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Using old server to create backups
More and more information is stored in the digital form and that?s why there emerges a question how to provide the biggest amount of security to it. Every existing method has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, floppies are useless now, ZIP-disks are too expensive, given their capacity ? CD or DVD copies are good if you remember to do them regularly. If you store your information on a single hard drive, it is natural that one time it will fail and you will lose your data.
So what is left? You may copy the information on another hard drive ? external or on another computer. So let us see how you can use your old computer as a server for your backups.
Many users upgrade their computers every 2-5 years and that?s why somewhere you may find some old and not used machine. It may be used for this purpose.
Every more or less modern machine that was built somewhere around 2000 will be quick enough for the purpose. If the machine is built before the year of 2000, it will hardly suit your needs.
Before you make any software manipulations just try to switch the computer on and check if it loads. If it fails to load ? check if CPU or RAM card is inserter properly, check the power supply and see if your computer is in working state.
Check how much you have to invest in it, search for needed components in shops. You will most likely need hard drive, network card and RAM.
Nowadays each PC may handle at least two hard drives. You can put the OS on existing hard drive and store and make copies on newly bought drive. Hard drives are affordable now and their volume is enough for any backup storage. They are big enough to make the full image of the system just in case.
For even greater security and to preserve data think about using RAID. In such configuration the data is divided between two and more hard drives. You should probably use RAID 1 where the same data is copied on each of two or more drives. Software or dedicated controller card may be used. Such solution will cost you from 200 to 500 USD that will be paid for controller and the pair of hard drives. Yes, RAID costs more than standard hard drive, but such solution is more secure because if you don?t make backups everywhere it allows to make sure that data is preserved at least on one hard drive.
Next, you will need the network card. It is your choice to use cable or Wi-Fi. Also as an option you may buy the USB adapter to transfer data directly.
In order for you computers to see the new server you have to create network ? it is done rather simply and usually the standard means of Microsoft Windows allow to do it easily. You will have to share the folders that are needed to backup.
If you are not ready to pay the money for the Windows license, choose Linux ? this system may be used free. It is reliable, just make sure that it supports all your hardware ? especially wi-fi cards and different controllers. Linux also has some free of charge means of backup creation.
After everything is configured, you have to choose the data that will fill the backup in. If we speak about Windows, ?My Documents? folder is backed up usually, but you will highly likely want to create backups of other data, as well as system registry. It is possible to make partial backups ? only the files and folders that changed since the last backup, but once a week it is better to make a full uncompressed copy that can be read by any computer. And don?t forget about antivirus software.
For full security try to make additional backups. Use CDs and DVDs for periodical backups and make backups of changes on weekly or monthly basis. Create backups in the cloud for the most sensitive information (it may be free of charge or through the subscription).
Thus, the old computer may be used as a sever for backups. The only thing to consider here is what upgrade it needs and how much it will cost.
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