Backing Up Data to Network Drive

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike

Hi, where I work the IT policy is to store all user data, including Outlook
..PST files, on network drives
resulting, I believe, in a crushing performance hit. I'm talking major
gigabytes of data. As a test I want change
my workgroup users (about 15% of total enterprise users XP Pro and Server
2003) from storing data on network drives to storing data, including
Outlook .PST files, on local PCs and back up this data to network drives.
Which software to you recommend we use? Hopefully is sometime already built
into
XP Pro or available from MS at no charge.

I'd like to hear from others how they handle this problem. My workgroup
consists of about 140 PCs at one site and another 100 or so at another site.
\
Thanks,

Mike.
 
Mike said:
Hi, where I work the IT policy is to store all user data, including Outlook
.PST files, on network drives
resulting, I believe, in a crushing performance hit. I'm talking major
gigabytes of data. As a test I want change
my workgroup users (about 15% of total enterprise users XP Pro and Server
2003) from storing data on network drives to storing data, including
Outlook .PST files, on local PCs and back up this data to network drives.
Which software to you recommend we use? Hopefully is sometime already built
into
XP Pro or available from MS at no charge.

I'd like to hear from others how they handle this problem. My workgroup
consists of about 140 PCs at one site and another 100 or so at another site.
\
Thanks,

Mike.
Click to expand...

You could use the Task Scheduler on your server to invoke
a batch file that uses xcopy.exe to suck up the PST files to
a central backup location. You should do some scoping
before implementing this: If you have 140 users, each with a
1 GByte PST file then the backup process might take some
time to complete . . .
 
I think that you are asking for trouble moving it to the workstations except
perhaps the pst files, why have you got pst files anyway aren't you using
Exchange. Using pst on a network drive is not supported by Microsoft because
of the potential for data loss/corruption.
 
Bad idea. The whole point of a central data store on the network is to
remove files from areas where IT has no control to areas where IT has total
control. Files distributed over local PCs will be difficult to back up and
you will invariably find that one of your users switched his/her PC off last
night, files did not get backed up, and then they'll delete or overwrite a
file that their job (or worse, your company's ability to do business)
absolutely depends on.

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
 
Richard G. Harper said:
Bad idea. The whole point of a central data store on the network is to
remove files from areas where IT has no control to areas where IT has
total control. Files distributed over local PCs will be difficult to back
up and you will invariably find that one of your users switched his/her PC
off last night, files did not get backed up, and then they'll delete or
overwrite a file that their job (or worse, your company's ability to do
business) absolutely depends on.
Click to expand...
I hear you. The SOP for enterprise environments is to leave all data,
including .PST data, on network drives?
Others have stated in earlier posts it's not a good idea to store active
..PST files on network drives.

Mike
 
Mike said:
I hear you. The SOP for enterprise environments is to leave all data,
including .PST data, on network drives?
Others have stated in earlier posts it's not a good idea to store
active .PST files on network drives.
Click to expand...

It's not a good idea because there's risk of data corruption. I think
Pegasus's approach to have a scheduled task that copies the PST (with
Outlook closed, of course) to a network share where it can be backed up is
about the best.

That said, many enterprises do have the policy that PSTs, if they exist,
will be on network shares. Mine does, for example, although some of us have
disregarded that policy and do keep our PSTs on our local machines, electing
to copy the PST to the network share instead.
 
There's no more chance of a PST file becoming corrupt on a network drive
than there is of it becoming corrupt on a local drive. Unless you have
network problems, in which case corrupt PST files are the least of your
problems. ;-)

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
 
Mike said:
I hear you. The SOP for enterprise environments is to leave all data,
including .PST data, on network drives?
Others have stated in earlier posts it's not a good idea to store active
.PST files on network drives.

Mike
Click to expand...

All of my clients keep their .PST files on network drives
and have been doing so for several years. There is no sign
of any corruption and the performance is just fine, even
when the file size is in excess of 500 MBytes.
 
Pegasus (MVP) said:
All of my clients keep their .PST files on network drives
and have been doing so for several years. There is no sign
of any corruption and the performance is just fine, even
when the file size is in excess of 500 MBytes.
Click to expand...

Interesting, others have reported significant performance hits with .pst
files stored on network drives.
We're seeing the same thing though it hasn't been isolated to network
drives.

Mike
 
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=297019 data corruption/loss are not the
only reasons why it isn't advisable to have a pst on a network share as
outlined in the article.
Richard G. Harper said:
There's no more chance of a PST file becoming corrupt on a network drive
than there is of it becoming corrupt on a local drive. Unless you have
network problems, in which case corrupt PST files are the least of your
problems. ;-)

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


Mike said:
I hear you. The SOP for enterprise environments is to leave all data,
including .PST data, on network drives?
Others have stated in earlier posts it's not a good idea to store active
.PST files on network drives.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Richard G. Harper said:
There's no more chance of a PST file becoming corrupt on a network
drive than there is of it becoming corrupt on a local drive.
Click to expand...

Not according to Microsoft.
 
Interesting KB article, however I'l have to reread link
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011402691033.aspx.
Do you understand the Roaming Profile Outloo scenario?

Mike

Noel All said:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=297019 data corruption/loss are not the
only reasons why it isn't advisable to have a pst on a network share as
outlined in the article.
Richard G. Harper said:
There's no more chance of a PST file becoming corrupt on a network drive
than there is of it becoming corrupt on a local drive. Unless you have
network problems, in which case corrupt PST files are the least of your
problems. ;-)

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


Mike said:
I hear you. The SOP for enterprise environments is to leave all data,
including .PST data, on network drives?
Others have stated in earlier posts it's not a good idea to store active
.PST files on network drives.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Richard G. Harper said:
There's no more chance of a PST file becoming corrupt on a network drive
than there is of it becoming corrupt on a local drive. Unless you have
network problems, in which case corrupt PST files are the least of your
problems. ;-)
Click to expand...

Except when you have to omply with the SOX ACT!!!
 
Not sure where you are going with this other than to point out that it
reiterates the article I posted in that it says that pst and ost on network
shares aren't a supported scenario.
Mike said:
Interesting KB article, however I'l have to reread link
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011402691033.aspx.
Do you understand the Roaming Profile Outloo scenario?

Mike

Noel All said:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=297019 data corruption/loss are not the
only reasons why it isn't advisable to have a pst on a network share as
outlined in the article.
Richard G. Harper said:
There's no more chance of a PST file becoming corrupt on a network drive
than there is of it becoming corrupt on a local drive. Unless you have
network problems, in which case corrupt PST files are the least of your
problems. ;-)

--
Richard G. Harper [MVP Shell/User] (e-mail address removed)
* PLEASE post all messages and replies in the newsgroups
* for the benefit of all. Private mail is usually not replied to.
* My website, such as it is ... http://rgharper.mvps.org/
* HELP us help YOU ... http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm


I hear you. The SOP for enterprise environments is to leave all data,
including .PST data, on network drives?
Others have stated in earlier posts it's not a good idea to store
active .PST files on network drives.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
We too are placed in a situation where SOX compliance has to be enforced. I
have been tasked with ensuring all .pst files are only on a predesignated
network share. To add a monkey wrench in the mix, my manager does not want
the ability to write pst files locally. Does anyone have advise on how to
stop the local creation of .pst files? any help would be appreciated.

Ernest Edwards
 
Back
Top