Abstract

This paper describes two similar user-initiated methods to backup and restore PC workstations over an ethernet network. The first method concerns ``PC Hardware All Alike,'' or the backup and restoring of sets of identical disk images across many identical systems. The second method is the backup and restoring of ``PC Hardware All Different,'' which manages unique disk images on individual systems.

This paper describes the installation and customization of a ``controlling'' unix partition on each client system PC platform. The purpose of the unix partition is to quickly backup and restore Windows and OS/2 disk images on a separate partition on the client system hard drive.

The web page interface is used to schedule the image backups and restores. The unix server that supports the backup and restore process is described, along with the scripts that control the backup and restore process. Usage statistics are generated that can quantify the cost benefits of the backup and restore method.

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