| oNLINE BACKUP Have an opinion? Voice it at our online backup technology blog
Audience : Small business
online backup operators.
Source : Http://www.backupanytime.com/whitepaper.htm
Posted : March 07
Copyright : backupanytime original content.
Redistribution as is : No permission required (with
credits)
Modification : With written permission from backupanytime.
Update : General update (end of document) October 08: Minor revision Jan 2009.
Online backup as a process is considered by many people and
providers to be a simple process of securely sending
information from one location to another to allow for
availability should anything happen to the data at the
first location. The misunderstanding here is based on it being considered purely as a process. Up to a point it is. More appropriately it is a service. A process may be left unattended to. A service is budgeted for and therefore is a significant main activity for a responsible party.
This however is not a backup, it is a file transfer.
A file transfer is not a backup. The scenario described
above seems to assume the second location as infallible.
No location can be considered absolutely safe for data.
Of paramount importance is what your online backup company
does and does not do with your data.
- Backup :
This may seen a little too obvious but some so called
"online backup” providers do not actually
backup their client data. Many "online backup
companies" simply allow it do upload to a server
which they often do not even have physical access
to. Commonly a so called "online backup company"
will pay a data center to accept all of their client
data in bulk. This gives them bulk discounts on “data
storage” and they invoice you without the discount
for “data backup”.
- Mirror :
You know now that your online backup providers servers
or third party servers hired by them are not infallible.
One of the ways of reducing the risk is to keep the
data in a number of locations. This also provider
more cover in the event of the online backup companys'
broadband being down as it can give you a choice of
locations to retrieve data from.
- Archive :
The copies of data you send through online backup
may become corrupt or unreadable. This requires multiple
copies to be retained and managed so that in a worst
case scenario, if clean data is not available that
at least an archive copy from your archive date selection
(online backup providers vary in their archive policy
but you should require 365 day default and steer clear
of any online backup company who peddles 30 days archive)
can be provided.
It is more common for smaller online backup providers
to mirror to a bulk data center than it is for them
to backup. Very few data centers backup third party
information as the essence of the data center is connectivity
and redundancy rather than backup and this lends itself
to server uptime service level agreements rather than
any commitment to backup data. Ensure your provider
actually backs up your data. Get details of their procedure
and commitments for it on paper. If there are any hesitations
from your representative when asked “What will
you do with my data?”, you should reconsider your
options. Archive and default retention periods are essential
when things go wrong. If you are going to pay for commercial
online backup you should be satisfied it is as “worst
case scenario friendly” as possible. You should
be looking for a provider who does the following.
- Backs up your data.
- Mirrors your data.
- Archives your data.
- Offers restore from more than one location.
- Has access to and full authority over their primary
data store.
- Provides excellent technical support.
- Has a local presence and can provide for “technician
in van” requirement.
- Tells you exactly what happens to your data. Trade
secrets are never good in the world of online backup.
If a service is described using the word backup, most
people would expect that the provider would and should
actually backup. We at backupanytime.com agree. Our
usage of the word “backup” is far more discerning
than the usage in general non backup data centers. We
do not see a mirror service as a backup. It is a mirror
service. We do not see a raid system as a backup. It
is a raid system. We do not see additional live copies
as a backup. They are additional live copies.
A backup is a securely encrypted, compressed and managed
cold store which is not required for normal function
and will not be added to. By data cold storage we mean
that it be kept on media which is not part of or in
residence with any live system.
So, now you know what a back is, when are you going
to apply it to your data?
Contact backupanytime.com
today and start backing up “for real” tonight.
Backupanytime are Irelands largest independent online
backup providers.
If you found this document helpful you may like to
visit www.backupanytime.com/whitepaper.htm
or our website proper at www.backupanytime.com
If you are a system administrator and would like technical
details please register your interest on our contact
page requesting membership of our private white
paper area for I.T. Professionals.
Update October 2008
Much has changed in online backup since this document was published. The general concept remains the same. The differences brought about by the passage of time over the past 18 months which we find most stark are as follows.
Prospective user awareness.
Initially when we first started providing online backup as a service we spent a considerable amount of time explaining the basic concept of online backup. Now we find that prospective users are well informed and have specific queries relating not necessarily to online backup generally but to our own service and how we differ from other providers. We welcome this as it allows us to sell our service on merit to well informed prospects.
If you are familiar with online backup and would like information relating to technical specification you may find these in our white papers section or better still call us. We welcome the opportunity to speak directly with our visitors.
"Data outages can not be totally
avoided. They can and must be prepared for"
backupanytime, a team that makes and keeps commitments.
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