Backup Anytime

The right way to backup up a database.

How do you backup SQL is a question you will hear from people who actually know something about SQL. They know it is not a drag and drop file environment. They know it needs to be treated differently. They may not know much more about it but if everyone knew as mush as they do, SQL would be safer.

All backup systems need to be tested. Few more so than those involving open file management, SQL or Microsoft Exchange. All too often, users believe that they can simply select a file or use a drag and drop approach to backup everything. This is an organisational failing. If the person running the backups does not know how to backup or worse again believes incorrectly that he knows how to backup, the company data and therefore the company is in a negative situation which can only get worse.

We are not looking to reinvent the wheel here. Simple backup is simple. Other types of backup such as SQL require a specific approach which when used from the outset and protected from over zealous untrained persons works well.

Your backup software (and if you are backing up these file types you should be using backup software) should identify SQL and Exchange environments distinctly from those of standard closed files. The software will request specific information to connect to databases. This information can be obtained from the data base administrators and server administrator. If you don’t have the information you will not be able to connect. This should be taken as a prompt to speak with those persons.

Unfortunately, a little knowledge can be a very dangerous thing and it is common for wannabe administrators to seek shortcuts by finding files manually and simply selecting them for backup.  This works well where it is supposed to. It never works for SQL or Exchange.

If you don’t know the user name or password for the database you need to find out or better still get those who do know to sit in on the backup configuration.

Additionally, after the backup has complete and run over a few sessions, you need to do a test restore. Why? Because you are not using simple backup. If it failed on the first run there is little possibility of it suddenly coming good. Computers operate in a very simple world. If it is right (and it must be because you said so) it will always be right (unless you say otherwise) so understand that your initial instructions will be carried to the letter no matter how wrong they may be. The absence of a cop on chip for computers dictates this is not set to change anytime soon.

So, if you want to backup a data base, back up a database, not a component or a locked entity. If you cant backup a data bases then here is the question and answer you need to remember.

Q. How do you backup SQL or Exchange?

A. Get someone else to do it.

It’s a little like being asked to hand start a prop aircraft. You are proficient or you are not. There is no middle ground.

No need to backup your data. Just buy it back on eBay!
Tuesday 26 August 2008

Considering selling a computer? Consider the data you may be providing with it!

Andrew Chapman, an eBay buyer got more than he bargained for after buying a used computer on eBay. The system which came for £35 also came with a considerable quantity of sensitive data. The data related to Natwest and Royal Bank of Scotland. The previous owner of the system was a company called Mail Source. A Mail Source spokesperson described the incident as “an honest mistake”, whereas RBS on the other hand said “We take this issue extremely seriously and are working to resolve this regrettable loss as a
matter of urgency.” The information may even include customers’ signatures along with phone and account information.
Mr. Chapman, reported the incident as soon as he realised the information was on the computer. He said: “I was appalled, that sort of thing shouldn’t have been listed on there.” A spokesperson for eBay, said that this should not have occurred. The Information Commissioner’s Office has confirmed that an investigation is to be launched.

This type of incident may be quite common. The distinguishing factors here are the sensitivity and quantity of the data coupled with the conscientiousness of the buyer. It is more than likely that systems with private information are commonly sold on auction sites. Add to this that even where there is a will to delete sensitive data pre sale, the new owner could quite easily undelete or resurrect drive shadow information.

Just as computers can be repaired, reused and resold, so can data.

Many of our post address the issue of protecting data from the bad guys (hackers) while a recent post  http://backupanytime.com/blog/?p=90 looked as (philosophically) the possibility of being requested to hand data to the good guys. (law enforcement)

Given that the data is encrypted, the topic ran from the legal question to the technical question. One stark anomaly which was missed is the presence of data which the online backup provider can read. How can this be given that data is encrypted?

For operational reasons,  your provider likely has a record of the following details.

When your system connects. How long it stays connected. How much data (post encryption) is backed up. How much data (post encryption) is restored. Possibly the status of the backup. This is hardly a picture of your data but it was important to point out that the rule of their being an exception to every rule also points to online backup.

Your online backup provider should on request furnish you with details they keep and have access to regarding your online backups. This information in type and level is generally dependent on the software solution they use and their own in house policy. This may also extend to any partners your online backup provider has regarding online backup co-location.

Backupanytime have launched the “NAZAV” drive. The system is now available as a complete drive, software and setup product or these components can be separated.

How did this come about?

Through our experience of setting up online backup for clients we came across many different types of network ranging widely in size and quality. One common denominator even in quality networks was the effect of ad hoc network additions over time coupled with unclear user data locations and location policies.

We decided to develop a system which could make any computer become both a raid device and a network drive, thus providing us with a system in every client network which has a level of availability and redundancy which is conducive to making online backup effective. Our principal concern was developing a system for databackup .ie to compliment the existing backupanytime service but also to develop it in a way in which it would  be independently beneficial.

As a consequence we developed a system which is a secure local data store in its own right.

So what is is and what can it do for me?

This system can provide you with a safe location for data which can be accessed by any user you wish. The system has its own operating system and is not affected by common windows malware. In addition, given the low level “one purpose nature” of the operating system it will not be interfered with by users wishing to use windows applications.

Can I replicate across systems with it? Yes, you can set up two NAZAV drives to mirror to each other locally or remotely.

What about compatibility issues?

Compatibility is the key to uniformity. Our plan was to make it so compatible that the operating system could be booted from any computer regardless of specification and make that computer a raid system which is available as a network drive. We have yet to fine a PC which it can not transfer to a raid system. This aside, we have a recommended specification and prefer to supply the hardware. This however is a client choice.

So is this a NAS or a SAN? It is paradoxically both and neither. This system allows you to turn any system in to a RAID store and make it available on a network. It also allows you to replicate data locally or remotely.

Who could use this system? Virtually anyone. The purpose is to dedicate a data store system, to make that data available while rendering the system purposely unusable for any other purpose and negating malware while making the system scalable for replication and expansion.

Who is using is at present? We have been using a beta version and pre launch, four clients have been using it.

What are Backupanytimes plans for NAZAV?

We intend to partner with I.T. system and solutions providers with a view to launching it to a much wider audience than the backupanytime client list.

Who should interested parties contact?

Parties interested in using the system or becoming exclusive regional partners for this quality product should contact Backupanytime.

Backupanytime will be conducting a survey of the needs, satisfaction levels and suggestions of existing clients. This survey is being conducted internally and no data will be collected by or made available to any outside entities. The survey is being conducted using a set number of commercial clients from a random pool. We will only contact the registered online backup contact for any selected company. Those selected will be asked to choose a time and date from their diary which would allow 10 minutes of their time or alternativley to decline the survey invitation.

The survey questons pertain specifically to online backup. The results will only be used in totality to assist in improving our services. Any user specific issues raised will be diverted to technical support as the caller will be focused towards online backup research.

The initial appointment contact will be made in the second week in July with the intended survey completion date being The second week in August.

Backupanytime will only contact you by your current preffered contact method. We will identify ourselves with the first 5 digits of your backupanytime reference code and will require intended participants to complete this.

We will also utilise the backupanytime.com main website during the research survey thus allowing you to answer the questions online and not requireing you to verbally answer any questions.

Again, no personal questions will be asked. If you have any concerns about any caller claming to be from backupanytime please contact our office directly.

Your co-operation and participation in this survey is much appreciated.

Thankyou

The backupanytime.com team

Update 01 July 2008 5:00 pm gmt

We just received a query by email referring to this post from a site visitor who was invited to participate in a backupanytime survey when he visited our main website. He read this post and was confused as to why he was invited to join a survey when this post states that only existing clients will be invited to participate in the online backup client survey. As advised in our post regaring online backup research surveys he contacted us.

The survey about which the original post relates is a new survey which is being run over one month and will involve the participation of existing clients only. The purpose of the survey is to assist with furthering our online backup service as per client experience.

The public survey on the backupanytime website is in place to gather visitor opinions as to their experience when visiting the backupanytime website. This survey is being run over an extended period and involves randomly inviting a set percentage of online backup website visitors to provide their own opinion as to their visitor experience.

Thankyou

The backupanytime team