Which Backup Option is Best?

Which Backup Option is Best?

Which Backup Option is Best?

Why Protect Your Data?

Data loss disasters happen more frequently than you would think, for many different reasons:

• Human error and accidental deletion

• Hardware failure

• Software failure and file corruption

• Viruses and hackers

• Stolen computers or drives

• Natural disasters (fires, flood, etc.)

The right defense against data loss requires every conceivable threat to be addressed. In addition to planning for all of these threats, it’s also critical you understand that backup is only half of the protection equation. Without a quick and surefire recovery, your company could still be severely hurt by a data loss.

Your company’s response to a data loss crisis will impact both your financial bottom line and your professional image. Investing in the best data backup and recovery system means:

• You will still be in business with a minimum of lost productivity following a data loss disaster.

• Your business reputation will remain intact when customers see how quickly and professionally you recover from a data loss incident (if they notice at all).

• Your business will avoid paying for extra tech support, which may or not be able to recover lost data.

• Your business will be in compliance with privacy laws and industry standards. The threat of data theft is minimized.

How Valuable is Your Data?

Local, Cloud, or Hybrid Cloud?

Each backup option has unique advantages and disadvantages. We’ve created a table that helps you understand your options.

Local backup: This is the method of backing up to a local source that businesses harbor on-site, including CD/DVD, flash drives, tape drives, and hard drives. It’s good for fast recovery, but the original and on-site backup can be physically destroyed, stolen, or lost.

Cloud backup: Answering the need to store data off-site, cloud systems use the internet to upload backup data to a remote data center. The best cloud solutions automate this process so the user can basically just

“set it and forget it.” However, in a data crisis when large volumes of data need to be restored from the cloud, internet data transfer by normal ADSL or cable is often too slow.

Hybrid Cloud backup: A hybrid cloud system adds an integrated local backup to the cloud backup system. The same software automation ensures the same simplicity of the cloud, while the duplicated local data means data can be restored in minutes instead of hours.

When it comes to backup recovery solutions, one size does not fit all. Your company’s needs dictate what level of protection is necessary. Unimportant data doesn’t need an expensive backup solution. Data that is the lifeblood of your business needs the best protection money can buy.

To assess the value of your data, ask yourself:

1. “How is my data categorized—the important, the very important, and the absolutely critical?”

2. “What is the value of this data for every hour it’s unavailable?”

3. “What are the consequences if this data were lost forever?”

4. “What are the consequences if it fell into the wrong hands?”

By categorizing your data according to its value, you can create a plan that works for your business and its needs. Then, you can establish a system using the three main backup technologies: local, cloud, and hybrid.

Consideration Local Cloud Hybrid

Including CD/DVD, flash drives, tape drives, hard drives

Requires a considerable amount of time and expertise to maintain bullet-proof backup system

True costs include monthly charges for maintenance and storage, plus staff for backups, training and recovery drills

Can be quite economical, especially for small volumes, if staff costs are not too expensive

To prevent loss of both original and backup, physical backup devices must be stored in a separate location and must be readily retrievable when you need it

Difficult to meet standards set by industry or government for protection of personal and financial data

Inexpensive, but likely to be the least secure and the most trouble to maintain

Company time and focus

Ongoing costs

Data volume

Offsite needs

Regulations and standards

Initial investment

Including consumer class and business class online backups plus corporate WAN

Requires minimal maintenance and management

Competitive, especially when all costs of mechanical systems are considered

More volume means more expense, but some providers offer tiered pricing

Cloud backups are stored safely offsite, but full data recovery can take hours or even days

Offers solutions to meet industry and government standards

Works with existing resources; no capital cost for hardware or software

Cloud backup with integrated local backup for rapid recovery

Minimizes need for local intervention and handling with cloud component

Hybrid backup systems are ostensibly the most expensive

Most expensive, but tiered pricing from suppliers helps to mitigate the cost

The best of both worlds with local copies on-hand and remote copies safely guarded

Offers solutions to meet industry and government standards

Works with existing resources; no capital cost for hardware or software

Typically requires more than one tech-savvy person to manage recovery in data loss emergency

Staff expertise Depending on your

selected options, you may have an expert technician on hand to help

Offers expert technicians available to help in an emergency

Consideration Local Cloud Hybrid

Can be relatively quick if there is low volume of data, but requires time to label media and secure in storage Can be very quick if the local media is on-disk and the disk is handy

If quickly identified, retrieved, and loaded, recovery is very fast

Level of security depends on the rigor of physical media storage; more security requires more training, safeguards, and elaborate procedures

Requires a substantial investment to re-train staff and reinstall hardware and software Physical media parts can fail or get out of alignment, resulting in corrupt and therefore useless backups Some systems are relatively simple; others are more complicated.

Either way, more than one person needs to master the process since most backup will be done manually

Backup speed

Partial restore time

Recovery time

Security requirements

Data system migration

Hardware reliability System setup and support

Automatically back up in your network’s background without staff intervention

Depends on file size and how long it takes to download, but smaller files can be very quick

Relatively slow for large volumes of data with typical ADSL or cable connections

The best business class systems are certified to meet tough government and industry standards

Term contracts may inhibit changing

technologies or vendors, but terms are normally only one year

Nothing to break or fail With business class systems, professional support is always available

Requires some handling for local backup but it is minimal since only the most current data needs to be stored locally Restore both small files from cloud or large files from local media very quickly

Utilizes locally stored media for very fast recovery

The best business class systems are certified to meet tough government and industry standards

Term contracts may inhibit changing technologies or vendors but terms are normally only one year

The physical media may fail, but there is always a backup for the backup in the cloud

With business class systems, professional support is always available

About echopath

Peace of mind comes from knowing your information will be exactly where you need it, when you need it. With local, cloud, and hybrid cloud options, echopath provides customized solutions for backup needs.

Our team of U.S.-based Certified Backup Engineers and Technicians is dedicated to protect- ing your data’s past, present and future. Our infrastructure is independently owned, and our primary data centers operate locally in Indianapolis, Indiana.

For more info, visit: echopath.com

To speak with a specialist, call: 855-337-2225