Backup Strategies That Won't Leave You In The Dark
Most small and medium businesses (SMB's) are relying on backup solutions that are simply not reliable. The worst part is that you typically don't discover you have a problem, until you attempt to restore your data, then of course it's too late. Tape backups don't age gracefully like wine, in fact, they become more unreliable over time as the tape itself begins to break down. Newer versions of tape drives may not be compatible with older tapes, creating a problem if your tape drive fails and needs to be replaced.
Disk based backups offer some advantages over tape, but can lull you into a false sense of security. USB drives offer an inexpensive local backup option but can have issues if you need to move it from one server to another. If one of your primary servers has a catastrophic failure or is destroyed in a disaster and you need to restore its data from a USB drive to a new server, it simply may not work. And if a USB drive backup has been working, there is no guarantee that it will work the next time. These devices are good for what they were designed for (extra storage space), but they were never designed to be a solid backup and recovery solution.
Extended Downtime Can be Fatal for SMB's
The numbers are grim for small and medium businesses that experience significant downtime:
- 93% of companies that lost their data for 10 days or more filed for bankruptcy within one year of the disaster, and 50% filed for bankruptcy immediately. Source: National Archives & Records Administration in Washington, D.C.
- 20% of small to medium businesses will suffer a major disaster causing loss of critical data every 5 years. Source: Richmond House Group.
- This year, 40% of small to medium businesses that manage their own network and use the internet for more than e-mail will have their network accessed by a hacker, and more than 50% won’t even know they were attacked. Source: Gartner Group.
You will also find different studies indicating the failure rate of tape drives, but the truth of the matter is that all tape systems will fail eventually, it is only a matter of when. Many studies indicate a tape restore failure rate as high as 70% of the time in a small business environment. Most small and medium business owners don't have the staff or the time to perform necessary maintenance and do regularly scheduled test restores. If test restores are not being done at least 4 times a year, you simply do not know if it will be successful when you need it the most.
Disaster Preparedness and Business Continuation
As businesses have become totally reliant on their computer network and associated data, it is important to have a plan in the event that your building is either destroyed or otherwise uninhabitable due to a disaster (either natural or from human error). From an initial business continuation planning perspective, this means having your data in a secure offsite location in a part of the country that is far enough away to be unaffected by the local disaster. In other words, if your office is in downtown Portland, having your offsite data in Hillsboro probably does not offer real protection if we get the big quake for instance.
You also need a plan for utilizing that data if your office and/or computer network was destroyed. Having your data offsite is a great step in the right direction, but what are you going to do with it and how long will it take to get new systems in place? How long can your business survive without access to the systems you depend on?
Comprehensive Backup Solution (local backup plus server images and offsite data storage) for as little as $179/mo??
Portland Managed Services FlashBack Solution addresses both of these issues and much more:
- The FlashBack Solution begins with a local network attached storage device to back up one or more servers including a full system image for each server.
- By creating a server system image, in the event that a server needs to be rebuilt an image including the operating system, patches, updates, applications and data can be copied to the new system to get you back up and running in a matter of minutes or hours depending on size as opposed to multiple days if the server build was done manually.
- The local FlashBack device (installed in your office) can become a temporary virtual server. This means that if your server goes down, users can be redirected to the virtual server and continue to do business as usual as the primary server is being repaired or replaced. This switchover to the virtual server environment can happen in around 15 minutes.
- The FlashBack device can backup from 4 - 10 servers and likewise can support from 4 - 10 virtual servers simultaneously (depending on model).
- Incremental server backups can be scheduled to occur as frequently as every 15 minutes thereby dramatically shortening the window of time where data could be lost when compared to a typical daily backup.
- Local server backup capacities of between 400GB and 2TB are available per FlashBack device (depending on model).
- The FlashBack Solution also includes daily backup files sent securely (using 256 bit AES encryption) to two offsite data centers in geographically distinct parts of the U.S. This eliminates the possibility of a regional disaster taking out your office and your offsite backup.
- Business continuation service - a new FlashBack can be configured, loaded with the last daily backup received at the data center and sent overnight to a destination of your choice. This allows you to get your business back up and running in a matter of days even if your local systems were destroyed (additional fee required for replacement FlashBack).
- Each FlashBack device is monitored by our network operations center (NOC) 24 x 7 so we will be notified and will correct the problem if a backup did not complete successfully. No more surprises when you least expect them.
Free Data Security Analysis is Available so You Can Be Sure Your Data Will be There When You Need it the Most!
Please reserve one of your FREE Data Security Analyses in my name. I understand that I am under no obligation to do or to buy anything by requesting this free service.
At no charge, we will send a data security specialist to your office to:
- Audit your current data protection including backup and restore procedures, tape rotations and maintenance schedule to see if there is anything jeopardizing your data’s security.
- Review procedures for storage and transportation of data. Many people don’t realize they damage their disks (and thereby corrupt their data) by improperly caring for their storage devices.
- Check your network backup system to make sure it is accurately backing up all of the critical files and information you would NEVER want to lose.
- Present a simple and easy to understand chart that will detail the makeup of your data, including the age and type of files you are backing up. Why should you care? Because many companies inadvertently use valuable computer storage to back up their employees’ personal MP3 files and movies.
- Discuss current data protection needs and explain in plain English where your risks are. We know everyone has a different level of risk tolerance, and we want to make sure all the risks you’re taking with your data are by choice not because of miscommunication or accident.
To schedule your Free Data Security Analysis just complete this form and we will be in touch right away. All fields required.
Backup Strategies That Won't Leave You In The Dark
Most small and medium businesses (SMB's) are relying on backup solutions that are simply not reliable. The worst part is that you typically don't discover you have a problem, until you attempt to restore your data, then of course it's too late. Tape backups don't age gracefully like wine, in fact, they become more unreliable over time as the tape itself begins to break down. Newer versions of tape drives may not be compatible with older tapes, creating a problem if your tape drive fails and needs to be replaced.
Disk based backups offer some advantages over tape, but can lull you into a false sense of security. USB drives offer an inexpensive local backup option but can have issues if you need to move it from one server to another. If one of your primary servers has a catastrophic failure or is destroyed in a disaster and you need to restore its data from a USB drive to a new server, it simply may not work. And if a USB drive backup has been working, there is no guarantee that it will work the next time. These devices are good for what they were designed for (extra storage space), but they were never designed to be a solid backup and recovery solution.
Extended Downtime Can be Fatal for SMB's
The numbers are grim for small and medium businesses that experience significant downtime:
- 93% of companies that lost their data for 10 days or more filed for bankruptcy within one year of the disaster, and 50% filed for bankruptcy immediately. Source: National Archives & Records Administration in Washington, D.C.
- 20% of small to medium businesses will suffer a major disaster causing loss of critical data every 5 years. Source: Richmond House Group.
- This year, 40% of small to medium businesses that manage their own network and use the internet for more than e-mail will have their network accessed by a hacker, and more than 50% won’t even know they were attacked. Source: Gartner Group.
You will also find different studies indicating the failure rate of tape drives, but the truth of the matter is that all tape systems will fail eventually, it is only a matter of when. Many studies indicate a tape restore failure rate as high as 70% of the time in a small business environment. Most small and medium business owners don't have the staff or the time to perform necessary maintenance and do regularly scheduled test restores. If test restores are not being done at least 4 times a year, you simply do not know if it will be successful when you need it the most.
Disaster Preparedness and Business Continuation
As businesses have become totally reliant on their computer network and associated data, it is important to have a plan in the event that your building is either destroyed or otherwise uninhabitable due to a disaster (either natural or from human error). From an initial business continuation planning perspective, this means having your data in a secure offsite location in a part of the country that is far enough away to be unaffected by the local disaster. In other words, if your office is in downtown Portland, having your offsite data in Hillsboro probably does not offer real protection if we get the big quake for instance.
You also need a plan for utilizing that data if your office and/or computer network was destroyed. Having your data offsite is a great step in the right direction, but what are you going to do with it and how long will it take to get new systems in place? How long can your business survive without access to the systems you depend on?
Comprehensive Backup Solution (local backup plus server images and offsite data storage) for as little as $179/mo??
Portland Managed Services FlashBack Solution addresses both of these issues and much more:
- The FlashBack Solution begins with a local network attached storage device to back up one or more servers including a full system image for each server.
- By creating a server system image, in the event that a server needs to be rebuilt an image including the operating system, patches, updates, applications and data can be copied to the new system to get you back up and running in a matter of minutes or hours depending on size as opposed to multiple days if the server build was done manually.
- The local FlashBack device (installed in your office) can become a temporary virtual server. This means that if your server goes down, users can be redirected to the virtual server and continue to do business as usual as the primary server is being repaired or replaced. This switchover to the virtual server environment can happen in around 15 minutes.
- The FlashBack device can backup from 4 - 10 servers and likewise can support from 4 - 10 virtual servers simultaneously (depending on model).
- Incremental server backups can be scheduled to occur as frequently as every 15 minutes thereby dramatically shortening the window of time where data could be lost when compared to a typical daily backup.
- Local server backup capacities of between 400GB and 2TB are available per FlashBack device (depending on model).
- The FlashBack Solution also includes daily backup files sent securely (using 256 bit AES encryption) to two offsite data centers in geographically distinct parts of the U.S. This eliminates the possibility of a regional disaster taking out your office and your offsite backup.
- Business continuation service - a new FlashBack can be configured, loaded with the last daily backup received at the data center and sent overnight to a destination of your choice. This allows you to get your business back up and running in a matter of days even if your local systems were destroyed (additional fee required for replacement FlashBack).
- Each FlashBack device is monitored by our network operations center (NOC) 24 x 7 so we will be notified and will correct the problem if a backup did not complete successfully. No more surprises when you least expect them.
Free Data Security Analysis is Available so You Can Be Sure Your Data Will be There When You Need it the Most!
Please reserve one of your FREE Data Security Analyses in my name. I understand that I am under no obligation to do or to buy anything by requesting this free service.
At no charge, we will send a data security specialist to your office to:
- Audit your current data protection including backup and restore procedures, tape rotations and maintenance schedule to see if there is anything jeopardizing your data’s security.
- Review procedures for storage and transportation of data. Many people don’t realize they damage their disks (and thereby corrupt their data) by improperly caring for their storage devices.
- Check your network backup system to make sure it is accurately backing up all of the critical files and information you would NEVER want to lose.
- Present a simple and easy to understand chart that will detail the makeup of your data, including the age and type of files you are backing up. Why should you care? Because many companies inadvertently use valuable computer storage to back up their employees’ personal MP3 files and movies.
- Discuss current data protection needs and explain in plain English where your risks are. We know everyone has a different level of risk tolerance, and we want to make sure all the risks you’re taking with your data are by choice not because of miscommunication or accident.
To schedule your Free Data Security Analysis just complete this form and we will be in touch right away. All fields required.