Anna
Thu May 15 20:07:40 PDT 2008
>> "Anonymous" <com@com.com> wrote in message
>> news:5q1Xj.3224$ah4.2192@flpi148.ffdc.sbc.com...
>>> I've had similar replies, including the suggestion to use the
>>> Acronis Workstation version, rather than Home.
>>>
>>> Like you, my years of Ntbackup usage have been quite
>>> positive, meeting all my needs for a backup.
>>>
>>> However, although Ntbackup will easily protect against
>>> accidental loss, it is either unable, or quite cumbersome
>>> at providing recovery, or bare metal restore.
>>>
>>> I have to admit that the backup product from CMS looks
>>> quite attractive though. Because I like the idea of simply
>>> rebooting the backup image for a quick recovery. Watch
>>> this video:
>>>
http://www.cmsproducts.com/video/desktop_backup.html
>>>
>>> Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with E/SATA, and support
>>> would require my upgrade. But, I'd get the functionality
>>> described, in addition to the significantly higher speeds.
>>>
>>> One of the Amazon reviewers complaints on Acronis TI
>>> Home was that E/SATA was not currently supported. I
>>> guess I would've thought a backup product would simply
>>> rely on the OS for peripheral access.
>>>
>>> I'm currently investigating this "boot from backup" on an
>>> external drive issue. What it takes? (E/SATA, Firewire,
>>> etc?), and what I've have to upgrade. But, I like the idea.
>>>
>>> Not only is it easier, but simple testing of a crash recovery
>>> requires no intermediate restore. Much less exposure to
>>> error.
>>>
>>> Additionally, because the backup image is stored in native
>>> format(non-composite), even lost file restores are easier.
>>> And FAT limitations are avoided for users of that archi-
>>> tecture.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
> Anna wrote:
>> I'm sure you understand that when we talk about eSATA or just plain SATA
>> in this context of backup programs, we're simply talking about the HDD
>> that will be involved in the backup and/or restore process. And that HDD
>> >> will be a SATA (not a PATA) HDD. The distinction between SATA & eSATA
>> is simply the connector that a SATA HDD will be connected to. The >> "e"
>> in eSATA stands for "external". A number of motherboards are equipped >>
>> with an eSATA port and a number of desktop computer cases are similarly
>> >> equipped. The eSATA port is considered a more secure SATA connector
>> than the "regular" or "normal" SATA connector and the eSATA data cable >>
>> will be equipped with an eSATA connector, not a "regular" SATA connector.
>> But for all practical purposes a SATA HDD will perform just as >> well
>> connected to either type of port - SATA or eSATA.
>>
>> The important point to remember here is that connecting a external SATA
>> HDD to *either* a SATA or eSATA port will give the user SATA-to-SATA
>> connectivity (as opposed to USB connectivity for example). Obviously
>> we're presuming that the PC has SATA capability, i.e., it supports SATA
>> hard drives.
>>
>> Having SATA-to-SATA connectivity is most advantageous when using an
>> external SATA HDD as the recipient of the backed up contents of one's
>> internal day-to-day working HDD. There are two significant advantages...
>> 1. The data transfer rate is considerably higher than, for example, a USB
>> external HDD device.
>> 2. Assuming the SATA HDD contained in a SATA external enclosure is the
>> recipient of the cloned contents of the user's internal HDD through the
>> use of a disk-cloning program, e.g., the Acronis one that has been
>> mentioned, the SATA HDD will be a bootable device even though it's being
>> >> used in an external capacity. The system will treat that drive as an
>> *internal* >> HDD because of its SATA-to-SATA connectivity
>> notwithstanding the fact >> that it is physically external to the
>> machine.
>>
>> (BTW, that CMS device you mention is really nothing more than an external
>> enclosure that provides both USB & SATA connectivity. There are scores of
>> similar enclosures on the market. You can simply install your own SATA >>
>> HDD into the enclosure.)
>>
>> The Acronis True Image program that has been recommended to you is a fine
>> program with many satisfied users. You should consider it, especially
>> since there's a trial version available.
>>
>> However, for a variety of reasons, the disk-cloning program we greatly
>> prefer is the Casper 4 program. If you (or anyone coming upon this
>> thread)
>> want some details about that program I'll post such.
>> Anna
"Bill in Co." <not_really_here@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:u6jcxcvtIHA.4376@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Just to be complete, Anna, you should point out that he doesn't HAVE to
> use SATA or eSATA for backups, however. He could instead just use his
> existing setup, and get an external USB HD enclosure (containing a regular
> PATA hard drive) for backup purposes too (i.e., for storing and restoring
> a backup image). That's what I'm doing over here, and it works great.
> Granted, it's not as fast, but it doesn't really take me that long,
> either.
Bill:
True enough and it's a virtual certainty that the great majority of users
like yourself who already use a disk-cloning program as a comprehensive
backup tool do indeed use a USB-connected external HDD as the recipient of
the cloned contents of their day-to-day working HDD. I wouldn't dispute that
for a moment.
But...
In my view the superiority of using a SATA-to-SATA connection for that
purpose via a SATA/eSATA external enclosure as I have described above
warrants its use rather than a USB connected HDD wherever that inherent SATA
capability exists. Obviously the user must have a SATA-capable system and a
SATA or eSATA port to which the external device is connected. In that
connection I might add that many, if not most, of the SATA/eSATA external
enclosures now come with an auxiliary eSATA bracket that is affixed to the
backplane of the computer case and the attached (inner) cable is simply
connected to one of the motherboard's SATA connectors. And, of course, more
& more desktop cases (as well as more & more motherboards) are now coming
equipped with an eSATA port
(We're talking about desktop machines here, not laptops/notebooks. While the
SATA-to-SATA connectivity can be established with those latter machines the
component to do so is different.)
So, as in the OP's case where a user is considering the possibility of using
a disk-cloning program as a comprehensive backup system, and his or her
system supports SATA capability, I believe they should give serious
consideration to what I've suggested.
Anna