Online Data Backup

Why backup?

There are two very important but different reasons for performing backups:

Corruption or deletion of a file/database means that it is necessary to go back to a previous version. For example it may take a month to discover that an important file, updated monthly, has been corrupted or accidentally deleted. To recover the lost file it is necessary to go back to the backup that was taken a month ago.

Full system recovery is required if all data is inaccessible which could be as a result of disk failure, loss of power, or numerous other possible scenarios such as flooding, fire or theft. On these occasions the requirement is to recover from the very latest point in time possible. In case the problem causing system recovery to be required also affects the backup data it is essential to ensure that a copy of the data is held in a separate location a safe distance away from the primary location.

Below is a brief comparison between Tape Backup and Online Data Backup and how the different methods compare:

	Tape Backup	Online Data Backup
Level of outlay	High. Particularly for large volumes of data or complex backup requirements.	None. It's free to signup.
Ongoing costs	Moderate. Together with hardware maintenance costs, there are often unseen human resource costs.	Low. Per GB monthly fees reduce as storage volumes grow.
Maintenance & Management	High. Engineers are required to design, manage and maintain backup processes as well as recover data.	Low. Management of backup processes can be pushed to the user level.
Scalability	Low. Limited flexibility when storage volumes increase or backup strategies change.	High. Growth of the infrastructure is managed enabling your data volumes to grow without your concern.
Data Security	Low. Tapes can be lost, stolen or damaged in even the most well managed backup procedures.	High. Two copies of your Data are stored in an encrypted format in multiple highly secure data centres.
Protection	Low. Data is generally stored in an unencrypted format making theft a significant risk.	High. Data is encrypted when in transit and in storage, eliminating the risk of it being compromised.
Ease of Data Recovery	Low. Time intensive processes are required in order for engineers to recover large data sets.	High. Individual or multiple files can be recovered quickly and easily by the user.
Future Proof	No. As storage technology evolves your investment can quickly become obsolete.	Yes. Continual investment in performance hardware to meet customers' storage requirements.

To arrange your data backup or for a free quote call Freephone 0800 055 6591 today.