Tape backups....
-
We (the dbas) take regular sql backups to disk and the network guys regularly take backups of the disk drives. Is there any advantage to adding tape backups to this mix?
I guess an extra layer of protection never really hurts, but I don't really see the real necessity. Does anyone else have this trifold disk, tape, and drive backup mix? How are you using it?
-
I think that depends on how often your network guys are performing their file system backups. I would want the backup on tape, whether it be part of a file system backup, or just a SQL Server backup file. If your network guys are not getting your backup files over to tape on a nightly basis, you run the risk of losing the physical drive that houses your backups and also your ability to recover to your most recent backup. Just like your data and log files, if you cannot recover your backup files, you cannot recover your data.
-
I agree with John. We run SQL Server backups to disk files which are backed up to tape by our network technicians. The tapes are stored offsite so that we will have backups available if we have a disaster, like fire, in our server room.
Greg
Greg
-
That is what our network guys are doing as well, however we recently discovered that another network section is also making sql backups to tape...including taking tlog backups on top of the ones we are doing to disk. I'm not a new dba but I am fairly new at sql server and was wondering if there was any method to this madness or was it the general stupidity that comes from sections that don't coordinate their activities!?
-
Sounds like you all need to coordinate your backups. Basically, there should be one backup strategy coming out of SQL Server, regardless of writing to disk or tape. Seems like you've got two by two different groups. If you're not careful, you guys could end up stepping on top of each other. Imagine if you've got tran log backups and they issue a full backup but you don't have access to their full backup. If you were to go roll your tran log backups during a restore, you're going to break at the point of their full backup. The same could happen to them. Write backups from SQL Server to disk when possible. After that, backup from disk to tape should only occur once (though some organizations write a duplicate tape so they can keep one on site).
K. Brian Kelley
@kbriankelley -
Just to reiterate Brian's point. Make sure that there are not two groups taking transaction log backups. Transaction log backup files must be restored in order so if another group has some files and your group has others you will first have to merge all of your files together before you can begin the restore. If the other group wants backups, its best to have one backup job create disk backups and then have the two groups copy the disk backup files.
-
Thanks for your thoughts. I just got out of the slugfest...ahem....meeting to discuss control of backups. The network guys have agreed to stop taking duplicate sql backups and stick to just copying the server disk drives to tape. They will also start shipping these tapes offsite, adding sql server to the enterprise disaster recovery scheme.
As you can probably tell sql server hasn't been actively managed around here. DBAs only officially took over this summer. It's kind of a nightmare right now. I've been revoking sysadmin and sa privileges right and left...apparently eveybody and his brother had them...and trying to figure out who "owns" which database.
When I was just managing ADABAS and DB2, I was affectionately known as the "mean DBA". I wonder what they are calling me these days?
Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply