Hewlett Packard Media Vault
When I first wrote this article a few months ago, the office was still using the Mirra backup server that we bought before Hewlett Packard created the Media Vault series of devices. However, since that time, the Mirra has died and we have purchased a Media Vault backup server to replace it. As such, I am rewriting this document to better explain the advantages of this device and encourage you, our client and reader, to consider one of these magnificent devices. Not only will it give you peace of mind, knowing that your data is safe, but it will also give you the opportunity to make your office or home network more efficient.
Currently, there are two models available: the mv5140 (two 500GB hard drives installed at the factory) and the mv5150 (two 750GB hard drives installed at the factory). Both of these models come with the second drive unassigned because the user has the option, during configuration, to set the two drives up in a RAID Level 1 (mirroring) array or, instead, to have the two combine into a virtual volume of the combined size (1TB or 1.5TB) instead. (To learn more about RAID, please read this article.
Whichever way you decide to configure your Media Vault, the first thing you will probably want to do is decide what to back up on each computer on which you load the client software. The best advice is to back up only what is important: your data. Backing up Windows is essentially useless (except under one condition which I will explain later in this article) as is the Program Files directory structure. By the time that you are able to retrieve your backup from the Media Vault, you will have already installed Windows and the client software, so the Windows directory structure backup will be only a waste of space. As for the Program Files directory structure, that is pointless as well because those are only part of the installation that occurs when Windows installs a program. There are also changes to the registry and frequently files placed in the Documents and Settings or Windows directory structures that would not be backed up. Thus, concentrate on your data and leave everything else alone.
When you set up your backups, you will be given a number of options, such as under which directory on the Media Vault to store your files, when to back up the files and any changes, and, most importantly, how many historical copies of the files to keep. What does that mean? The Media Vault wants to know how many former versions of the file it should keep on hand in case you want to �roll back� some changes you made or see what you did previously. This can be set to keep any number, all versions, or none at all. I recommend setting the Media Vault to keep only up to ten at most in the interest of having more than enough versions and not wasting space. (In most cases, five archival copies is more than sufficient.) Many types of data, such as pictures, do not change, so I recommend setting the drive to no archival copies in that case. (The new files that are added will be backed up but, since each picture does not change itself, there is no reason to tell the system to look for and set aside the space for archival copies.)
The question of when to backup your files is one that I feel is pretty simple. The options are to do it at a certain time and on certain days of the week, every so many minutes, or as soon as something in a monitored directory is added or changed. Ninety-nine times out of 100, I recommend �as soon as something changes.� This way, you don�t have to worry about whether the changes you�ve made are safe and secure in case the worst should happen. The exception to this would be if one is working on a huge file, such as a national customer database (think of a regional mail order business, for example). In that case, setting up the Media Vault to backup the file only at certain times would be advisable. If the file that is being backed up is constantly getting revision throughout the day rather than just periodically here and there, then to cut down on bandwidth usage and to keep the Media Vault from being unnecessarily busy, I would set it up to backup the file only once every half-hour or some other reasonable time period.
Now comes the exception to what I said above. The Media Vault has a special function in that it can backup an entire hard drive from the computer and put it onto its drives so that, with the PC Restore Disc that comes with the mv5140 or mv5150, the entire computer can be restored to the same state at which it existed when the full drive backup was performed. This type of backup, unlike the data file backup I discussed above, cannot be set to recur on a regular basis. Instead, it must be started manually. I recommend doing this only when significant changes are made to the computer since it does take a lot of time and the full system backups do not overwrite each other. (To get rid of the old backups, you need to go to the Backup directory structure on the Media Vault and delete them manually. Part of the filename for each backup is the date and time when it was created, so it is easy to tell which need to be removed.)
So far, I have only scratched the surface of what this device will do. Not only is it an automatic file backup utility but it is also a Network Addressable Storage (NAS) device. The Media Vault can do it all!
Operating as a NAS, which it can do while it is also a backup server, it essentially acts like a dedicated file server, complete with the ability to create user accounts and assign rights. In previous versions of the Media Vault software, there were two modes: workgroup and user. That is no longer the case. Now there is only user mode. I will explain strategies about how to use this in a moment. For now, let me explain about how the NAS function works.
The five default directory structures on the Media Vault (Backup, Documents, Music, Photos, and Videos) can be set to private access (meaning access is assigned based on the access level given to each individual user account) but default to public access (anyone on the network can see, use, modify, or delete the files in those directories). They cannot be deleted but they can be locked down by marking them as private and assigning rights to appropriate users.
Now this would not be very helpful at all if those were the only directories that the Media Vault could have. Fortunately, just like with the hard drive on your computer, you can create any directories you want on the Media Vault. In a multi-user environment in which one wishes to have shared files, I would recommend setting up a directory called �Shared Documents� or something similar, for example, and giving the appropriate rights to each user to keep things easy, simple, and clear.
A perfect scenario to help explain the power of this functionality is an office environment in which there are various departments that do not need access to each other�s data. For example, Accounting doesn�t need access to the Motor Pool repair records and the Motor Pool doesn�t need access to the Accounts Payable data. So, two directories are set up called Motor Pool and Accounting. The user accounts for the Accounting employees have rights assigned as needed to the Accounting directory (read or full) and the Motor Pool has the same for their directory with �None� being assumed by the Media Vault if there are no specific rights assignments given to the user. This can be taken a step further as well with subdirectories. For instance, if Accounts Payable had their files in Accounting\AP and Payroll had theirs under Accounting\Pay, rights could be assigned so that those working in AP would be given �None� to Pay and vice versa.
What I would recommend, though, is if you have a large number of people who need to be using the Media Vault for the same things, set up users based on function rather than on individuals. For example, instead of giving Jane and Bob individual accounts that have access to AP but not AR, just set up a single account called AP and they can both use it. In all cases, though, make sure that the accounts have passwords. An advantage to this function-based account strategy is that all one needs to do to keep a reassigned employee out of one area is just to change the account password. If Bob moves from AP to Payroll, just change the password on AP and he can no longer get into it. (Make sure that the users in AP know the new password, though.) This is much simpler than trying to remember to reassign the user account rights for Bob (and any other users who might move from one job to another) and make sure that nothing�s been forgotten.
Now all this is wonderful, so you want one, yes? Well, not to sound like a cheesy infomercial but, �Wait! That�s not all!� Besides all this, the Media Vault can be accessed from remote through a secured, password protected interface. (This option is free for a year, then it is subscription-based.) Thus, if outside salesman Joe forgot his PowerPoint presentation for that important new client, he can just log into the Media Vault from the client location, download the file, and still be able to do what he needs to win that client from your competitors. What a wonderfully handy and helpful box, agreed?
So, because of its vast functionality, the peace of mind that you have by knowing that your data is backed up successfully, and the ease of its operation, I strongly recommend the HP Media Vault as a cost-effective solution for anyone who has a need to backup and/or share data with others. Contact us at Best Deal Computers and we will gladly set you up with a Media Vault to simplify your life.