Data Backup Pro

By Steve Tickner

As a small or medium sized business owner you may already be backing up your company data. If you are using a tape or other media based solution you are probably already aware that it takes time and diligence to manage the tape rotation schedule. Here are 5 benefits of an online remote backup solution. You should make sure that any online data backup service you choose offers all of these options.

Your data backup is saved offsite It is important that your data backup is removed to an offsite location after it is backed up. If you do not move your data backup from your business location it is not truly safe. If there were to be a fire or other disaster at your business location, your data backup could be destroyed along with your office. Putting last nights data backup tape into your desk drawer does not provide adequate protection!

Your data is also mirrored to another server When your data backup is on tape it is usually the only copy you have. Therefore if that tape gets lost, damaged or is simply found to be corrupted when you need to restore your data backup, your data is not actually safe and you cannot recover.By having an online system that immediately mirrors to another location, you get twice as much data backup protection. This happens immediately with remote data backup.

Your data backup is compressed before transmission Compressing your data backup before transmission to the remote backup location provides two cost benefits.

• The data backup that is transmitted is smaller. It takes less time to transmit to the remote backup location. This saves you money in bandwidth charges by your internet service provider.
• The data backup also takes up less storage space on the data backup server’s hard drive. This saves you money on storage charges for your data backup.

Data is encrypted and you are the only person with key Normal data backups to tape can provide encryption but this is not normally the default setting. For remote data backup you are asked to provide an encryption key as part of the installation process. This is the same encryption that is used by banks to secure their systems.

You are usually the only person who knows this key, so it is vital that you keep it safe. If you cannot find the key after a disaster, you will not be able to restore your data. The remote data backup service will not be able to restore your data without your key. This is very important!

The remote data backup facility is secure The data backup facility has security guards and is monitored 24/7 to ensure unauthorized person gains entry to the building. Access to the building and then to the data backup server room itself is secured by electronic swipe cards and readers.

The facility has fire protection features that include special Halon gas fire extinguishers that immediately disperse into the data backup server room, which is sealed. Even if a small amount of smoke emits from an electrical circuit the data backup server room is filled with Halon gas immediately. This removes all of the oxygen from the room and stops any fire immediately. This protection is provided even though there is a second, mirrored, redundant copy of your data backup in another facility thousands of miles away.

The facility also has backup generator systems that will start in the event of a power outage and can run and power the facility indefinitely.

Stephen Tickner is an IT consulting veteran of 15 years. In corporate London he was the IT Director of the UK & Europe for TAC Worldwide Companies. He is the principal and owner of TRS Technology Group, Inc; a Sarasota, web design & IT consulting practice based in Sarasota, FL. He advocates the use of online remote backup technology as the safest form of disaster recovery technology.