NetWorker
Unlike the other products I tested, Legato's NetWorker uses push technology
for backups: Rather than having the server pull the data from the remote
systems, the product installs agents on remote systems, and these agents collect
and send the data to the backup server. Another unique aspect of NetWorker is
the way it handles information on the server. To speed the backup process, the
input streams from the remote systems are multiplexed or mixed on the tapes.
(This approach has the potential effect of slowing the restore process for an
individual workstation.) NetWorker supports up to 16 devices for concurrent
backups.
You install NetWorker as a server and as one or more clients. You notify
the server of clients on the network, and from then on, you can back up in early
morning (the product defaults to 3:33 a.m.) from anywhere or everywhere in the
network. You can assign specific tasks on specific days. Given this hands-off
orientation, NetWorker is clearly designed for lights-out backups.
NetWorker is easy to set up, and its overall feature set makes it a
powerful backup application. On backup, you can configure various windows to
give details about the total network backup, as shown in screen 5. A client
initiates all backup operations (in this case, the client and server modules are
on the same machine), and the data is pushed from the client to the server.
Several aspects of NetWorker need revision. For example, you have to use
command-line utilities to install, configure, and reset autochangers. Likewise,
the product provides no easy way to eject or erase a tape. You have to place
these functions either in the program or in a separate utility applet.
The overall strengths of NetWorker are its distributed architecture, its
client's ability to encrypt and password-protect data, and its approach to
maintaining separate client databases. With a few changes in the utilities (as
noted) and easier control of network stations, Legato will have a killer
application. However, you must consider the serious hardware requirement for a
NetWorker server: It has should be a serious Symmetrical Multiprocessing (SMP)
machine to handle concurrent backup.
SQLStor
SQLStor by SQL Business Systems is a full-featured automatic backup tool for
SQL databases. It fully supports autochangers and, in fact, will not work
without one. SQLStor is based on a client/server architecture that deploys full
32-bit server software in support of 16-bit client software. SQLStor is powerful
and even restores multiple data sets with one operation. Currently, SQLStor
supports only Microsoft SQL Server databases; support for other database
products is forthcoming.
SQLStor's setup is direct. You install the administrator (the server
software) and reboot the computer. Then you install the client and connect to
the SQL Server. After making the connection, you configure the hardware, examine
your databases, and set up your backup schedules, as shown in screen 6. From
this point, SQLStor functions automatically.
Several features of SQLStor are worth mentioning. First, it automatically
reschedules failed backups. Second, SQLStor can use multiple tape requests for
large backups. Third, if SQLStor fails, you can restore with the SQL Server.
SQLStor is the product of choice for large and serious databases, and it's easy
to configure and use. The 16-bit client did cause me some consternation, but I
never had problems with it. Future versions will include striping, bar code
readers, and support for other databases.
Making a Choice
All the backup products in this article can back up and restore. What
separates the applications is the ability to control the backup over a network
and the ability to work with system crashes and restores.
The most elegant of the crash/restore applications are Backup Director and
Storage Manager from Seagate Software. These two products maintain all resource
information on tape and automatically restore the system resources. Because of
the way these applications maintain file history information, they can even tell
you whether files have been deleted and then restore deleted files. When you add
support for file migration rules and VISTA, Seagate Software becomes the clear
editor's choice for enterprise-scale networks.
In the intermediate range of networks, the backup options are more open.
Both Seagate Software's Backup Exec and Barratt Edwards International's UltraBac
have features that make them outstanding applications.
All things considered, justifying one over the other is difficult, although
UltraBac's ability to back up to hard drives creates new and interesting backup
options. You can, for example, set up UltraBac to back up to juke boxes,
stand-alone optical drives, or other removable media drives. Both applications
use multiple instances of the applications to handle multiple devices. You can
argue that such multiple openings are more efficient than concurrent backups,
but for an enterprise-scale solution, such an implementation is awkward at best.
For these reasons, I choose both applications for the editor's choice for
medium-scale networks.
For small networks and personal desktop backup, the choice is between
Legato's NetWorker and Barratt Edwards International's UltraBac. The price
advantage goes to NetWorker, but the feature advantage goes to UltraBac. For
example, using UltraBac with a low-end removable media drive, such as an Iomega
Zip drive, to handle incremental backups is not unreasonable. Another feature
advantage UltraBac offers is drive-failure recovery. If one tape drive crashes,
the product automatically enables and uses a second drive.
On the other hand, if you are concerned about integrating your current and
future desktop systems into an enterprise environment, NetWorker is the logical
choice. The bottom line is that both are capable backup applications, but the
editor's choice for personal workstations/small-scale networks is UltraBac
because of its feature content.
Regardless of which backup product you choose, you need to follow through
and implement a comprehensive backup strategy for your environment. If you keep
that goal in mind, all these products are winners, because they all help in the
ongoing struggle to protect your most valuable corporate asset, your business
information.
Critieria for Editor's Choice Selection
Corrections to this Article:
- "System and Enterprise-wide Backup Software" incorrectly expanded SAP as an acronym. SAP Integrated Software produces SAP integrated business systems.
Also, quoted was incorrect price infomation for the UltraBac Network Server. The correct price is $795, and the Network Server is restricted to a total of six machines.