What replication software do you use?

[Uncle Toxie]

My boss is looking to get Veritas Volume Replicator for the office. We have an office in Addison and one in Wichita Falls, what we want to have is one repository of data that both offices can work on at the local office and have that data replicate, block leve, to the other office (over the VPN connection).

If anyone at the [H] is doing something like this I would be interested in hearing about it so I can have other options to look at. As always, thank you for your support!

 

[nessus]

My boss is looking to get Veritas Volume Replicator for the office. We have an office in Addison and one in Wichita Falls, what we want to have is one repository of data that both offices can work on at the local office and have that data replicate, block leve, to the other office (over the VPN connection).

If anyone at the [H] is doing something like this I would be interested in hearing about it so I can have other options to look at. As always, thank you for your support!

Windows Server 2003 R2

The R2 release adds block level update support to the file replication service. If you use a domain based DFS, if one server took a header, the traffic would redirect to the other server until the failed server comes back online. Painful over a typically slow WAN link, but you still have some service.

 

[mobiux]

I use a product called doubletake from NSI.
It allows you to sync 2 volumes, or even a volume to a folder on another server.
or folder to folder etc.
It can be limited by bandwidth and priority.
It can be scheduled for offtime sync.
You can use one server as a repository for many other server/volumes/folders for a centralized backup server.
It can even be configured to do automatic failover for your server. So your data is always available.

Only problem is that it's kinda pricy, around $2500/seat, and your minimum backup setup requires 2 seats.

here's a decent review...
http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/49188/49188.html

 

[mobiux]

double post

 

[Private Citizen]

Computer Associates Brightstore High Availability

If you already use CA products for backup and such, it intergrates nicely. If not it's still a great product. The r11.5 should be released very soon. Current version is r11.1

We use this software to keep our file server replicated to a backup file server in case of a disaster. Just because the two boxes will be replicated does not mean you can skimp on a good backup plan. The price was approx 1,100 dollars and that gives you the license to install on two boxes.

Another product is IPReplicator. I tested this software out before the CA product. The installation and setup of this particular product is a litte more involved than the CA software but once it's setup it seemed to be a decent product. Price was about 1,500 dollars and that gives you two licenses.

 

[BlueMalibu]

My boss is looking to get Veritas Volume Replicator for the office. We have an office in Addison and one in Wichita Falls, what we want to have is one repository of data that both offices can work on at the local office and have that data replicate, block leve, to the other office (over the VPN connection).

Off on a tangent, I know, but how often do you have to service your Wichita Falls office?

 

[Uncle Toxie]

Off on a tangent, I know, but how often do you have to service your Wichita Falls office?

Well it depends on how you define service. I can handle the little desktop support things over IM or the phone. I use Radmin to take over and get it done. The real issue has been backups. The tape drive is going out, there has not been a good backup in a week, the list goes on and on.
It boils down to the fact that the network was poorly designed. I hesitate to say that because I am FAR from an expert seeing as this is my first one. There are a lot of things that are being changed as we speak.

I had to convince them that running your domain controller and file server and web server and DHCP et all on the same box was not such a good idea. As soon as my new copy of Server 2003 shows up I will be building the new File/Replication server. I am overhauling the AD structure to put both offices on the same domain, and I was able to impress upon them the need for a seperate DC with a backup DC. The strange thing is, my boss (the IT manager) has been pushing for some of these things for years. The guy has a masters in computer science but they wouldn't listen. I roll in here with my pissy associates from ITT and they think that I am some king of networking. I'm just gratefull that my boss has no ego about it, he is glad it's getting done.

Back on topic, we are going with Backup Exec v10 with the continuous protection server/agent to handle backup and replication between offices. That will take the backup chores out of the Wichita office so they can do what they are supposed to do and not try to be IT people.