on Thu, 30 Sep 2004
> 11:59:04 -0700 -----
>                                                                            
>         To: "IUG INNOPAC List" <innopac at innopacusers dot org>                  
>                                                                            
>    Subject: RE: backups when server is remote                              
>                                                                            
> 
> The trick is getting those tapes changed when IT has that chore.  At
> another
> library I used to have to load data from a series of tapes.  I would pass
> the box of tapes through the door, return to my desk and begin the series
> of
> calls asking them to swap tapes as they processed.  Many times, even though
> we just spoke, the tape would not get changed.  It's all about making sure
> they take you needs seriously.
> 
> Here and now our automated backup runs at 1AM and I verify first thing in
> the morning, which will go away with Silver.  As long as I get the tape
> initialized okay, which can be an occasional problem requiring several
> reloads of the tape into the drive, the rest of the process work
> flawlessly.
> 
> John Goodyear
> Library Database Manager
> Pima Community College
> Tucson, AZ
> jgoodyear at pima dot edu
> 520.206.4613
> __________________________________________________
> Cheryl Armstrong                  S.F. Law Library
> Systems Manager                   401 Van Ness Avenue
> cheryl dot armstrong at sfgov dot org        Room 400
> (415) 554-6832                    San Francisco, CA 94102
> 
> --
> This message was distributed through the Innovative Users Group INNOPAC list
> Public replies:  INNOPAC at innopacusers dot org
> Update your subscription options: http://innopacusers.org/mailman/listinfo/innopac
>