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- Dell Servers
- Dell SCSI Disk Arrays
- Dell Tape Library
- Veritas Backup Software
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Servers and Clustering
- Foundry Networks Copper Gigabyte Switch
- Setting up an automated procedure for copying the backup logs from the backup server to a central location on the front-end network
- Writing programs to read the logs and load pertinent information into the SQL tables
- Establishing success values (Verified, Backed Up, Failed, and Not Started)
- Establishing percent completed (number of files vs. number of files actually backed up)
- Establishing major IT service/application linkage (linking to the IT reporting system and showing backup and restore performance by major services, e.g., file server by location, Sales Intranet, etc.)
- Updating the master reporting database weekly, so the information would be available to me on Monday mornings
- Integrating the information into the master IT reporting system
- Microsoft SQL Server 2000
- Microsoft Access Programming Language
- Microsoft Excel Pivot Tables
- Server scheduling and copying of the Veritas Log Files was needed to move copies of the daily logs from the backup network to the front end network so that the access program could decode and load logs to the database
- Veritas Enterprise Backup Software
I was very pleased with the results. The file server in a Windows 2000 server cluster configuration was rock solid and Active Directory met our administrative needs. The backup network worked better than anticipated, reduced overtime expense, and helped to keep the same staff levels. We implemented the solution for about $25,000 as opposed to over $100,000 for comparable SAN Fiber Channel solutions. We enjoyed about a 40 percent speed increase on backup times, but more importantly, we gained the ability to back up servers any time, eliminating the traditional off-hour backup window. The master list of required backups was completed. The new reporting system provided the needed information, and problems were quickly identified and taken care of by the person-in-charge.
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