Greg, High Availability is not a backup strategy, nor is having a DR site. For peace of mind you need tape or virtual tape backups and you need to be able to take a copy of the data off-site so that it isn't affected by the usual nightmare disaster scenarios.
I don't know, off-hand, how iSCSI complicates this picture, but the basic point is, you need to get a reliable copy of the data. Properly configured tape systems don't necessarily mean slow backups either. I'm sure we've demonstrated massive backup throughput capabilities before so have a look for the whitepapers on the subject. Regards, Tim --- On 06/24/09 23:27, Greg wrote: > Hello everyone, I am working on a san with several tbs of storage > with iscsi for esxi server for my company. We have decided what we > want and how to go about it however a little detail may throw a > wrench in this whole thing. How do people go about backups for this > amount of storage in a live environment. I was thinking tapes but > that will get pricey real quick. I could use snapshots, however if > some catastrophic thing happens say the server is in a fire (I know > bad example but you catch my drift) snapshots are completely > useless(I believe I am right?) I also thought about a High > availability configuration, however off site would be a pain, it is > doable but we would then need a Colo. I could do a non raided nas or > san that it is backed up to with cheap hardware but that seems > finicky as well. If anyone could point me in the right direction that > would be terrific. > > Thanks! Greg -- Tim Read Staff Engineer Solaris Availability Engineering Sun Microsystems Ltd Springfield Linlithgow EH49 7LR Phone: +44 (0)1506 672 684 Mobile: +44 (0)7802 212 137 Twitter: @timread ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply email and destroy all copies of the original message. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
