win2k3 - server backup software?
 

Can someone recommend a product that will enable me to perform a scheduled backup to the extent it will literally backup the ENTIRE disc in every respect? I know GHOST is an option but I'd like to hear your opinions on that and other products that can backup to AN EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE

Why EXTERNAL DRIVE - cos we want something that will let us take a backup off-site in case of fire, etc...

We already employ 2no. SCSI drives in RAID

We have space for a 3rd hot swap SCSI drive, so could in theory take that out and store it off-site.

So which software would you recommend for a Win2k and Win2k3 server ?

Are you wanting to back up the entire drive, including Operating System and boot sector, so in theory you could plug that drive in and boot straight from it without faffing.
Are you wanting to do the backup live or will you be taking the server down to do the backup?

Personally I think you are approaching the problem from the way. In theory a server's configuation should rarely change, only the data is changed, so you install all your server applications to one partition, and your data to another. Ghost the server once and store that offsite, then backup via a more sensible reigime. In my case we do tape backups of the data, and a batch file runs cygwin/rsync every night and all changes made during the day are syncrhonised to another computer in a different part of Liverpool.