| In Google, the search term "remote backup" yields | | | | vaults. This means you store less data, which saves |
| 649,000 results. This is a crowded marketplace with | | | | you money. If the provider charges based on natural |
| a great degree of disparity in service levels. | | | | data (more in #16) then you will not save any |
| Here are some helpful questions to consider when | | | | money. It will reduce the providers cost, but that |
| selecting a remote backup provider: | | | | saving is not passed on to you. |
| 1. Can I maintain a local copy of my data using your | | | | 11. How much experience do your support technicians |
| solution? | | | | have? |
| A local copy of your data allows you to restore data | | | | You should schedule a technical interview or direct call |
| at the fastest possible speed. Without a local copy, | | | | to the customer support line to experience their |
| your provider is transmitting over the Internet or | | | | service. A main difference between a "low cost" |
| shipping your data to you overnight. A typical small | | | | providers and a more expensive alternative is the |
| business with a T1 connection (1.5 Mbps) will take | | | | quality of its support staff. As with any service |
| over 14 hours to transmit 10-gigabytes worth of | | | | business, employees are a large operating cost. |
| data. | | | | Backups happen automatically. Restores are another |
| 2. Is my data encrypted in transit AND while it is in | | | | story. Many times after you lose a server, the |
| your data center? | | | | difference between the longest day of your life and |
| They must use an encryption key you create, | | | | an inconvenience is the quality of the team |
| choose and control not an automated encryption key. | | | | supporting you. |
| The data must be encrypted in transmission and | | | | 12. How long have you been providing data |
| while it is stored at the data center. Some providers | | | | protection services? |
| only encrypt the data during transmission. | | | | Check how long they have been in business and |
| 3. Describe your data center and the level of security | | | | understand the financial commitment that has been |
| you employ. | | | | made to protect your data. |
| Remote backup providers should have their security | | | | 13. Describe your data vault environment and |
| policies ready for review. You should look for | | | | redundancy? |
| redundant Internet, power and generator run time in | | | | Although it takes several hundred thousand dollars to |
| case of power loss. Other items include firewalls, | | | | properly protect a company's data, there are service |
| authentication, background clearances and physical | | | | providers that start and operate on a shoestring |
| security. | | | | budget. With today's technology, a company can play |
| 4. Do you offer continuous data protection (CDP)? | | | | the part of a reliable remote backup service provider |
| Some businesses operate a paperless office, such as | | | | with a single server, couple of large hard drives and a |
| a doctor's office that treats hundreds of patients. If | | | | website all hosted in their garage. |
| they use a wireless tablet, there is no paper trail to | | | | 14. Walk me through a disaster scenario; I call you, |
| recreate patient records if there is a data loss. These | | | | what's next? |
| companies must have CDP that backs up data in real | | | | Your provider should have a structured recovery plan |
| time as it changes. | | | | that ensures constant communication until your |
| 5. Do you offer a flexible data retention policy and | | | | complete recovery. This is when a high touch |
| long-term archiving? | | | | approach is necessary. |
| Many providers force you into a retention policy like | | | | 15. Do you have references from companies that are |
| a 30-day plan or some other rigid policy. A one-size | | | | my size? |
| fits all approach to retention data doesn't work. In | | | | The remote data backup service provider's client list |
| the real world, some data is retained for years while | | | | and history of service is very important to consider. |
| other data can be deleted after months. Some data | | | | Contact references that have experience working |
| is essential for your business while other data is | | | | with the company during a restore procedure. You're |
| operationally important. The right remote backup | | | | buying a professional hand during the data recovery |
| service provider will help you identify your specific | | | | process. |
| needs and customize the retention program to meet | | | | 16. What will be the total price of your solutions? |
| those needs. | | | | Narrow your choices down to only those qualified to |
| 6. Do you protect multiple operating systems like | | | | protect your data to the level you require. With the |
| Windows, Linux, Mac, AS400 and VMWare? | | | | survival of your company at stake, this is not an area |
| Ideally, you want to have one solution provider that | | | | to compromise quality for price. Remember, per GB |
| covers your whole computing environment. | | | | prices can be deceiving. They can be based on |
| Understanding virtual system data protection is | | | | "natural" (as it sits on your computer), "stored" |
| increasingly important. | | | | (amount stored in the vault) or "protected" (the total |
| 7. Can you do a bare metal restore to my server? | | | | restorable data). Some providers use deduplication |
| This feature streamlines the server recovery | | | | (covered in #10). Deduplication can save you up to |
| process, making it unnecessary to update the | | | | 35% depending on your situation and service |
| operating system and manually install all the program | | | | provider. If you focus on the total cost of the |
| files and user accounts prior to restoring your data. | | | | solutions, you are heading in the right direction. |
| Some provider's software has a dissimilar hardware | | | | 17. Do you offer a money back guarantee? |
| restore feature that allows you to do bare metal | | | | It is impossible to know exactly how your |
| restores to dissimilar hardware platforms or to virtual | | | | implementation will work until after it is in place for a |
| machines. | | | | few weeks. You should only consider a remote |
| | | | backup service provider that stands behind their |
| 8. What databases do you online or hot backup | | | | service with an unconditional satisfaction guarantee. |
| support? | | | | 18. What size is your largest account? |
| Businesses should make sure the remote backup | | | | Will the remote backup service provider be able to |
| provider includes support for all the database | | | | expand as you do? Data grows at an incredible rate. |
| platforms it uses such as Oracle and MS-SQL. Some | | | | You need to make sure the service provider has |
| allow you to issue "pre" and "post" commands to | | | | scalable technology and will respond to the ever |
| databases for increased flexibility and support. The | | | | increasing demands of large data sets. Some service |
| technology should also support multi-threaded backup | | | | providers use technology that works for 20-30 |
| scheduling. | | | | gigabytes of data, but isn't scalable into hundreds of |
| | | | terabytes. Again, use references and ask specific |
| 9. Do you support "brick-level" restores and CDP for | | | | questions about the amount of data and |
| emails? | | | | performance. |
| Terian Solutions, a remote backup service provider | | | | I hope these questions help you navigate the vast |
| using Asigra, reports that 87% of its restores are | | | | choices in the remote backup provide arena. |
| Exchange "brick-level" restores. Today, employees | | | | Using a remote backup service provider is an ideal |
| spend the majority of their time communicating via | | | | solution for any company that relies on its computers |
| e-mail. "Brick-level" allows you to restore one | | | | everyday to manage important data. It is important |
| message or mailbox rather than the whole Exchange | | | | to select a high quality long-term partner. |
| data store. | | | | In order to find the right managed remote backup |
| 10. Do you use deduplication technology AND will it | | | | service provider for your business, it is important to |
| save me money? | | | | engage in an extensive interview process with the |
| Some remote backup services employ deduplication | | | | provider that results in cost efficiency, convenience |
| at the "block" level. This eliminates common "blocks" | | | | and assures more security than traditional data |
| or parts within a file. It can also eliminate whole files | | | | protection systems. Remember, choosing the right |
| like common operating systems and software | | | | provider for your business means getting the most |
| application files that are already stored in its data | | | | effective data protection at the best price. |