Is it Ready?

[craigap]

This is a list of the components I've selected to build a small business server for use with 10 clients--up to 10 accessing the server simmultaneously. It will be for hosting the Internet and office email as well as the main storage for medical files/charts and the like. My aim is to set up the Oper. Sys and other software on the Raptor which will be controlled by the Mobo. The 7 250GB HDD's with be set up in raid 5 with one as a hotspare all on the Sata II controller card. The 800GB HDD is to used for backing up the array, and the Acronis True Image for backing up the Raptor onto the array.
Is it Ready?

I've never used a hotswappable HDD before, and I'm curious as to how this is set up in the case. My guess is that the Sata cable goes from the Mobo and/or control card and plugs into the HDD slot which has it's own male connection in it. I just want to know that ALL the drives I've selected will be able to be used in this manner(particularly the Raptor).

Lastly, is the 650w PSU the comes with the case sufficient.

Wish List:
CSE-743T-650B Black Steel/Plastic 4U Rackmount Case
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16811152061

SUPERMICRO X6DHE-G2+-O Dual Socket mPGA604 Intel E7520 Extended ATX Server Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16813182070

Adaptec 2170000-R PCI-X 64-bit/133 MHz SATA II Controller Card RAID 0/1/5/10/50
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16816103011

2 x Intel Xeon EM64T 2.8 Irwindale 800MHz FSB 2MB L2 Cache Socket 604 Processor
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16819117052

Kingston 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM ECC Registered DDR2 400 (PC2 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16820144195

Western Digital Raptor WD740GD 74GB 10,000 RPM 8MB Cache Serial ATA150 Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822144160

Western Digital Caviar RE WD2500YD 250GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822136010

SONY Black 52X CD-ROM IDE CD-ROM Drive Model CDU5225
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16827101134

FANTOM G-Force MegaDisk MDU800 800GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache USB 2.0 External Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16822204008

Acronis True Image 9.0
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16832200204

Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard with SP1 5 CalsSUPERMICRO
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16837116230

Microsoft T74-00001 SMALL BUSINESS SERVER 2003 5 Device CAL ADDPAK License
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16837116154

ALPS Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive Model DF354H121F
http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82E16821103201

[glc]

You have a problem. That version of Acronis won't run on Server 2003 - the version that does is $699. This is common - there IS no cheap backup solution for a server. I'm sorry I didn't catch that earlier.

You may want to rethink your whole backup strategy. I'd lean towards a tape drive - so you can do unattended backups and transport the media offsite for safekeeping.

You MAY be able to use the builtin NT Backup in the OS to back up to a file on an external drive. This is kinda kludgy and must be done manually.

[craigap]

I'm not sure if were on the same page or not. The Acronis was only for the Raptor---not the enire array. Not sure if that makes a difference or not. As for a tape drives I've heard of them but I have no idea how they are setup or what to look for. I've looked at some LTO 2 tape drives and tapes, but I'm not sure what I'm looking at. What tape drive setup would you suggest to backup an array of the size of mine? I assumed I could just copy my array to the external HDD once a day. Are you saying it's not that simple?

Thanks.

Craig

Edit: I was looking at Tape drives and I seems that if I want to run one with an array that has 750GB of space then I'd need a 400/800 GB tape drive. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. But like I said I'm not familiar with them, so is there a cheaper way of using tape to backup? Does tape backup have a big advantage? I.E. will it rewrite the backup as data changes on the array thereby keeping a minute by minute backup of the array? So if something goes very wrong I'll have the latest data on the server?

[glc]

Doesn't matter which drive you want to use the Acronis for - it's the operating system. The $29 Acronis will not install on Server 2003.

Sure - you can write a batch file to copy the array, but that's not a good strategy. You need offsite storage capability.

Look at the Exabyte VXA tape drives. Don't let the capacity fool you - you don't do a full backup every day, only changed files - and that can go automatically at night. Come in every morning, swap tapes, put the tape in your pocket and take it home or put it in a fireproof safe somewhere. Rotate tapes back in as necessary. You do a full maybe once a month, that may span more than one tape and you do that manually, probably on a weekend.

[craigap]

Should I choose a compressed tape capacity that is 1/2 or 1/3 or even 1/4 the the size of the array that I want to back up then.
How does only the changed files get saved to the tape and not everything else? Is this something that is setup in the software?

[glc]

I doubt that you will be filling up the array - how many gigs of files do you anticipate storing?

Yes, backup software can do full, differential, and incremental backups. Differentials back up everything that's changed since the last full backup, incrementals back up everything changed since the last backup of any type.

Don't plan on being able to get the full compressed capacity - that assumes a 2:1 compression ratio and I've never seen a ratio that high. It all depends on how compressible the files are. Word docs compress very well, but jpegs don't compress at all, for example.

[craigap]

Instead of buying $699 backup software for the raptor I assume I can just back that up to a tape as well? And is this Media backup software apropriate or necessary?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832184002

[glc]

Yes, you can add the Raptor to the backup job, or create a separate job.

That media kit is just that - a CD. It does not include any licensing. You MAY be able to find a tape drive that comes with software that will do the job, but to buy something like Backup Exec with the required licensing will be in the 700 buck range. As I said, backing up a server is never cheap, it's just the way it is. It's just like other utilities - Partition Magic is under $100 for example, but it won't run on a server OS, you need their storage manager software for that, and it's hundreds of dollars.

[craigap]

How's this software. I think this is what you had in mind with the whole license thing. Also, the only difference between the standard and premium version is "agent for SQL server." Don't know what it is. Do I need it?. Is the license a one time buy or does it need to be renewed.
http://www.symantecstore.com/dr/sat1...ACHE_ID=250145

Here's a tape drive I've picked out based on your recommendations. I think it has very good flexibility and upgradeability for down the road. http://www.exabyte.com/products/prod...fm?prod_id=661

I need a little help making sure I have what is needed to connect it properly.
It looks like I'll need a SCSI controller card. I plan to purchase the internal version of the drive. I guess I could spend a little more on motherboard that has both SCSI and SATA150 on it.(not sure if using onboard SCSI is possible though based on the requirements stated in the tape drives manual) Or should I get it's own card with internal SCSI connectors? The product manual says I need a LVD SCSI HBA and requires a minimum Ultra 160 SCSI NON-RAID HBA Card. Looks like I also need a Ultra 3 or LVD 160 terminator. It will be the only SCSI device.

Also. I don't know if you'd know off hand the capatablity of this device with the backup software mentioned above, but the exabyte site doesn't have info on the capatibilty between the two. If you don't know I guess I'll have to call them.

Thanks

[glc]

I'd look at a VXA-320 with software.

114.02602 VXA-320 Internal Packet Tape Drive Kit, Yosemite TapeWare SW VXA 160/320 GB, 12/24 MB/s tape drive, LVD/SE SCSI, int., blk, install kit containing 1 X23 data cartridge, 1 cleaning cartridge, Yosemite TapeWare SW, CD with product documentation, installation and driver tools $1,420.00

HEAVY discount available - and these guys are reputable:

http://www.provantage.com/exabyte-11...2~7EXAC02W.htm

The Yosemite software MIGHT be good enough to do what you need. If not, then you could buy that Backup Exec.

Here's a motherboard with onboard SCSI that is what you need - and also has a 133 MHz PCI-X slot for your Adaptec SATA RAID card:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813182048

It appears to come with a proper SCSI cable and terminator too. It's actually a few bucks cheaper than the board you originally chose. Ram is going to be different - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145308

[craigap]

If I do a full backup every two weeks, and then incremental backups everyday during the two weeks, what is a good number of tapes to have. It seems I might just need maybe 4 tapes. 2 for full backups-one in safe keeping the other on the shelf ready for use, and 2 more to alternate the Differential backups. Maybe a fifth for a spare.

[craigap]

I meant "differential" where it says incremental in the first line of the post above this one.

[glc]

I'd buy a sixpack.