Backing up duplicated pool

[cocksy_boy]

Hi All,

 

I've been using DrivePool 1.X on my old WHS 2011 system for a while, but am in the process of upgrading to a new server setup based on Hyper-V Server 2012 R2 with WHS 2011 in a VM and I'm taking the opportunity to switch to Drivepool 2.X at the same time. My question is similar to one I posted a long time ago (here), but was wondering if things have changed since I last asked (i searched and couldn't see a similar question / answer!):

 

I have 2 x 2TB virtual "data" drives in the WHS 2011 VM which are set to duplicate everything in them. I want to use the built in WHS 2011 backup to backup all the data onto another 2TB virtual drive ("backup") on the WHS 2011 VM.

 

So my question is what's the best policy for backing up the disk; do I:

 

1. Set the WHS 2011 backup to backup the Drivepool drive. My concern is I don't want to backup 2 copies of every file, but the combination of the previous version of Drivepool & WHS 2011 backup couldn't tell the difference and would have backed up both copies of all files. This would soon fill up my backup drive in no time, and is overkill for my needs - I only need to backup once on top of the duplication!

 

OR

 

2. Set the WHS 2011 backup one of the "data" drives?

 

Option 1 would seem like the neater option as long as it doesn't back everything up twice! Option 2 would work and I don't think there would be any issues if that's the only way ahead - unless I'm mistaken.

Cheers,

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Okay, and as long as it's just the 2 disks, then you should be fine with doing this.

 

Once you have more than two disks, this gets a lot more complicated.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

First, you cannot use Windows Server Backup to backup the Pool drive directly.  This is because it relies on the Volume Shadowcopy Service (VSS), which is not supported on StableBit DrivePool's pool disk.  

 

You need to either backup the disks in the pool, or use a file based utility (eg, a sync utility such as Allways Sync, Free File Sync, etc) to backup the pool.

 

http://stablebit.com/Support/DrivePool/1.X/Manual?Section=Using%20Server%20Backup%20to%20Backup%20the%20Pool

 

Is everything on the pool duplicated?

If it is, then you could "get away" with using Server Backup to backup just one of the disks in the pool. 

[cocksy_boy]

yeah, its a 100% duplication, so I think I'll set WHS to backup one of the virtual data disks. Thanks!

[Umfriend]

Until we get Grouping / Strings...

[cocksy_boy]

Thanks guys!