ThinkServer Towers

[#1]

Hi all

I am trying to work out a inexspensive backup system for my client (soon to be employer). I have looked at Tape solutions, and external USB drives bit both are either too expensive in regards to gigs per dollar, or far too slow.

Our Lenovo has a SATA array built in and it was my original idea to just swap out one of the drives and plug in the new one so to back up that way. However I was advices that the drives do not have long term remove and insertaion (the connectors would wear out) - we are also running Windows Server 2003

The only other solutions out be external SATA or eSATA.

As I am only using one of the SATA connectors on the motherboard I am not sure if I could route the other to an eSATA connector at the back, or purcahse a seperate eSATA controller specifically for this functionality.

The backup solution would be to use the eSATA connector to a eSATA docking station (approx $60 to $130 depending on number of drive slots), and  economical SATA HD's (500gb for about $100)

These could be dropped into  the docking station and the system backup over night when the server load is lower, and then replaced the next morning.

The drive could then be easily carried off-site - and in an emergency - plugged into another computer for access to the data.

So - my 3 questions are

1. What are other people's backup strategies

2. Does anyone else use eSATA on their Thinkserver

3. How well does Win 2003 Server cope with hot swapping drives in and out.

Many thanks for any suggestions.. and yes - I am mentioning that terrible topic - BACKUPS!!!.

Take Care

Dave

p.s. - Damd this JS wordprocessor as it never keeps up with my typing.

[#2]

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marcwolf wrote:

So - my 3 questions are

1. What are other people's backup strategies

2. Does anyone else use eSATA on their Thinkserver

3. How well does Win 2003 Server cope with hot swapping drives in and out.

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1:  OLDB.   sure, you can dump daily images to a RAID array but if that controller fails at some point in time then you have a new headache to deal with.   to me, RAID is not a backup solution.

2:  i don't have a ThinkServer but have managed many servers in my lifetime.   depending on how much data you plan to transfer, eSATA may be a decent way to go.

3:  windows server will likely require drives to be flagged as 'online' in the disk management console (diskmgmt.msc).   under server 2008 on my ThinkStation, i always have to flag drives as 'online' after connecting and 'offline' before disconnecting.   i've never personally tried this under XP or Vista as i don't use desktop OSes.

a dedicated eSATA card might act differently.   i've personally not used one yet and cannot comment on that aspect.