We have a 128 node compute cluster for environmental modeling, with a master/head node which we currently backup with a Windows2003 system running BackupExec 12 and a single HP LTO3 tape drive. We have recently ordered an Overland NEO200s 12 slot library, and are considering migrating off Windows to CentOS 5 for the backup server. The master/head node is RHEL5, with the compute nodes currently being migrated from a mix of RHEL3/4/5 to CentOS5. I'm fairly familiar with RH/Centos, but have no experience with Bacula. We've tentatively settled on Bacula as our cluster vendor recommended it. My questions are: 1) Does Bacula support an Overland NEO200s/LTO3 library? 2) Can Bacula catalog/restore tapes written by BE? and 3) I've head of Amanda, but am even more unfamiliar with it than Bacula. Any assistance would be appreciated
Dave Frandin
Best Answer
Several people have moved off BE to Bacula, some for the reasons you cite, Dave. Many Bacula users using Overland libraries. I'll check on the specific model you are looking at.
Users have also successfully converted tapes from other systems. Easiest way is to restore the tape with BE then back it up with Bacula, using some tricks we know that allow you to make the Bacula tape have the same date/time stamp as the original backup. Our CTO is Kern Sibbald, author of Bacula and project manager.
Unlike Amanda, even our Enterprise Edition is GPL so you can use it for free. Amanda Enterprise requires payment and a proporietary EULA.
Who is the cluster vendor who recommended Bacula? I would like to write to him to thank him and also to congratulate him on his wise advice :-)
Feel free to contact me: jack.griffin@baculasystems.com