STRATEGIES

Devising a good backup and disaster recovery solution is important. One needs to ensure the plan has the following characteristics:

Simple, reliable backups that are not labor intensive
Easy access to data for restoration of single files or folders
Rapid recovery for complete server rebuilds
Off-site backups for disaster recovery purposes
Secure - minimize risk of loss/theft of data

While every business is different, our FileSafe solution, combined with our basic strategy, will provide a starting place for devising your own comprehensive solution. 

After building the server and preparing it for use, image the server using a disk cloning program, such as Norton Ghost, Acronis True Image, etc. Place the image on CD-ROMs and prepare a bootable floppy or CD to initiate the imaging software. This will allow for quick rebuilds of the server without the need to manually load the operating system, individual applications, etc.
Backup system state to a file, using the Windows Backup application. This will copy the registry, active directory, and other critical files to an individual file that can be backed up online. A sample script is available in our support area to do this, which can be automatically run at the start of each backup.
Use the Open File Manager option if Exchange, SQL Server or other applications are used that keep files open at all times.
Backup all files on the server daily. Mission critical data that changes frequently can be scheduled for more frequent backups, if necessary.
Request DVD/CD copies of data if known potential disaster threatens (i.e. hurricane).

For in-house businesses who have non-Windows core DP servers, talk to your vendor as they may be able to backup the data to a Windows based system, allowing it to be backed up through FileSafe. For SQL Server and other applications, it may be possible to forgo the Open File Manager option if a maintenance process can be scheduled that backs up the data.

Regardless of the final solution you devise, we recommend testing it to ensure it provides the results you desire. If you need help planning your solution, our professional consulting services can help you.