Invisible wrote:
>>> DDS only goes up to a maximum of 80 GB. My server holds 103 GB. 
>>
> 
> I guess we *could* back up to a hard drive. But I'm not really that keen 
> on the idea. We would have to shut the server down to connect the drive, 
> start it back up again, format the drive, copy all the data, somehow 
> verify the data, shut the server down, disconnect the drive, put it 
> somewhere safe, and start up the server again. Every single night. No 
> thanks...
> 
> I don't have any hard evidence to back this up, but isn't power-on the 
> most common time for a HD to fail? (Rather like lightbulbs.) Wouldn't 
> the constant cycling tend to wear them down? Hmm, mind you, I guess it's 
> no worse than all the other PCs here that get switched on each morning...
> 

This is a pretty narrow view of what can be done with a HD for a backup.
USB, Firewire, hot-swap bays, hot-swap raid enclosures, etc....
All of which don't present the problem that you describe.


Backing up to a HD is not ideal for most situations.
I'm not going to try to persuade you to do it.

It comes with its own problems that other media doesn't have.
It isn't mainstream.


> The other small problem is that 30 harddrives presumably take up 
> slightly more space than 30 DDS tapes. ;-)
> 

That depends on your backup strategy.  If it requires 30 separate media, 
then yes, storage space can be a premium.  Just tuck one or two near QA 
girls desk and say 'hi' each time you get one ;-)



Tom

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