I need a DVD backup software solution

[jmann]

Hey guys, I need some help finding backup software to backup to DVD. There is lots of software out there that does this, but nothing has the feature combination I am looking for.

I need to be able to:
--drive-span (set up the backup software to use a bank of several dvd writers so that it can run unattended. I want to be able to leave it to run a full then incremental backups for about a week using the drive pool)
--open file handling
--run as a service (or atleast have a scheduler that runs as a service)
--control of archive bit setting (or using date/time change stamps instead of archive bit)

NTI backup is the only software I could find that does drive pooling, but unfortunatly it does not do anything else.

The most promissing solution is Firestreamer-DVD, which is a dvd to tape drive emulator designed to allow dvd+r media to be used with NTBACKUP. But its interface is almost non-existant and I had other problems with it

Cany anyone suggest software?
Windows Small Buisness server 2003.

Why don't I just use tapes? Well, I have never been able to get tapes to work. I have been trying for about six years without any luck. The server lives in a very dirty envirenement that destorys tapes instantly. DVDs are so cheap, relyable and easy to store safely that they are my prefered soltution.

[whitejremiah]

i'm not an expert in this area, but why not just use another set of harddrives, and mirror them....perferably over some sort of network connection incase something was to completly fry one of the computers? i'd personally think this would be the easiest idea....but once again, im not an expert.....

[jmann]

I was using network attached storage (with some software to facilitate the backup). However, I lost the backups in a six hour office fire that destroyed every speck of material in the office. So, yes that works; been there done that. But it no longer meets my needs. I do not want to make the same mistake again. I would rather continuously take incemental backups off site and leave them there. Cheap DVDs are the answer, but I cannot find a way to make it work.

[guns1inger]

I would question the use of DVDs in an environment so dirty it destroys tapes. I know the tapes we use are in sealed cartidges, wheras DVDs have open surfaces. Any dust or contaminant that can settle on the surface can easily destroy a backup, let alone what it will do to the laser itself. I would be looking at either a better tape mechanism (i.e. not the older DDS series tapes), or better protecting your server.

That said, these might be worth a look (straight from Google - no previous experience with them)

http://www.novastor.com/pcbackup/backup/n_backup.html
http://www.stompsoft.com/pc-backup/

Don't know if these can utilise multiple drives.

And an alternate view

http://remote-backup.com/online-backup-articles/dvd-backup.htm

[Faustus]

Moved this without reading the finer details. Sorry about that.

Sounds like you really need a tap drive, or even a handler.