Backup Services: A Primer and Sanity Check

4/14/2006

When most business owners and managers think about protecting their data, they most often ask about data and system backups. Unfortunately, business people rarely think about how or when they will use the data once it has been backed up. Understanding how and when you will need to access your backed up data is critical to setting up an effective backup service.

Here are examples of restores, some of which may be familiar to you.

• I deleted (or saved over) a file; can I get the version from last Tuesday?
• Our server is dead; can I restore our data to a new server?
• Can I use the project plan document from the Smith project we completed last year as a template?

Backup / Restore

Backup / Restore provides the ability to recover one or more files (documents, databases, etc) that have been deleted, modified or damaged. As in the example, above, the need to restore is usually to a version at a particular, recent point in time.

For Backup / Restore:

• Keep your backups on site or use a service that provides immediate availability
• Backup versions of your files at least daily
• Keep weekly and monthly snapshots for a reasonable period of time

Backup / Recovery provides the ability to cover full or partial systems, such as your file server, that is lost to catastrophic failure or other disasters. As in the example above, the restore is often made to a new server or a server with new components.

For Backup / Recovery:

• Locate your backups off-site
• Backup versions of your files at least daily
• Maintain backups needed to restore to the most recent point in time;

Archive / Retrieve provides the ability to permanently save files and data for historical records and possible future use. As in the example above, most restores are to look up information as a reference or for future re-use.

For Archive / Retrieve:

• Locate your archives off-site
• Archive information multiple times before removing the data from nightly backups and/or disk
• Maintain a catalog of archive contents

The most popular backup solution is magnetic tape. Affordable, scalable, and reliable, it accommodates the needs of all three scenarios. For off-site storage, many companies hire a service company or carry tapes home on a daily basis. Some companies make duplicates of backup tapes providing immediate on-site access for restores and off-site storage for recovery.

Increasing in popularity are Internet-based backup services. These services start by capturing a full backup of your data to a server known as a data vault. They then use data compression and “differentiation” technologies to move changes to the vault, usually on a daily basis. Most services charge monthly based on the amount of compressed data stored in the vault, with fees varying based on sophistication of the technology, security options, and vault redundancy.

Be sure to look at both the hard costs and soft costs. Carrying tapes off-site, for example, saves dollars but costs in terms of convenience and responsibility. Backup tapes must remain accessible when the person responsible for the tapes is absent or on vacation. And while solutions with greater automation cost a little more, they prevent problems due to human error (such as neglecting to change tapes).

1. Periodically test your backups by attempting to restore a number of files and/or databases. Problems do arise; better to find them while testing rather than when you are trying to restore or recover data
2. Clean your tape drive regularly: weekly is best
3. Tapes wear out; plan on replacing daily tapes at least yearly. Replace weekly and monthly tapes at least every two years
4. When transporting or storing tapes, protect them from heat, temperature changes, and humidity
   • Insulated coolers work well to protect tapes from temperature changes and humidity
   • Never leave the tapes in the sun or the trunk of your car

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