A lot of smaller stores can't pay for replication and other
innovative DR solution sets, and they often turn to hoping that the disk
mirroring they've established on the sole server at the office will be enough.
Although disk-based backups aren't a nasty thing to have,
they won't safeguard your company from an office flood or the future massive
virus getting rid of the whole server. For that eventuality, you need to
possess a point-in-time backup of your data kept away from the server itself.
Select a
backup device
To start with, choose what kind of backup device to utilize.
If you have only a few megabytes of essential files, you can probably get away
with a detachable device like a ZIP drive. The only downside is that these
types of devices have limits on the quantity of data they can keep, which is
normally around 750 MB per cartridge.
If you have more files to protect, you'll require a much
larger detachable device. Tape backup systems typically accommodate the storage
space of 40 to 120 GB per cartridge, offering enough space to backup majority
of your data to one tape in many situations.
Choose
backup software program
Next, find some sort of backup software program to copy the
data to the tape itself--and to restore it when needed. If you're making use of
Windows NT, 2000, or 2003, you can make use of the In-built backup tools.
Although this equipment can do the task, you might want to
take a look at some of the advanced tools available on the market. They enable
you to reap the benefits of more types of tape systems, backup to both disk and
tape with an increase of choices, and perform a host of other innovative operations.
Most backup tools additionally make use of agents to backup
secured and/or open data files, and they backup the system state in such an
approach as to be able to recover the whole server if you lose anything. These
"bare-metal" or "emergency recovery" systems occupy much
more tape space, but they enable you to swiftly get back in action should
anything like a malware attack all your data and operating-system.
Get
alternative storage
Lastly, find a space to save the tapes apart from the office.
Firms that save backup tapes on a cabinet next to the servers have discovered
the hard way that disasters that hit the server can often take out that cabinet
as well.
For smaller organizations, the best option to avoid data loss or having to request the service of a data recovery firm is for somebody
to take the tapes home every night, saving the monthly backups in a secure or a
safe deposit box. Somewhat bigger firms can contract with an organization that
will pick up and keep tapes and bring them back when needed.
Tape backups and removable media provide a cheap method to
keep point-in-time duplicates of your data away from your server systems. The
up-front money spent in tapes and a tape device (or detachable media and a drive)
provides a return on investment many times over the very first time you have to
utilize the system to restore essential data.
