What are your experiences with Symantec CPS?

Asgorath

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
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I hated Continuous protection server on BE 12. They apparently improved it in 12.5. I don't know if it's worth my time to set up a test bed.

What do you guys think?

I have an 80GB, 2.5 million file share that needs to be backed up. The share is very slow (20 Mb/s), so I need to keep it replicated to the backup server in order to allow for quick backup to tape times.
 
I just replaced it at remote office with 160GB on the file server. I replaced it with DFSR. I am seeing a 90-97% reduction in WAN untilization using Server 2008 DFSR(same as 2003 R2). I use VSS to have local backups and replace the file shares to our main offcie where it gets backuped to tape and set off site.
 
I just replaced it at remote office with 160GB on the file server. I replaced it with DFSR. I am seeing a 90-97% reduction in WAN untilization using Server 2008 DFSR(same as 2003 R2). I use VSS to have local backups and replace the file shares to our main offcie where it gets backuped to tape and set off site.

DFS FTW. DFS is SO much better than trying to mess with Symantec's CPS. CPS is clunky and doesn't work half the time in my experience although I haven't tried the 12.5 version.
 
DFS FTW. DFS is SO much better than trying to mess with Symantec's CPS. CPS is clunky and doesn't work half the time in my experience although I haven't tried the 12.5 version.

The jobs would run for weeks then just kinda clunk out. I'd have to restart services and muck with it to get things working again.

I think that settles it...I'm going to have to use DFS to get this working right.

Can you set DFS to 'echo' a share, instead of sync it both ways? If the files get messed up on my backup server, I want the file server to have a master set that won't have the DFS sync's screw it up.
 
Can you set DFS to 'echo' a share, instead of sync it both ways? If the files get messed up on my backup server, I want the file server to have a master set that won't have the DFS sync's screw it up.

Yes, you can setup one-way or two-way replication. I've setup the one-way replication to backup remote sites to a central backup server at the main office before. Works brilliantly.
 
Yes, you can setup one-way or two-way replication. I've setup the one-way replication to backup remote sites to a central backup server at the main office before. Works brilliantly.


Technically not true. Microsoft doesn't support one way synchronization in Server 2003 R2 or Server 2008. You can manually configure it but it isn't supported. Read-Only is a new AD attribute that is included with Server 2008 R2 which is why when 08 R2 is released they will support a one way sync.

If you don't want the failover capacity you can just enable the DFS replication but disable the target link for the HQ. That way no users will be connected to the copy at the HQ.
 
Technically not true. Microsoft doesn't support one way synchronization in Server 2003 R2 or Server 2008. You can manually configure it but it isn't supported. Read-Only is a new AD attribute that is included with Server 2008 R2 which is why when 08 R2 is released they will support a one way sync.

If you don't want the failover capacity you can just enable the DFS replication but disable the target link for the HQ. That way no users will be connected to the copy at the HQ.

But you can still set it up and it does work. :D
 
Availl WFS if you need seamless access at the other site, supporting file locking, seemless low bandwidth delta differential. This software is awesome, but not cheap. If you have remote sites that need to share data seamlessly, as though they were sitting at the local lan, this is for you. Been using it for almost 3 years at an architectural client, 2 sites, connected via vpn tunnel. Incredible. Versioning, backup, deleted file access, you name it. Makes DFS look weak.
 
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