Data backup is an obligatory step in good business management. Routine, essential for business continuity, can now be done through various technological options that today also pass through the cloud. Data backup in IT is synonymous with business continuity. Performing this backup operation means making a duplicate and therefore creating a safe copy of information and files. This, boring as it is, is the only way users can protect their data.
Why Backup?
It is essential to state that IT backup is crucial for any data strategy. Furthermore, managing and processing information is the competitive key of new digital businesses. This is why a structured and gradual data journey must be planned. In this way, companies can master data & analytics, AI, etc.
The Meaning Of Backup
Backup means making a copy and archiving your computer data so that at any time, it can be used to restore the original version in case of data loss. A company can back up data continuously or on a schedule. The meaning of backup concerns the disaster recovery process. It takes the form of those activities that allow the information contained in an IT environment to be protected. This backup meaning applies in the company and applies to all devices containing and generating data, such as cell phone backup.
Data Backup In The Company To Ensure Data Security
Most large companies today have indeed adopted state-of-the-art solutions. The enterprise world can count on high-end SANs, powered by the best disk arrays and multilevel data backup systems complemented by DR plans. Large companies also can buy more space when they need it. Or they may decide to enhance their use of the cloud.
The case is different for SMEs, which struggle to keep up with the continuous growth of storage. Small businesses often do not have the adequate infrastructure or resources to set up a system to ensure business continuity. As analysts underline, always and in any case, data backup is a fundamental part of correct data management.
What Is A Backup, And What Is It For
Backup means generating a copy of files or databases (physical or virtual) and hosting it on a secondary site. The second site should be geographically distant from the primary where the original data resides. It might seem obvious, but unfortunately, the computer literature is full of cases in which the same machine room, primary and secondary sites coexist. This fundamental activity solves a series of cases:
- Equipment anomalies and faults.
- Catastrophic events such as fires, floods, earthquakes, wars.
- Malicious actions such as theft, viruses, and so on.
- Errors by careless or inexperienced users.
By copying files, applications, and backup systems, lost data can be recovered and returned to the operating condition before the adverse event. Of course, operational functionality depends on how often you make a data backup. The set frequency must be tighter than for activities diluted over time for intensive work.
What Happens If You Don’t Backup?
Not backing up your data is a big deal. Without the backup, you may no longer have access to information or files that are important to you or your business. Think about the possibility of a ransomware attack. On such occasions, hackers render the data unusable until a ransom is paid. Having your data backed up means not exposing yourself to the risk of business interruptions.
Not backing up and thus losing all critical files and data could impact the company’s revenue, spending valuable time recreating what was lost instead of creating new products or maintaining workflow, and the company’s reputation, because in the eyes of customers, you will no longer be reliable.
The Evolution Of Backup Systems
Before disk became the primary storage medium, many organizations used magnetic tape drive libraries. Incidentally, today’s tape technology is mainly used for all that archived data that needs to be quickly restored. Speed is everything right now. Hence, companies have opted for disk technologies and network backups. Before the network backup, an application was installed on each server that copied data to a locally attached tape drive or hard drive. This drive is known as direct-attached storage (DAS).
The approach of having enterprise backup software and hardware in this area for each server was costly and time-consuming. The backup management software continued to run on separate servers. And the tool moved data to a disk instead of tape. As file sizes have grown, vendors have introduced built-in security devices to simplify duplication. An integrated data appliance is essentially a file server equipped with a hard disk drive (HDD) and data backup software. These plug-and-play devices often include automated capabilities for controlling disk capacity, expandable memory, and preconfigured tape libraries.
How A Backup Works
Data backups acquire and synchronize a point-in-time (PIT) snapshot, which is the exact picture of the condition of an information system. It is used to restore an approach to the state before the malicious event. The target? Ensure fast and reliable data recovery in case of need; the recovery process is known as file recovery.
This is why data backup and data protection are often used interchangeably. Data protection includes broader objectives associated with business continuity management of data security. More generally, it provides information lifecycle management and malware and computer viruses prevention.
What Data Should Be Backed Up, And How Often?
A backup job is applied to critical databases or applications supporting line-of-business (LOB). It is governed by predefined backup policies that specify how often data is backed up and the number of duplicate copies (known as replicas). Service Level Agreements (SLAs) determine the speed of data recovery. As already specified, the more crucial (mission-critical) the information is, the more the frequency of backups can make a difference.
Backup Storage For Mobile Devices
For the issue of shadow IT, those who manage enterprise mobility must play ahead of users. Today, backing up your mobile phone and tablet by solving via personal cloud storage has become a task on the agenda. Not only that: employees and collaborators rely on suppliers such as Box, Carbonite, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and others. They offer some capacity for free and then the option to purchase additional space as needed.
Unlike enterprise cloud storage as a service, these cloud offerings for backing up mobile phones and tablets generally do not provide the level of security that businesses demand. Here, IT has to work at the corporate culture level, sharing security and management criteria. Furthermore, services must be regulated in order not to weaken governance.
Backup Storage For Pc
In the era of BYOD, backup also concerns employees and collaborators. Users may consider saving locally to an external hard drive or removable optical media. All considering security measures aligned with company policies.
How To Choose Which Backup To Use
When deciding which type of backup to use, you need to evaluate. Companies commonly use different strategies. As experts have recalled from many quarters, a backup plan must be governed by a series of SLAs. They must consider the methods of access and availability of data and the Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and the Recovery Time Objective (RTO). Indeed, RPO and RTO are two particular parameters closely associated with recovery activities.
RTO And RPO
The RTO parameter indicates the time delta that allows you to proceed without a specific application. This, in short, is equivalent to measuring the level of tolerance for an interruption of service. The RPO, on the other hand, indicates the maximum time that elapses between the production of data and its securing.
Creating A Backup Policy
Many companies create policies to efficiently manage the times, methods, and types of data protection. By doing so, they ensure consistent and regular backups. The backup policy also creates a checklist that IT can monitor and follow. This is a valuable opportunity as IT is responsible for protecting critical data.
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