quick question about backing up Mini SL Server

[cis4life]

I'm looking to purchase a SL Mac Mini Server. I know I can store time machine images on it, but can I TM the server itself to say an external drive. I know it has 2 x 500GB drives in it. If I put in a 1TB drive (Ext. USB or FW), can i use that to TM the server itself?

I just want to make sure this is the best way to back up the actual server itself.

Thanks

 

[calderone]

I would not personally use TM to back up my server. There are a few posts expressing issues with this method. My issue rests with it backing up the right stuff, TM is a consumer solution for backup and is not something I would trust for a server. Personal preference from experience and based on the impressions of others.

You would be better off with scheduled imaging using CCC or SuperDuper.

 

[Matthew Yohe]

I'm looking to purchase a SL Mac Mini Server. I know I can store time machine images on it, but can I TM the server itself to say an external drive. I know it has 2 x 500GB drives in it. If I put in a 1TB drive (Ext. USB or FW), can i use that to TM the server itself?

I just want to make sure this is the best way to back up the actual server itself.

Thanks

Do NOT use Time Machine as a method to backup your server. It only will backup service states, not service data.

Carbon Copy Cloner can do this, and you should read up on it. Specifically this: http://bombich.com/software/docs/CCCHelp/CCCHelp.html?page=advsettings

When you're done reading, and you've set up your solution, don't just assume it works, test it.

Then after it works the way you want, Mike Bombich would probably not mind if you visited this page.

 

[Les Kern]

If you're planning on using Oracle on that server, the last thing you want is rsync. Just an FYI.
If it's a lite-duty server that has idle time at night, you can use time machine. I dispense with the hourly TM backups and set it to once an evening using time machine editor. It works just fine real world for me, and has yet to fail. I use CCC a LOT, so there are just multiple solutions to choose from, but CCC and Oracle? Instant hosed data.

 

[Matthew Yohe]

If it's a lite-duty server that has idle time at night, you can use time machine. It works just fine real world for me, and has yet to fail.

Great, good job. But you obviously haven't tested your time machine backup.

If you're using any of the services that OS X Server provides, then any service data will NOT be backed up.

Also, I'm not sure if you just came in here to tell us about your knowledge of Oracle, but honestly, you could easily back it up with rsync, just stop the DB while you do. But then again, I don't think anyone other than you thinks that the OP is going to run an Oracle server.

 

[cis4life]

No,

I won't be using Oracle at all. I want to set this up to run as a ColdFusion 9 server with MySQL. I will also hook up email, ftp, iCal and other services to it so I can run my business and my client sites via the server.

I'm just looking for the best way to back up the server itself so in case of a server failure, I can replace the server via Apple Store / Apple Care and then restore the image on the server and be back running quickly. I also plan to build a farm of mini servers as my business grows. So I'm debating if I should go Mac (With it's new pricing and awesome features) or should I stay MS Windows Server.

Thanks for the info you all posted thus far, I'm researching those solutions and weighting them.

Also,

SuperDuper, How is it and how easy is it to use. Remember, I'm coming from the Windows World and I'm very techie so I'm not worried about complexity, but I would love to keep a simple and striaght forward work flow to do these things if possible.

Thanks,
Cedric