06/ 29/ 2004
by Michael Nixon
The importance of effective backup and disaster recovery is increasing at a rapid rate as small to midsize businesses realize the immense value of their data -- or rather the detrimental risks of losing it. A University of Texas study showed that more than half of all small to midsized businesses that lose their data in a disaster go out of business within two years after that disaster. Despite this fact, Gartner (an industry analyst firm that covers the technology market) estimates that less than half of all midsize businesses and only 25 percent of small businesses have disaster recovery plans in place.
There is a substantial need for effective data storage planning and solutions specific to small business. What most small and midsize businesses don’t know is that implementing a sound backup strategy isn’t the daunting task it might seem.
Analyzing data and deciding on a backup plan
Before any backup occurs, companies need to ask some questions:
- How much capacity do we need?
- How often do we need to back up?
- Which data needs to be saved?
In analyzing data requirements, it’s critical to note how the data is used and how frequently. These factors will help a company judge how quickly its data needs to be restored and help pinpoint the amount and type of data that’s vital to business continuity.
The benefits of tape
Tape storage offers several advantages over other storage methods. First, and often most importantly for users, tape is low in cost. Because tape backup technology has been around for decades, it offers the lowest cost of storage per gigabyte (GB). Tape storage can cost as little as five cents per GB, ideal for small business budgets.
Capacity is also an advantage for tape solutions. Current offerings range from 4 GB to as much as 500 GB of uncompressed data capacity on a single cassette. Considering that a typical small business requires between 10 GB to 60 GB of capacity for daily incremental backups and weekly full backups, CDs and even DVDs would not be sufficient to meet this need.
Additionally, tape is shock resistant and durable over time, and a consistently reliable format. Vendors like Sony advertise a 30-year shelf life for most tape media, and if you drop a tape drive, the tape itself can still be recovered. The same cannot be said if you damage a hard drive.
Backup is as easy as one, two, threeAlthough it seems intimidating at first, backing your data up on tape is a relatively easy process.
- First, ensure that the drives and tapes purchased can accommodate present and future storage requirements. Any backups need to secure all of the company’s necessary data and software programs, including financial records, going back several years. The products should also be fully compatible with the current computer systems on site. If sharing one drive between systems and supporting mobile workers are essential, do not forget to check that the solution purchased has high-speed interfaces, like USB 2.0, for portability and faster backups.
- Assign a designated person to conduct regular backups, check and change the tapes and store them offsite. Remember, if it’s not backed up, there’s nothing to restore. Additionally, file management is key. You should develop a methodology that the staff can understand and use. Cataloguing and file locators are important features for a tape solution.
- Once a backup is finished, make sure that the job was completed successfully. Check the log after each backup and double-check that there were no interruptions. It is also vital to ensure that the data will actually restore. The only way to know for certain that a backup works is to open a backup file and verify its integrity. If you encounter problems, check the system settings and the soundness of the media. Rotating the media and following instructions for drive cleaning are also helpful.
The best way for a good backup routine in a small business is to buy a tape drive with the capacity to back up all company data on one tape. It is simply good business to protect files by copying or transferring them regularly to removable tape cartridges that can be stored in a separate location outside of the office or in a fireproof safe. The easier the process, the more likely it is to get done.
Michael Nixon is a senior manager for the Tape Storage Solutions division of Sony Electronics.
