Question

Syncing Software recommendations

Backup, RAID, Windows Server 2003, RAID 5, Backup to Disk, Windows Server 2003 R2

One of my VIP end users (a senior scientist in our building) has put in a request for the following setup:

He wants us to build him 2 8-TB file servers, identical in design. This is not a problem, I've done this already for our own use.

One server will be in his lab for their use. He wants the second one to remain in our server room, and he wants to do a disk to disk backup from his to ours. (Trust me, I've long since explained to him, many times, about the difference between that and an actual tape backup.)

What we will do is run the backup jobs off of our server, rather than backing his up and causing issues with our network. All the details are worked out, but what I'm looking for is the best software solution recommended to keep the two servers (his and ours) sync'd.

The servers will be running WIndows Server 2003 (r2), likely with an 8-TB RAID5 array. The hardware is going to be identical for each box, and their direct connection will likely either be fiber channel or Gigabit Ethernet.

For that much data and more then likely this is going to be highly senstive data that you are looking for pretty much continous syncing. For what you are trying to accomplish I would highly suggest looking at a replication application such as Steeleye Lifekeeper as it will provide you with full volume level replication. Many other replication applications have a hard time keeping up with that large of data volumes and Lifekeeper does a very good job and since its at block level file sizes are pretty much a mute point when doing the replication.