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Recommendations: On archiving data in a server.

D

DAM

Diamond Member
Well, our novell server has stuff from many many moons ago, and I am thinking of just taking it off the server and putting it on a cd or something like that. However, I want to know what you guys think? If I do burn them onto cds then I have to keep a log of what cd has what, like a dir listing of all files and stuff of that matter. I was thinking of putting it all in a tape drive however, that will be a bit contraproductive since if someone wants an old file I will be the only one that can get it for them, and I rather just give people a cd and tell them, here find it.

Well, what should I do? How should I archive files? by date? by size? etc.




thanks yall.



dam()
 
Get an NAS to put them on. It's readily available, but doesn't take up server space. (NAS = network attached storage: ie: Snap! server from Quantum)
 
Make sure you make backups of the backups.
Tape would probably be the easiest to archive from a server, but a CD would be the most practicle if users are going to need regular access to thoes files.
 
CDs and CD-RW are not good for long term storage. Despite "100 year shelflife" many CDs will be rendered unsable in a few years. Tape is the best medium for long tern storage since it will hold data indefinitley under good storage conditions. Right now I just move the data to a less loaded server. the NAS solution is also a good one since an appliance is easier to manage than a full server. The prices are coming down on alot on them.

I would personally spend $700 - $800 and get a basic Celeron BX system w/ 2 x 100GB 5400RPM HDDs in RAID1.

Windogg
 
Here's a rare event - I disagree with Windogg. Tape will not reliably store data indefinitely, even under ideal storage conditions. How to store data long-term is a problem for many people.

I have been successful in using 9-track tapes that are 15 years old, but not all the time. They were recorded at low density and stored in climate-controlled conditions - an ideal combination. I've talked to others who couldn't read their tapes after 5 years.

If you use tape, how can you be sure that the hardware/software needed to read them will exist when you want the data back? Tape formats change a lot. I think you have a much better chance of recovery with CD-R - quality ones, not the 5/$1 type. At least it's a non-magnetic storage medium.

Better yet, use both. What is the value of the data if it is irretrievably lost? That will help you decide what to do.
 
Or you could just use a NAS... or attatch a *spare* hard drive to your server, back it up on it, and store it in a static controlled env. I agree with above in that tape is not exactly a reliable media to store it on, and CD's don't last as long as they say.
 
awesome info guys, thanks!


Hmm, so what quality tapes are these you speak off? I am really leaning towards making two copies on cdr of everything and putting one copy in a vault.


So about organization, how do you know what cd has what? I was thinking of putting everything in once big folder getting a dir listing and puttin that in a text file and put that file in the cd, then zip up the folder and burn one big zip file and one txt file.




dam(suggestions)
 
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