Backup a NAS to another NAS?

Hi

I have a customer with SBS2003 server with integral RAID5 storage of approx 288gb. Backup is via the inbuilt SBS2003 software to an internal tape. In addition, there are also backups using ntbackup from the server to 3 USB hard drive units in a different buildings.

They have a marketing dept that is using very large dtp files (used by MAC & XP workstations) that need to be run from a NAS unit. I'm thinking of something like 2tb storage on RAID5. The issue is how & where to back this up.

I'm thinking of using Acronis True Image running on a workstation to backup a complete image of the NAS to a 2nd NAS (in a different building) every night across the network. Does this make sense? Would Acronis do this please?

Thanks for your advice.

 

I'm not a expert on NAS devices, but as far as I know, TI can't do an image backup of a NAS device. You can only do files and folders backups (just like you were backing up a network share on another computer).

 

OK thanks Mudcrab.

 

Hi Biscuit,

Actually, if your NAS Device uses one of the Windows operating systems you can install Acronis Agent on the NAS and then connect to this Agent via Acronis Management Console and backup the whole drive (or several partitions).

Otherwise, as MudCrab said only file-based backup is possible.

_Kento_

 

Thanks Kento, that's interesting. So if the NAS unit uses say Windows XP embedded then I can backup an image as long as I can install Acronis directly onto the NAS?

 

That would be yes.

_Kento_

 

Thanks!

 

I've found that although the NAS units have XP embedded, I cannot install software on them. Therefore I am looking at running a backup remotely. If I run a full backup once a day from NAS 1 to NAS 2, which Acronis product do I need for this & where shodul the Acronis software be installed?

 

What do you mean by "Windows XP embedded" ?

Why you can not install ATI on it? Which version of Acronis True Image you use? Have you received any error messages during the installation? If it is corporate version, did you try to install Acronis True Image Agent on the NAS or local version? Did you tried to perform the installation remotely?

Any addition details on the issue would be useful.

 

I have not yet installed the hardware.

I am looking at 2x LaCie NAS units that have XP Embedded (http://www.lacie.com/uk/products/product.htm?pid=10836). Checking with LaCie tech support, I cannot install any software on these units. I will therefore need to consider backing up NAS1 to NAS2 with some other product, possibly ntbackup, possibly Acronis.