| Backing up your data should be an essential part of | | | | services allow you to log into a remote drive and via |
| your daily routine. Unfortunately for many businesses | | | | a web based interface upload all your critical files. 5GB |
| this simply isn't the case. The only time data backup | | | | of storage space is the entry point for most of the |
| crosses their mind is when they have a hard disk | | | | remote data backup services and this is provided at |
| crash or a serious spyware or virus infection. | | | | a low cost. Knowing that your data is being stored in |
| Unfortunately by this stage it's already too late to do | | | | a secure facility that's deliberately protected against |
| anything about it - the data is gone and you're then | | | | harm allows you much greater peace of mind. |
| looking at several hundred, if not several thousand, | | | | The weak point here however is the data transfer |
| dollars to have the data rescued and restored. | | | | speed. Unless you're operating a high speed LAN in |
| The concept is simple - choose a data backup plan | | | | your company then remote backup can be a |
| and stick to it. | | | | complete waste of time as you're tied to the |
| The burning question on most IT managers minds is | | | | maximum upstream speed of your network - which |
| should the data be stored locally or remotely? To be | | | | can be surprisingly slow depending on your IT |
| fair this is the pivot point of all data backup plans. | | | | infrastructure. Add in the issue of firewalls blocking |
| There are pros and cons to each method. | | | | uploads on certain ports and it can quickly become a |
| Local Data Backup | | | | real IT headache. |
| Most companies rely on either DVD, external hard | | | | So how do achieve a Win-Win scenario? Blended |
| disk or tape drive data backup solutions locally. These | | | | backup! Look at utilizing both of these forms of |
| provide fast, cost effective storage for most small | | | | backup. In an ideal world you'd store a local copy of |
| companies and are also very easy for even the IT | | | | your data and then upload an exact copy of that |
| novice to operate. In the case of any data being lost | | | | data to the remote file backup server. If money is an |
| it's simply a matter of restoring the data from a | | | | issue then store your bulk data locally but copy your |
| previous backup point and the user can then continue | | | | mission critical data to the remote backup service. |
| working. | | | | That way in the worst of disasters you'll still have |
| The data, however, is only as safe as the building it's | | | | the data you need to actually function as a business. |
| in. What happens in the case of fire, burglary, flooding | | | | That's not to say that bulk data such as archived |
| or storm damage? That's right you just lost all your | | | | email is not important but that old data could be |
| data backups in the blink of an eye. | | | | recovered in time by a data recovery specialist |
| Remote Data Backup | | | | whereas you mission critical data needs to be |
| As an emerging industry remote data backup has | | | | available at a moments notice. |
| really taken off. Most commonly remote file backup | | | | |