October 8, 2002 at 10:45 am
I am currently using Enterprise Manager for all my Backup / Restore needs. I have a few Server Infrastructure guys trying to push a product on our DBA group. Its called Bright Stor and it can use its Agent to come in and perform Database Backups.
I have rejected it from the start and now I have a few questions:
1. Anyone uses this product?
2. Anyone have any reasons why not to use it?Some examples would be great!!!!
Thanks.
October 8, 2002 at 10:53 am
I don't use this product.
I prefer to have SQL Server do everything it can and for that reason would reject any product that would control backup and restores. To me the backup and restore capabilities built into SQL Server are good enough.
Robert Marda
SQL Server will deliver its data any way you want it
when you give your SQL Programmer enough developing time.
Robert W. Marda
Billing and OSS Specialist - SQL Programmer
MCL Systems
October 8, 2002 at 11:49 am
I haven't used Bright Stor before. I think it's the newest version of backup software from CA. CA acquired ArcServe and I tried many times (unsuccessfully) to get the old ArcServe SQL Agents working on SQL 6.5 and 7.0. I did get them configured properly, but they were just unreliable.
My theory is that you're only as good as your last backup, and I want something that is extremely reliable, even if it doesn't have all the bells and whistles.
October 8, 2002 at 11:56 am
The general consensus from most experienced DBAs appears to be use disk backups with the native SQL solution and then go from there to tape. Not thrilled with the tape agents, too many places for things to go wrong, IMHO.
That being said, I am about to start testing the SQLLiteSpeed addition to perform compressed and encrypted backups. Keep tuned for reviews of this product.
Steve Jones
October 8, 2002 at 12:58 pm
all of the third party software that I have had experience with, uses far more resources than native sql backups. I do not allow them on my servers. I require that the backups be done through SQL to a drive and then allow the IT guys backups to write to tape from there. If I can manage it, the drives backed up to are not on my servers but a network share. This really becomes a good way to go when you consider scheduling in your enviroment, scheduling in their enviroment, and the interactions neccessary to schedule between the enviroments. I will always remember the week I had to rework the scheduling of 14 servers because the IT guys added a few jobs to their system and required me to move the scheduling of my backups to a later time to accomodate them. aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!! NEVER AGAIN....
October 8, 2002 at 4:30 pm
any bad experiences with Bright Stor or any other 3rd party Backup software?
October 8, 2002 at 5:48 pm
Personally I use the SQL backup to local files on some systems and SQL to tape on others. Like Steve stated there are issues reported by people everyday here looking to get around a problem created by one. Just do a search on ArcServer and any other you can think of then you can see what fun some people are having. Also, many solutions try to do actual backups of the datafiles which are locked most times by SQL and this has been a major cause of the issues seen.
Now don't except what I say as the standard however as some folks have had no issues at all, I am just not willing to take the chance nor will I pay for a solution I technically don't need.
My rule is ghost the OS image when you get it built with SQL in place. Then do the SQL backups. Also, make notes and keep logs of specific updates you install, plus keep a copy of those files to apply to the restored image.
"Don't roll your eyes at me. I will tape them in place." (Teacher on Boston Public)
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