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> Helpdesk >Policies > Service Center > Backup Services
Backup for Shared Storage Devices
All disk drives are rated in MTBF.
That's Mean Time Between Failures.
The question is not, "If your disk will crash," but when.
Got BACKUP?
Purpose
To provide backup and recovery services for large data storage devices for work groups whose requirements exceed those provided as part of Forestry Computing Resources (FCR) basic network services. This service is for a minimum of one year and may be renewed annually. Charges are pro-rated to complete the fiscal year of service start and then, subsequent years, billed annually during the first quarter of each fiscal year.
About FCR Backups
FCR has made a major investment in hardware and software to ensure reliable and timely data recovery. We currently use a package, NetWorker (Legato Systems), to provide nightly automatic backup for over 75 servers (a total of over six terabytes of storage space). These servers operate on multiple platforms (Windows, Unix and Novell) and with specific applications such as Microsoft SQL Server (database) and Exchange (email).
NetWorker maintains an index of all files backed up and the tapes on which they reside. Tapes are tracked and stored with a tape library system (jukebox) from Qualstar Corporation with 12 drives and capacity for 180 tapes. The Research Forest and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife utilize smaller subsidiary jukeboxes, which allow the remote sites to store tapes locally while the CoF server manages the backup process. The H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest uses a stand-alone jukebox.
This system has provided excellent performance and reliability.
Requirements
FCR will provide backup of shared storage devices as a fee-based extended service for minimum periods of one year. The storage device may be attached to an existing FCR server to provide additional storage space for a workgroup (i.e. databases on the SQL server) or attached to a stand-alone server provided by the workgroup that meets the following criteria:
The server
Must be available for use by more than one individual in a workgroup.
Must be a "server" class machine.
Must be kept running 24/7.
Must run an appropriate operating system.
It is also strongly recommended that the storage device be a RAID storage system.
If the storage device is attached to an existing FCR server (such as the SQL Server) it must be approved by FCR Network Administrators and it must meet the criteria for a RAID 5 storage array.
Backup Cycles, Schedules and Data Retention
A backup cycle is a baseline backup followed by incremental backups until the next baseline. A baseline is a complete backup of all data on the storage device. An incremental is a backup of only the data that has changed since the last successful baseline. Baselines can be scheduled to run daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc. Incremental backups are generally run daily, except for specialized servers where daily baselines are appropriate (i.e. email servers). Data retention is the time baseline backups are kept before being overwritten with new baselines. For example, most FCR servers are scheduled for monthly baselines and daily incrementals, with data retention set at six months (thus 6 baselines = 6 backup cycles). Minimum data retention time is two backup cycles.
Data Recovery
Obviously, data must exist on the storage device at the time the backup (baseline or incremental) is performed or it will not be backed up. This means that files stored or modified during a given day, then deleted later that same day, are not recoverable.
Generally, a file can be recovered the same day the request is made, but it is a good idea to allow for extra time and unforeseen delays. In some cases, tapes must be retrieved from storage, inventoried in the jukebox and then scanned by the NetWorker software. We will always strive to restore data as quickly as possible.
Recovery Testing
Backup is only useful if data can be recovered. FCR performs periodic test restores to ensure backup integrity.
Determining charges
One-Time Fee
We charge a one-time fee to add a storage device to the backup system. This fee is broken down into two parts, the client connection ($370), which covers our increased software license cost and a setup and installation fee ($150), which covers installing software on the client and reconfiguring it for backups. If the storage device is being added to an existing backup client, there is no charge for the client connection license. However, there is still a fee for installation and configuration of the storage device.
Annual Charges
Annual charges are based on software maintenance, media use and management and recovery testing. The charges are pro-rated to complete the current fiscal year, then billed annually the first quarter of each fiscal year.
Software Maintenance
Annual fee charged by Legato for each client connection (18% of the annual license fee charged by them for each client connection). Cost: $66
Management & Recovery Testing
Managing tapes outside of the tape library, verifying data backed up is recoverable. Cost: $1,200.
Media
Annual fee includes 10 tapes -- Customers are charged market price for any additional tape media required to meet backup schedules/requirements for their systems.
Examples
Note: The following examples assume complete backup of a fully utilized 500 GB device. If you do not expect to fully utilize the device, it is essential that you tell us this, as we will purchase tapes (and bill you for them) based on your estimate of data you intend to store. Unused tapes will be kept available for your future use, but will tie up your funds unnecessarily. On the other hand, if you underestimate your projected data storage we may not have sufficient tapes on hand for your backups. If tapes are not available, there will be no backup.
Example 1
New system added to the network. Used by 4 people who will map drives to the storage system. One month retention time.
New Workstation Windows 2000 Workstation
Storage Device: 500 GB, RAID 5
Retention: One month
Backup Cycles: Two
As a new system, it will need a client connection and installation.
Client Connection: $370
Installation and Configuration for backups: $150
Total one-time fee: $520
Annual License Fee: 18% of $370 = $66.60 $66
Management and Recovery Testing: $1,200
Tapes Required: Two baselines require 500 / 50 * 2 = 20
Incrementals, estimate 4 tapes
Total tapes: 24 per year.
Cost for 24 50 GB tapes at $65 each. 24 * 65 = $1,560
Total annual cost: $2,828
Example 2
Storage device added to an existing backup client. One-moth retention time.
Storage Device: 500 GB RAID 5 attached to an existing backup client
Retention: One month
Backup Cycles: Two
No software or client connections are needed, but there is an installation and configuration fee for adding the device.
Installation and Configuration: $150
Total one-time fee: $150
Annual licensing Fees: Waived since this is an existing client.
Management and Recovery Testing: $1,200
Tapes Required: Same as in example 1 above $1,560
Total annual cost: $2,760
Example 3
Storage device added to an existing backup client, but with 1-yr retention time.
Storage Device: 500 GB RAID 5 attached to an existing backup client
Retention: One year
Backup Cycles: 12
No software or client connections are needed, but there is an installation and configuration fee for adding the device.
Installation and Configuration: $150
Total one-time fee: $150
Annual Licensing Fee: Waived since this is an existing client.
Management and Recovery Testing: $1,200
Tapes Required: Twelve baselines require 500 / 50 * 12 = 120
Incrementals, estimate 4 tapes per month/48 tapes per year
Total tapes: 168 per year.
Cost for 168 50 GB tapes at $65 each. 168 * 65 = $10,920
Total annual cost: $12,120
Comparison to a project managing it's own backups.
Were you to manage your own workstation backups of a workstation (this option is not possible when adding a storage device to an existing backup client) you'd need to consider the following:
The cost of an adequate tape drive (around $3000 for a stand-alone model) or CD/DVD burner ($300 to $600). The benefit of the tape drive is capacity, which means less swapping of media than for CD/DVD options. In both cases, there is the cost of tape or CD/DVD media.
Personnel time to manage media and perform backups. Legato NetWorker tracks the data that is stored on the tapes and automatically shuffles tapes as needed. This is a considerable time (FTE) savings. If tape is used, it's pretty easy to keep track of even 100 tapes. For a full 500 GB storage device, that's 10 AIT-2 tapes. If the CD/DVD option is used, that equates to 125 pieces of DVD media for one baseline.
Also keep in mind that data is written much faster tape than to DVD. AIT-2 tape drives write data to tape at 6 MB/sec. DVD burners write data at a sustained transfer rate of 1.4 MB/sec. Thus to back up a full 500 GB device with AIT-2 will take just over 23 hours, assuming tapes are changed automatically. To do the same with DVD will take roughly 99 hours.
Comparison to an alternative backup provider
The Burns Archive Center (http://www.css.das.state.or.us/public/burnsindex.html) charges $32 per GB transferred for both the backup and recovery of data. They have a one-time charge of $200 for the client software.
In the three examples above, we consider a 500 GB storage device and the media necessary to back it up if it were completely full. In reality, the 500GB storage device will probably not be completely full, so the tape cost will be less than noted above.
For comparison purposes let's ignore setup costs and assume:
· 500 GB storage device with 100 GB of data actually on it.
. Monthly baseline with one year retention
FCR backup:
Annual fees for management, testing and licenses: $1,266
Annual tape costs:
A baseline of 100GB requires 2 tapes
12 baselines equates to 24 tapes
Estimate an additional 24 tapes per year for
incremental backups. Total tapes per year 48.
48 * 65 $3,120
Total annual cost: $4,386
If the 500GB device were fully utilized, the annual cost would increase to $12,186.
Burns Archive:
One baseline of 100 GB costs $3,200, thus
12 baselines (annual cost) of 100GB: $38,400
Keep in mind, this does not include incremental backups or any sort of restore. Those also incur a $32/GB charge. Also, Burns require two working days for recoveries.
Backup alternatives (not recommended) and estimated costs:
No backup: Free in one sense, disastrously expensive in another sense.
Back up onto CD's: CD's are cheap. But, the process is time consuming, limited to space on CD's, no index of backed up files, which makes recover time slow.
Back up onto DVD's: Again, an inexpensive solution, about 5 times the capacity of a CD, but has same management and indexing issues.
Individual Tape Drive unit. Drives for high capacity tapes are expensive (~$3000 for a stand-alone AIT-2 drive). Media must be managed and changed by hand, and costs the same as the media outlined in the above examples. This option is not available for situations such as in Example 2 above.
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Employ an outside source for backups, such as the Burns Archive Center. This is extremely expensive and offers comparatively slow file recovery. However, they use very high-end equipment and are located in a geologically sound area. This would make for a fine "off-site" archive facility.