Backup Software recommendations?

[MysticLlama]

I'm getting ready to start officially backing up a few of the systems at work. (Right now I just do an offline Windows backup about once a week and stick the file somewhere on another server).

Here is how the lay of the land will look when it's finalized:

Servers to be backed up:
Exchange Server (about 12GB of mail, 30GB of logs currently, Win2k / Exchange 2k)
SQL Server (in a couple of months, haven't got it built and into production yet, Win2k3 / SQL2k)
Active Directory Controller / Global Catalog / DNS (Win2k3)
Active Directory Controller / DHCP / VPN (Win2k3)
Accounting Server (MAS200, mostly just flat files, don't have the SQL version, Win2k3)

I want all of those to backup to a 200GB NAS that I have. I have about 140GB of storage free on it, which should be enough, the mail isn't too big and it's definately the largest hog out of all of these.

The 200GB NAS (Maxtor 4100) will then be directly attached to a Quantum Superloader 40/80 w/8 tapes (7 + cleaning)

I basically want to work out a schedule where they all back up to the NAS, then to tape, and once it's beyond one tape, do an alternating schedule, i.e. M-W-F-Su is Mail / AD1 / Acct, and T-Th-S is SQL / AD2 / Personal Storage Space (or something similar to that)

I will obviously need something robust enough that will allow me to do some sort of centralized management so that backing all this up and restoring it won't be a total nightmare. And for offsite, I'll probably get another tape magazine and set of tapes, and change them out once a week. Right now management is not concerned with any archival storage over a week, more about undoing something they screwed up in accounting a day earlier, or recovering to as close as possible if the building burns down or something.

For this year (now through June) I have about $4-5k to spend on software for this project.

Should I go with BackupExec or ArcServe? I've heard good things about both, but have never used either. And which options?

 

[reicherb]

Go with BackupExec. They have far surpassed Arcserv in my book.

 

[bozo1]

Backup Exec 9 installed on the server that has the tape library connected to it.
Remote Client Agent installed on all the remote servers you will backup.
Exchange Agent
SQL Agent
Open File Agent on any server that users may have files open on.

 

[MysticLlama]

Okay, that helps a little bit, I would've bought the full version + the agents for the servers, and I take it that's unnecessary?

So what I would need is:

Backup Exec 9 for the Storage Server / Tape Library
Open File Agent for the storage server, or does the full take care of that?
SQL Agent
Exchange Agent
Open File Agent for the Accounting Server

Just the remote agent for the two DCs or do I need fulls for those? (I don't see just remote agent alone in my catalog I'm looking at at the moment, I'll have to see if I can get that separate)

What about the Intelligent Disaster Recovery Option 9 or the Administration Plus Pack Option 9, any experience with those?

 

[mboy]

Veritas def. blows away the Arcserv. the IDR is nice

 

[reicherb]

You need the full software package only on servers with tape drives. You need the remote agent for any other server you want to back up. You need the open file option for any server (including media server) that may have open files). You need the SQL agent, etc for any server that has that application.

 

[loup garou]

Another vote for BackupExec.