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    I have the following hardware config running WHS 2011:

    CPU: Q6600
    MB: Gigabyte P35-DQ6
    Memory: OCZ Reaper 4gb Memory
    640gb drive boot and primary data (default WHS 2011 install config)
    1tb drives for data
    One 640gb drive and one 2tb drive for backups
    Intel Pro/1000 Ethernet

     

    When I run the setup wizard for the server backup, I tell it to backup the C: and D: volume on the 640gb drive and the E: volume on the 1tb drive to the two hard drives for use in the backup pool (640gb and 2tb drives).

    The wizard errors out with the below error:

    "The backup hard disk does not have enough free space for the server backup. Attach a larger backup hard disk and then select it as the backup destination, or remove folders or drives from the server backup to reduce its size."

    If I setup the backup wizard to only use the 2tb drive, it works fine.

     

    No, the answer is not only use the 2tb drive. I have removed hard drives from the server to try to find a comination that works using multiple drives in the backup pool. My end server configuration will contain more that 2tb of data nad therefore I will have to have multiple drives in the backup pool.

     

    I can try to fudge the backup wizard to add in the multiple drives and then backup all the data, but when I try to backup more data than a single drive can handle, I get a error when it tries to start using the second drive in the pool. That error is:

    "The backup operation that started at '?2011?-?04?-?10T15:58:35.019064900Z' has failed with following error code '2155348010' (One of the backup files could not be created.). Please review the event details for a solution, and then rerun the backup operation once the issue is resolved."

    Ultimately my server configruration will go back to my 4tb of data storage and +4tb of backup storage. but right now, I can't get anything to backup to multiple drives in the backup storage pool. And no volume will ever be over the 2tb cap. But my test above was a 1tb max volume.


    • Edited by hbbyboy Monday, April 11, 2011 4:27 PM further clarification
    Monday, April 11, 2011 4:25 PM

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    The backup process changed in WHS 2011.  I asked the same question last year and was told that both drives need to have enough space to hold all the data being backed up.  So, your 640 drive does not meet the criteria and the wizards gives you the error.

    In WHS V1 you had the ability to backup to two different size drives. I never did get an answer why the change.

    I manage the majority of my backups with WHS and have two large backups I manage manually with scripts and task scheduler.  It may not be the best solution but it works for me.

    Glenn

    Monday, April 11, 2011 7:20 PM

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    The backup process changed in WHS 2011.  I asked the same question last year and was told that both drives need to have enough space to hold all the data being backed up.  So, your 640 drive does not meet the criteria and the wizards gives you the error.

    In WHS V1 you had the ability to backup to two different size drives. I never did get an answer why the change.

    I manage the majority of my backups with WHS and have two large backups I manage manually with scripts and task scheduler.  It may not be the best solution but it works for me.

    Glenn

    Monday, April 11, 2011 7:20 PM
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    So if I have the 640gb drive and a 2tb drive, I have to have a single 3tb drive to backup the server? Meaning the backup drive has to have enough space to hold all the data?

    Effectively that caps the backup scenario to the current available drive size which is currently 3tb. I can backup no more than 3tb?

     

     


    Monday, April 11, 2011 7:29 PM
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    Thanks for the response Glenn. I am marking your reply as the answer. From your perspective you provided the correct information that I verified with all my testing. I do appreciate your input!

     

    What I disagree with is that this is acceptable. I have a bug report submitted via Connect and will see what their response is.

    Tuesday, April 12, 2011 1:28 AM
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    So if I have the 640gb drive and a 2tb drive, I have to have a single 3tb drive to backup the server? Meaning the backup drive has to have enough space to hold all the data?

    Effectively that caps the backup scenario to the current available drive size which is currently 3tb. I can backup no more than 3tb?

    No, your assumption is wrong on two counts:

    First, no backup drive will ever hold more than 2TB of data - this is because of the backup mechanism used in WHS 2011, which has a limit of 2TB.

    Second, no server backup can ever total more than 2TB if you use the Backup function in the WHS 2011 Dashboard - this is because it's simplified to the point of uselessness. If you want to backup more than 2TB of server data on to multiple backup drives, you'll have to use the backup mechanisms in the underlying Windows Server 2008 R2, or use another backup solution entirely.

    Tuesday, April 12, 2011 9:49 AM
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    Just to clarify Geoffc1 even the Windows Server normal backup (Windows Server Backup) has a 2TB limit.  It's not the drive but the amount of data that is being backed up.  So, if you have a 3TB drive and source data is lees than 2TB it will work.  The same is true for the backup drive it can be larger that 2TB but each backup set cannot be greater than 2TB.

    As Geoffc1 stated if you need to backup more that 2TB than you need a third party backup software.

    My opinion is that the average home servers will have more than 2TB in storage in the near future and backup will become an issue.  I have teo external drives (1.5TB and 2TB) for backups.  These are for the data that I cannot recreate or I don't want to take the time to re-create like CDs.  My DVD \ Blu-ray collection is still under 2TB so I manage that manually.

    Overall there will need to be a better solution for backups.  Made the will be an Add-In some day.

    Glenn

    Tuesday, April 12, 2011 4:26 PM