| tart --> | | | | less time.o Disk storage has greater longevity than |
| Businesses have been using tape to back up their | | | | tape, so the data is going to be there and accessible |
| data since the early days of computing. Tape has its | | | | when you need it.o Random access to data on disk |
| limitations, but it was much cheaper than the | | | | saves time when trying to restore specific files.o NAS |
| alternatives, so its use continued. | | | | devices are independent, complete systems that |
| Today, the situation is changing. The price of disk | | | | connect directly to your network so they don't |
| storage has come down dramatically and the | | | | impact your other systems.o Tape rotation schemes |
| performance, longevity and use characteristics of disk | | | | are possible with disk-based systems and |
| are far superior to tape. As a result, many businesses | | | | sophisticated ones can eliminate duplicate files for |
| are looking to move away from tape for their | | | | more compact storage.o For smaller amounts of |
| backup and disaster recovery needs. | | | | data, removable disk drives mounted in hot-swap |
| The key requirements of an ideal backup scheme | | | | enclosures can provide a competitive alternative for |
| are:o It must be economical. Large amounts of data | | | | offsite data storage.o Locating a NAS system in |
| need to be accommodated (due to the need to | | | | another office and backing it up over the network |
| keep multiple versions of the data), but in many | | | | provides a fast, automated remote backup. In the |
| cases the data will never be accessed. Its | | | | event of a disaster, the backup system is |
| contribution to the company's bottom line only comes | | | | immediately ready to step in for rapid recovery and |
| if the data is needed, otherwise, it is an unnecessary | | | | business continuity. |
| expense.o It must be reliable over the long term. | | | | Many businesses are implementing a staged approach, |
| Some data must be stored for long periods of time, | | | | where an onsite NAS provides fast backups and |
| perhaps decades in some situations, to meet | | | | restores for servers and workstations. Then, to |
| regulatory and business needs. If that data is ever | | | | prepare for a disaster that destroys or prevents |
| needed it must be readable and accessible. When | | | | access to the primary place of business, the data is |
| tape sits unused for a long period, it gets brittle and | | | | automatically replicated to a second NAS at another |
| is prone to breaking and data loss.o It must be quick | | | | location. For rapidly changing and highly important |
| and easy to set up and operate. Back-up windows | | | | data, the on-site and off-site systems can be set up |
| are getting tighter as the hours of operation increase | | | | to mirror each other, so that little or no data is lost if |
| and the amount of data continues to grow. As a | | | | disaster should strike. |
| result, the speed of the backup is critically important. | | | | There are other reasons for deploying a NAS |
| If the backup process can be automated, human | | | | system. By accomplishing multiple goals, the NAS can |
| errors and costs are reduced.o Restoring data, either | | | | be even easier to justify. Examples include:o |
| individual files or a whole system, must be quick, | | | | Additional end user storage. Centralized storage is |
| easy and reliable. Today, it can take a long time to | | | | easier to back up than data stored on many end |
| retrieve tapes from their offsite storage. Data on | | | | user systems.o Ideal for central repositories for |
| tape is stored sequentially so access to specific | | | | workgroup or departmental data that must be |
| records can be cumbersome. Reading the tapes can | | | | shared.o Regulation compliance, such as email |
| be problematic if the tape is old, brittle or distorted. | | | | retention requirements for HIPAA or |
| All this uses precious IT resources that would be | | | | Sarbannes-Oxley. |
| better spent elsewhere. Disk storage has none of | | | | Even if you decide not to abandon tape backup |
| these issues. | | | | entirely, you can use a NAS as a rapid staging server |
| The NAS Approach | | | | to gather the data from other systems quickly during |
| With prices in the $2 per GB range, Network | | | | your backup window. Then let the NAS feed the |
| Attached Storage (NAS) systems are rapidly | | | | data to the tape unit without worrying about time |
| becoming the ideal, cost-effective back-up solution.o | | | | constraints. This is referred to as disk-to-disk-to-tape |
| Disk-to-Disk data transfer speeds far exceed those | | | | backup. |
| of writing to tape, so more data can be backed up in | | | | |