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New P2 cards! 50% cheaper!!
- Thread starter NorthernFilmMaker
- Start date
I've been dealing with tape and backup systems for over twenty years, having come from a data processing background before launching a video business.
Last year, I needed a reliable backup system after being burned badly with a raid failure. Naturally, I did it the hard way, and ended up sorting through all sorts of software and hardware options before getting to a happy place.
I ended up buing an LTO-4 drive (expensive, but the capacity is amazing, not to mention the speed), hooked up to an LSI PCI-e controller card.
We have four workstations and one "business level" computer in our office, all running XP or Vista64. All computers are on a small workgroup.
I bought Retrospect for Windows (retail $129). This software will run on an XP computer (not a server), but allows me to back up data files across the network quickly and reliably. It also came bundled with 2 "client" licenses which provide for the backup of the other workstation OS across my network. I purchased more clients at $35 / seat so that weekly I can back up all five computers OS at night.
For us, this is a great solution. Fast, bullet-proof backups that are logically organized and can be either scheduled or run on the fly.
Here's what I really like: LTO-4 drives are backward compatible to LTO-1 thru LTO-3 media. That means that if I have a small project (under 400Gb), I can back it up to ONE LTO-3 tape. Once you price media, you'll understand why this a benefit. Larger projects (up to 800Gb uncompressed) fit on ONE LTO-4 tape.
I've probably used twenty backup systems through the years, most of them either expensive or unreliable, or both. This is the best software / hardware solution I've ever used, dollar for dollar.
I can't speak to the Cache-a system, as my system preceeded this company, but their website looks like they are trying to provide a turnkey solution. I did not see costs, however.
If you're not a tech nerd, stay away from EBAY, and find a vender that can help you (and support you) with the drive, adapter, cables, and system configuration. From there, it's just a matter of deciding what you want to accomplish, and making the software do its thing. I hope this helps.
-Axel
Last year, I needed a reliable backup system after being burned badly with a raid failure. Naturally, I did it the hard way, and ended up sorting through all sorts of software and hardware options before getting to a happy place.
I ended up buing an LTO-4 drive (expensive, but the capacity is amazing, not to mention the speed), hooked up to an LSI PCI-e controller card.
We have four workstations and one "business level" computer in our office, all running XP or Vista64. All computers are on a small workgroup.
I bought Retrospect for Windows (retail $129). This software will run on an XP computer (not a server), but allows me to back up data files across the network quickly and reliably. It also came bundled with 2 "client" licenses which provide for the backup of the other workstation OS across my network. I purchased more clients at $35 / seat so that weekly I can back up all five computers OS at night.
For us, this is a great solution. Fast, bullet-proof backups that are logically organized and can be either scheduled or run on the fly.
Here's what I really like: LTO-4 drives are backward compatible to LTO-1 thru LTO-3 media. That means that if I have a small project (under 400Gb), I can back it up to ONE LTO-3 tape. Once you price media, you'll understand why this a benefit. Larger projects (up to 800Gb uncompressed) fit on ONE LTO-4 tape.
I've probably used twenty backup systems through the years, most of them either expensive or unreliable, or both. This is the best software / hardware solution I've ever used, dollar for dollar.
I can't speak to the Cache-a system, as my system preceeded this company, but their website looks like they are trying to provide a turnkey solution. I did not see costs, however.
If you're not a tech nerd, stay away from EBAY, and find a vender that can help you (and support you) with the drive, adapter, cables, and system configuration. From there, it's just a matter of deciding what you want to accomplish, and making the software do its thing. I hope this helps.
-Axel
Barry_Green
Moderator
Excellent first post, axelsasso! Thanks for sharing your experience.