| Why backupanytime?
Practically every business today makes significant
use of information technology to improve their efficiency
in providing service to clients. With this technology
there is often an increased level of risk and responsibility
to manage it. Every additional system, software application,
process and task (manual or automated) increases the
quantity of data and data areas to be managed. While
the risks and responsibilities are varied, the more
serious ones are generally the most manageable. While
absolute or even partial data loss can not be totally
avoided at local level, increased broadband availability
has made online backup available to most business users.
This allows you to send your data in a securely encrypted
format on a continual and automated basis to an area
not at risk of the same incidents at the same time as
your business and also with safeguards in place for
multiple clients which would not be affordable at local
level. In essence you are utilising a corporate solution
but only having to pay for the piece you use.
While the concept of online backup is widely known,
there is a list of questions common to most non online
backup users which should be investigated before amending any backup system. The purpose of this document is to list
and answer these questions so you can make informed
decisions about online backup in relation to your own
business. Our frequently asked questions section addresses
common online backup related questions. This document
differs as here we are addressing the areas which are
commonly misunderstood. For that reason we would ask
any non technical business users, typically management
decision making level to read this document completely
and not skip areas they feel they understand due to
title of question or prior press release or general
media perusal. The answers are purposely kept brief
here to encourage you to read them in full.
What is online backup?
On-line backup is a system which through the use of
software, hardware, a user account and third party service
allows a business to securely backup their data to an
off site location for retrieval on an as required basis.
How safe is online backup?
The data transferred and in transit through online backup
is safer than the data on your computers. This is because
online backup uses encryption to prevent unauthorised
access whereas the data on your computers is available
for any hacker to read. Despite the fact that most people understand this, it is common for people to have difficulty in accepting that the data outside is safer inside. Some people see online backup as somewhat intangible when compared to local backup. Hacking a computer is very easy
when compared to hacking encryption. Encryption evolves
as computer speeds increase to negate the possibility
of hackers gaining any advantage with availability of
faster computers for their unethical endeavors. In addition, even if you are never the victim of a hacker, your local data is at very high risk when compared to online data as the local investment in retention represents that of one organisation whereas the online storage location will be supported by the investment required to keep safe the data of inordinate quantities of critical data. If you see online backup as somewhat intangible, consider online backup users who suffered data loss. When their server and tapes were deemed useless, all they had was their online backup. When you need your online backup, it is not only tangible, it is the only tangible data restore facility you can have.
Are there any issues regarding online
backup which potential users should be aware of?
Yes, as with all information technology systems, there
are areas to be considered when upgrading a backup system
from off-line to online. The following are areas you
should take up with any intended provider and expect
clear, concise, written answers. Our answers are presented
here with the questions.
If your broadband is required to backup online, it is
logical to conclude that it is required to restore.
Most providers have no way around this very important
issue. It is important because the problem is common.
The need to restore generally indicated problems at
the client site. Connectivity may well be one of many
issues. Backupanytime, in addition to backing up online
also provide the facility to simultaneously retain a
local, encrypted data store of all online backup data.
This allows users to restore without connectivity and
at speeds far greater than general broadband would offer.
In addition, we provide a “man in a van”
service to allow on-site retrieval in an emergency.
The latter service may incur a cost of service based
charge. Please note it is not compulsory! We offer it
because our system allows it. Many don't and very few
offer a local encrypted store of all data.
Considerably yes. Personal online backup is generally
appropriate to very small quantities data and comes
free without any support or availability guarantee.
Personal online backup is inferior to not only business
online backup but well managed off-line backup.
This issue is relevant to any data backup system. Not
knowing what to backup is not a reason to decline online
backup. It is a reason to find out what you need to
backup. Once approached with intent, this issue is generally
resolvable through simple delegation. Involve your local
I.T. support, any third party data base software provider
and your proposed online backup company.
All reputable business online backup providers will
run a managed service. This will involve not only daily
backup notifications by email but direct communication
from them by phone should more than two backups miss
in succession.
You should have a general support number and an appointed
account manager. The general support number should be
your first point of contact for most queries and your
account manager directly and immediately if you are
unhappy with general support service.
This should be and is in most cases a simple breakdown.
You are responsible for data selection. Your online
backup provider may assist you with this and have a
knowledge base of systems you use. Ultimately however
it is only you that can decide what you need. You are
responsible for ensuring your system is left on during
the specified backup period. Your service provider is
responsible for automated backup related communication
and person to person communication if you miss an agreed
number of backups in a row.
Very significantly. Here are a list of differences between
our service and that of most other online backup services.
We are not aware of any other provider worldwide who
offers all of the following.
Our system allow the creation of a local restore point
for all backups. This allows clients in a broadband
down environment to restore any or all data to their
system without waiting for connectivity. This can also
be used while broadband is available if an inordinate
volume of restore is necessary and would be deemed too
slow over broadband for the time frame available.
If broadband is down and local restore point store folders
have suffered in the same outage we can have the data
delivered by traditional “man in van” facility.
This is only possible and safe because of the high level
of encryption we use.
We use bank level encryption as standard. If you have
ever used online banking you have used the type of encryption
we employ. Also, we offer multiple encryption types.
Some business users have a preference of one encryption
type over another such as blowfish versus DES. We support
all major industry encryption types. You can also amend
the level of encryption within most encryption types.
Greater encryption increases the time span between data
manipulation and transfer. THIS Allows your to implement
the greatest encryption level to the overnight time
frame for your office. This is only possible because
of considerable investment in our software.
Most providers issue you with an encryption code. This
means not only that they could read your data but so
could anyone who intercepts the code. With our system,
you generate the code at your end and can change it
with or without reference to us. This means that you
and only you can de encrypt your data. We can not read
your data.
We manually sign off on client security and confidentiality.
We can only do this because of the encryption system
we use. The vast majority of suppliers can not do this
as they issue the code and therefore know that regardless
of their bona fides they or anyone hacking their system
could read your data.
If you would like to avail of a free, no commitment
trial of backupanytime online backup, call us in strict
confidence and we will arrange this for you.
Backupanytime, for responsible people
and their important data.
|
