Want to set up Retrospect 5 (Mac) on a mixed network backing up to a LaCie Firewire Hard Drive

[Guest]

Please forgive my naivete, I'm not a trained tech, I'm a science grad student with tech responsibilities for our lab's computers and data. I need to set up a backup system to protect our data from damage, loss or disaster.

 

Here's what our network is:

 

- 3 iMacs (G3's), 2 G4 towers and one PowerPC G3. All of these machines run Mac OS 9.2.2. At least two of the machines (the G4 towers) and possible the PowerPC G3 need to stay on that OS to avoid having problems with an important piece of software required for using our microscopes (OpenLab 2.2.2, developer recommends sticking with what we've got if it's stable, which it is).

 

- 1 iBook, 2 Windows XP laptops (these three laptops are disconnected from the network every evening when they are taken home).

 

Our network runs just on ethernet (no server persay).

 

It is possible to move one of the iMacs to OS X if that is necessary to backup the laptops.

 

We want to use two 160 GB hard drives for weekly backups (so that we can switch between drives, always keeping one offsite after it is used, then bringing the other onsite so it can be used for the next backup set). We will probably purchase LaCie drives for this purpse, either the Firewire Hard Drive or the d2 Firewire Hard Drive. However, these drives are not listed on the Hardware Compatibility Chart. Do they work with Retrospect?

 

What version of Retrospect do we need? Do we need to set up one of the iMacs as a 'server' with OS X? Will the drives I've picked out work? How complex is it going to be to get the laptops to back up (particularly the Windows XP ones)?

 

How will I set all this up? ( I can get help from our MedIT department in the Faculty)

 

That's all the questions I can think of right now.

 

Thanks,

 

Dana

[natew]

Hi

 

 

 

You can use OSX or OS9 for your backup machine no problem. The two drive rotation will be easy and so will backing up the XP machines - it all works the same in Retrospect no matter what OS your clients are running.

 

 

 

You could use Retrospect Desktop or workgroup for Mac. I would total up the number of clients you have and see if Desktop+client licenses is cheaper than just buying workgroup.

 

 

 

The hard disks you are considering will work fine with Retrospect. Hard disks are not considered specialized "backup devices" and so they are not listed on the site. However they can all be used to store "file" backup sets

 

 

 

I suggest looking at the following tutorials and then asking more questions as you go along - otherwise we could get lost in the details.

 

 

 

http://www.dantz.com/index.php3?SCREEN=kbase&ACTION=KBASE&id=27501

 

http://www.dantz.com/index.php3?SCREEN=kbase&ACTION=KBASE&id=27501

 

 

 

BTW the trial version of Retrospect is a great way to make sure Retrospect can do what you need it to.

 

 

 

Nate