To give you an idea of what you should be looking for in a backup and disaster recovery solution, here are four traits that your business continuity plan should have.
Fully Automated Backup Processes
One of the most common backup solutions – tape – is notorious for being prone to user error. Tape backups must be taken manually, and users are responsible for making sure the backup media is archived with minimal complications. In the event that the backup process doesn’t happen for some reason, you could be losing as much as an entire day’s worth of data and progress. This is why an automatic backup solution, like Aspire’s Backup and Disaster Recovery (BDR) solution, is the ideal choice; you get a fully automatic solution that doesn’t depend on your staff to be performed properly.
Multiple Backups Daily
Another major pain point for business backup solutions is the fact that tape backups only happen once a day. Considering how much data can be lost from an entire day, it’s no surprise that this is a major problem. The main issue here is that tape backup is an exceptionally resource-intensive process, and that tape backups take copies of all files on a network, even those that haven’t been changed since the last backup was taken. Aspire’s BDR is unique in that it only takes snapshots of data that has been changed since the last update, rather than all files, which allows for multiple backups throughout the day. The backups with BDR are less intensive so they can occur more frequently; we like to recommend backing up every fifteen minutes.
Secure Off-Site Storage
A key component of any business looking to optimize business continuity is by taking advantage of off-site locations for data backup. Too many businesses keep their tape backups on-site, either physically or digitally on the network. The problem with this is that the backed-up data can be destroyed in the event of a catastrophic natural disaster or hardware failure, causing businesses to lose their data permanently. Aspire’s BDR device can back up data that’s stored remotely in an off-site data center, which makes accessing your data much easier in the event of a disaster.
Rapid Disaster Recovery
One last feature that you want from your backup and disaster recovery solution is a fast restoration time. Restoring from tape can be a drawn-out process that’s limited by hardware restraints, and it’s often the case that tape restoration will require the oversight of a technician. Following the disaster, your organization can restore its network data from its BDR in a matter of minutes. Furthermore, the BDR can act as a temporary server, effectively taking the place of your hardware while your downed server is repaired.
If you need assistance setting up a quality backup and disaster recovery plan, contact Aspire at (469) 7-ASPIRE.
