| Browsing the web I became engrossed with the | | | | Lack of resources - If you work for a corporate, |
| concept of data backup and data loss. There is | | | | your backup and restore system will have probably |
| almost an almost unlimited amount of information | | | | cost many hundreds of thousands of pounds. You will |
| covering subjects such as how to keep computer | | | | enjoy an automated disk to disk system replicated |
| and server data secure, how to back-up data, how | | | | to a second remote location. Even though you are |
| to restore data, how to replicate data, who will | | | | replicating to an offsite location, for added security, |
| remove your backup tapes to an remote location, | | | | you will most likely use this second site to backup to |
| which companies can restore data from corrupt disks. | | | | tape. This replicated infrastructure is way out of |
| With all this information and data technology available | | | | budget for small to medium enterprises backup to |
| I keep asking myself the same question over and | | | | tape is still not a cheap task, by the time you have |
| over again, how and why is data terminally lost? | | | | purchased a tape drive, server to fit the drive into, |
| Much information on one web site does tend to | | | | tape media and the backup software you will have |
| contradict information on another site, but after all, | | | | spent at least £3,000, plus backing up to tape |
| most companies with sites of this nature are trying | | | | in the conventional way is still prone to the same |
| to sell you their solution so you will never get an | | | | potential human errors. The humans that make the |
| overall unbiased picture, but there is one underlying | | | | error also have to be paid, if a backup solution is not |
| fact which we can not get away from, a fact that is | | | | automated then you will have to employ someone to |
| stated on most sites and the following fact that I | | | | take care of this, I would prefer my staff to be |
| totally agree with is, "Data is the lifeline of all | | | | carrying out more proactive, revenue generating |
| companies and organisations; if data is terminally lost | | | | tasks. |
| then the chances of a company trading efficiently or | | | | Lack of planning - probably a harsh way of putting it, |
| even surviving after 2 years of the disaster not at all | | | | a lack of understanding potential disasters may sound |
| good". | | | | more forgiving. It all amounts to the same thing, but |
| There are various statistics relating to this fact, but it | | | | a lack of planning was recently highlighted in the UK |
| is accepted that 50% to 70% of companies will go | | | | when the Bunsfield oil terminal exploded. Companies |
| out of business within 1 year if data is lost. It is also | | | | who backed up to tape and secured said tapes in a |
| acknowledged that everything within a business can | | | | fire and water proof safe were cruelly exposed |
| be replaced, desks, chairs, buildings, even people can | | | | when their building collapsed as a result of the |
| be replaced, everything but the data. Imagine, you sit | | | | explosion, backup tapes could not be recovered for |
| on a chair and it breaks, you buy another one, you | | | | weeks as they were in the safe under hundreds of |
| get the picture but imagine the consequences of | | | | tonnes of rubble. Their ability to trade was rendered |
| data loss, you don't know who your customers are, | | | | impossible. Most companies feel that this situation will |
| you don't know who owes you money, you don't | | | | never happen to them, but let's put this situation into |
| know who you owe money to, you don't know | | | | context, Bunsfield is only the fifth largest and one of |
| what orders you have to ship or who you are | | | | over 40 oil terminals and depots in the UK all of |
| supposed to be visiting. Dire times are ahead. | | | | which are near major towns and cities, so it could |
| Taking all of the above into account I go back to the | | | | happen to you. This case is one of many where |
| original question, if people, companies or organisations | | | | buildings have been destroyed and data has been lost |
| understand the true value and importance of their | | | | as a result. |
| data, how do they manage to lose it? Data loss is | | | | If you are still with me you will notice I have only |
| totally unnecessary and unacceptable! I honestly feel | | | | mentioned reasons for and ways of losing data. The |
| most IT administrators do have the best intentions | | | | rapid growth of cheap high speed internet |
| when it comes the preservation of data. In my | | | | connectivity and consequently the greatly reduced |
| experience data loss stems from only a few sources, | | | | cost of highly secure, fully automated offsite backup |
| human error, lack of resource or lack of planning. | | | | solutions is the reason I ask "how can companies and |
| Total data loss should never occur when hardware | | | | organisations lose data?" |
| fails. | | | | Offsite backup, also known as remote backup, online |
| Human error - I forgot to take the tapes offsite | | | | backup, is a solution that ticks all the boxes for a |
| when fire or flood struck offsite tape removal | | | | small to medium companies with limited budget and |
| company incorrectly labelled your tapes, I did not | | | | resource. Why is this the case I hear you ask? If you |
| test the tape prior to backup and consequently my | | | | deal with a reputable company, remote online backup |
| data was not backed up, I forgot to backup! I did | | | | is cost effective, solutions start at around £25 |
| not put my tapes in a secure safe and they were | | | | per month, totally automated therefore requires no |
| stolen overnight. My backup server crashed in the | | | | human intervention resulting in no human error and |
| middle of a backup. The web is littered with stories | | | | your data will always be available as it will be |
| like this; they are almost a comedy of errors. | | | | replicated between two data centres. To summarise |
| Responsibility for data backup cannot ever be placed | | | | you have an enterprise class backup solution at your |
| upon the shoulders of one person or one team of | | | | disposal for less than the cost of a low end tape |
| people, if there is room for human error, then you | | | | drive. |
| have a flaw within you backup system. | | | | |