Hello List, Our network has grown to the point where managing a plethora of different backup software packages is consuming too much operator time. I'm looking at moving to a sole platform for all our Debian (x86), Solaris (sparc), and Windows (x86) servers.
So far, I've trialled Legato's Networker 7.1, and Veritas' NetBackup 5.0 code, with IBM scheduled to drop off a media kit for Tivoli Storage Manager 5.2.2 in a day or so. I'm reasonably satisfied that all packages can handle a somewhat complex installation, with three backup servers in three separate locations. They can all handle backing up Oracle DBs, and Exchange mailboxes without taking these systems offline. I am now rather stuck in my decision process. While some have more (Netbackup) have more polished gui's than others (Networker), this is far from a sufficient reason to drop any of the vendors from my list. Hence I'd like to know if anyone on the list has had any particularly good or bad experiences with any of the three packages. Any notes regarding client support for Debian would be great, although so far, alien has done a fine job of converting redhat enterprise rpm's to woody .deb's. Note that the backup servers will be sun/solaris boxes, to avoid both software support issues with running the servers on an unsupported linux distro, and to avoid having to bring in Suse or Redhat enterprise in our Debian world. I'm also interested in how autonomously the different packages operate once properly installed and configured. I'm investigating the addition of Verita's Global Data Manager, or Legato's Network Management Console if we go with either of those as a means of further reducing the time that operators spend fussing with backups. Thanks, -- Martin Foster Phone: +61 3 9674 7659 Systems Engineer P A C I F I C Fax: +61 3 9698 4959 Pacific Internet (Australia) I N T E R N E T Mobile: +61 4 1608 4325 http://www.pacific.net.au/ NASDAQ: PCNTF
