Users who have to support Microsoft SQL database servers, but prefer to run Linux as a data back-up/storage platform, may be interested in a new software plug-in from Arkeia.

The Arkeia Network Backup for MS SQL requires a Linux server running a full version of Arkeia's Network Backup product, for backing up multiple servers.

Arkeia Network Backup is a back-up and restore application for Linux and Unix tape drive servers, and can support back-up jobs across large networks; up to 200 machines can be backed up to a single Arkeia server, which can write to 32 tape drives at once. Users can also back up files to spinning disks arrays, in addition to tape.

The Microsoft SQL plug-in would be installed on the Windows NT, or 2000 server running Microsoft SQL Server 7, 2000 and later versions. The plug-in allows users to configure back-up jobs for the Microsoft SQL databases through an interface on the Windows server. A graphical interface allows users to schedule backups for a specific time, or on an ongoing basis. The plug-in lets users define specific parts of the Windows database server that are to be backed up; users can choose to back up the entire machine to the Linux server, just the SQL database instance, or specific database files or groups of files.

The Microsoft SQL plug-in is free to try for 30 days, and costs US$990 for a license.