Definition of dual backup vs RAID1

[AccordMetal]

Ok, lets try composing this again before forum resets and tosses 45 minutes away again.

Our hardware sales and service agent has said that we need to subscribe to a Veeam backup software (about CAD$15 monthly) and the Veeam representative I spoke to on the phone said that we could use the Veeam Agent software (which is now free). The arrangement we have is based upon the KISS principle, one windows server computer in the office and another computer doing backups with two identical data drives on the same LAN in another building on site. The OS resides on a separate SSD in the latter computer. And the data drives are currently external.

According to our service agent, Veeam Agent cannot save our back up to the two drives they sold us. When I suggested they create a RAID1 pairing thinking that would create the duplicate/redundant backup drive they said that would only protect against hardware failure and not bit failure. What am I not understanding? What is this Veeam backup software doing that the Agent software onto a RAID1 drive does not?

We currently have the office manager manually copy the server's files over to a usb drive and want to automate to task so that it would be done regularly outside of office hours. In the event of the server crashing the files can be recovered from the backup drive. We keep accounting and production files on the server for up to 7 years before they are simply trashed at which time they also get removed from the backup drive. We are looking forward to the recovery protection that the automated software has in case of accidental or deliberate deletion of files within that time frame.

[PTide]

Hi,

According to our service agent, Veeam Agent cannot save our back up to the two drives they sold us.

Right. Veeam Agent does not create a secondary copy of your backup.

When I suggested they create a RAID1 pairing thinking that would create the duplicate/redundant backup drive they said that would only protect against hardware failure and not bit failure.

They are right.

What is this Veeam backup software doing that the Agent software onto a RAID1 drive does not?

Backup Copy, it is doing Backup Copy. Not only it copies primary backups in a very efficient manner, but also provides protection against corruption - Health Check.

We keep accounting and production files on the server for up to 7 years before they are simply trashed at which time they also get removed from the backup drive. We are looking forward to the recovery protection that the automated software has in case of accidental or deliberate deletion of files within that time frame.

Then you might want to check GFS retention that Backup Copy job provides.

Thanks!