Off topic Looking for recomendations for client side backup solutions

[Eyoung]

I am looking for recommendations for client side backup solutions for aprx. 250-300 users.

Time machine, or carbonite for the enterprise is the model I'd like to see... something as hands off as possible for the user.

I am hoping someone here has had a good experience they could share before I start playing vendor bingo.

thanks

[stevewood]

We use CrahPlan Pro here and it works great. I'm running their VMWare VM and I've had no problems. We are backing up approximately 90 laptops with it. What I like is the ability to use ssh on your machine, along with the CrashPlan app, to control the settings on each machine (connect to headless client).

As an added bonus, JAMF has a great white paper on deploying it.

Steve

[ernstcs]

CrashPlan Pro

[tlarkin]

I have heard nothing but excellent things about Crash Plan Pro. I haven't used it though.

[Chris]

CrashPlan PROe here too.
Once you have it set up and running, there's very little administrative effort necessary.

[jhalvorson]

Another CrashPlan PROe thumbs up.

After a review of available options, we are seeking approval to move forward with CrashPlan PROe use for our Mac and Windows users.

(The review and demo's also convinced me to get the CrashPlan+ Family plan for my personally owned computers.)

[rob_potvin]

We buy an extra hard drive, I enable time machine for non admin users. Backing up is the Responsiblity of the user and it's working for 300 grade 7,8,9s and 200 teachers. If there is a problem and they can't backup they come and see us and if they don't backup and have a problem they are responsible. People here learn about how important it is to backup.

[jhbush]

CrashPlan PROe here as well switched from Mozy enterprise.

[ericbenfer]

+1 for CrashPlan PROe

[peterleeman]

+1 for CrashPlan, but also keep an eye on http://owncloud.org/

[tlarkin]

We do let users provide their own disks and time machine as well, but I only sync home folders and use network shares currently at work.

[smcostello]

+1 CrashPlan PROe

From my experience: Very easily managed, great flexibility, rock solid stability

[ericbenfer]

To borrow a page from JAMF…
Here are Eric’s 10 tenets of an effective PC backup solution.

• Use client-initiated backup. This means the backup client should look for the backup server, and push the data to the server. The opposite of this is to have the server scan for clients and pull a backup from them.
It is more likely that the server will have a consistent address than the client.

• Use incremental backups and data de-duplication.

• Use compression at the client side. This lightens the load on the server, and sends less data over the pipe.

• Don't backup/scan the OS or the Applications. Just backup user data. If you have an effective (re)build process you can recreate the OS and Apps, and then just restore the user data.
The more files the client has to scan the longer it takes to figure out what to backup. If you use filters to exclude the OS and Apps directories, it still has to scan them in order to filter them out.

• Teach the user to keep their data in their home directories.

• Backup often. It is easier to move a little bit of data frequently, than to move a lot of data every once in a while. This also provides more data protection.

• Be cross platform. Just because someone uses the "other" OS does not mean their data is any less important.

• Create a corporate backup policy and enforce it. You can spend all the money in the world on a backup system, but it nobody uses it is not effective. Use the carrot and stick approach when writing the policy. (We will protect your data, but you have to allow us to protect it…)

• Test your restore process.
Remember nobody cares about backup until the have to restore.

• Use redundant backups in separate locations. This will add cost, but could save your bacon in the end. Some backup software vendors offer an offsite option.

[Dtwerdohlib]

+1 for CrashPlan too.

JAMF's documentation for mass deploying CrashPlan is pretty good too

http://www.jamfsoftware.com/libraries/pdf/white_papers/CrashPlanPRO_and_CasperSuite.pdf

[John_Wetter]

Doesn't look like it's needed, but another vote here for CrashPlan PRO. We deployed it to our 'business critical' people this summer/fall and it's been working fabulously. We're planning on rolling it out to the rest of the staff as 'an option' for them to back up. We went with the managed hardware solution; looking forward to the upgrade to the new PROe client soon!

[Eyoung]

Wow... so Crash plan pro then :-)

thanks for the awesome feedback.

[Jak]

heres a vote for PressStore Backup2go

[kcleary]

Hello,

Lots of fans of CrashPlan PROe on this thread. That is awesome considering I am an Enterprise Sales Director covering GA, TN, SC and NC for Code 42 (makers of CrashPlan). Please feel free to pass along my contact info below to anyone interested and I will either cover it myself or ensure they get directly to the right resource.

Thank you,
Kevin Cleary
Mobile: 770.940.2045
Email: kevinc@code42.com

[holger_netterby]

+ 1 CrashPlan PROe

Reasons?

1. Excellent support
2. Affordable
3. Have saved my and my hosted customers bacon more times than I want to remember
4. Easy to deploy and maintain in a hosted enviroment. That is not always easy to do.
5. Very easy and affordable to create a slave server or two (and three or four ;) for redundancy

I very much like Achiware PresSTORE to but use it mainly for tape based backup in video shops with very large amount of data.

[Cem]

just wanted to get an updated view / info on this topic as it is 2 years old now. Any input will be appreciated…
BTW anyone out there handling the client backup with in-house solution in enterprise?

[Kevin]

We use CrashPlan PROe to backup to in-house storage… if that is what you are asking.

Otherwise, no, we are not writing our own backup solution from scratch.

[Cem]

Thanks for the reply Kevin.I am asking bit of both really.
just wondered if anyone out there also doing it from scratch (no vendor)?

[denmoff]

Just want to bump this topic.

[RobertHammen]

CrashPlan Pro or Time Machine. Depends on the client's need, budget, and if they need to back up while off premise.

[nessts]

HP PC Connected backup my link text

[denmoff]

CrashPlan seems to get a lot of recommendations. I just wish it wasn't Java based. @nessts What has your experience with HP been like? Do you recommend it?

[nessts]

@denmoff To be completely open I work for HP so anything I say after that you may take to be a bit biased. I have one customer that was using it for their PCs and they are now using it for Macs, I have not heard any problems with it. When I install it on new images it installs, it backs up, it restores files. It is relatively quiet, and seems to run well. It requires Java 6 to be installed, so that could be a sticky point. But as it does not require the internet plugin piece but just the run time stuff you probably should not be too concerned. As with time machine if you restore an outlook database you have to rebuild it.
Its a corporate solution and not sure if any of the others are.

Time machine is obviously very convenient, but if the disk is in the same computer bag that was stolen, its not very helpful, if its not encrypted its not very safe, if that one disk dies, its not very good in a disaster recovery situation.

So, in short its as good as any other option out there I would think, but with enterprise support options available.