It’s not something that you think about every day unless you are me. Backups are one of those things that people set up and then tend to forget about. While backups aren’t really exciting and when configured properly you don’t have to micro manage them, many people forget to upgrade standards as well. It used to be that you would back up a folder or set of files etc… that you wanted preserved.
When the server failed, you would restore fix the problem, re-load the operating system, reinstall all service packs and software all before you could even think of restoring data. Then you would restore your data after cataloging it. This whole process takes an enormous amount of time that small business owners simply cannot afford. Just getting to the point where you can restore data can take 10 hours or more! The recovery itself depending on size can take another 5-10 hours and that’s if you are using a USB hard drive. If you are using the old tape backups it can take 40+ hours to restore data in some cases, depending on size and content! Most small business owners lose between $1000 – $1500 PER HOUR that the network is unavailable. Think about that a moment. There is a reason that most businesses that experience a disaster never recover.
In recent years there has been an upgrade in technology however that can save you thousands during recovery. An image based backup product such as the one offered by Acronis takes a bootable snapshot of the entire disk. When a disaster occurs, there is no need to reload the operating system or install service packs. You simply boot from the CD and restore your entire server, programs and all. This can usually be done in under 4 hours! That’s it, when the server comes up it has all applications and settings that it had the moment that backup was taken.
Though the technology may have changed, many small businesses have not upgraded from their legacy tape and or file based backup systems. Usually the rational is that it costs too much. While I can completely understand and relate to the pressures of small business budgeting, there has to be some room for the what if’s. The backup software that can have you up and running in a day or so versus 3 days or more is well worth the money when you consider what you lose if you don’t have it.
I suggest the following to help you stay on track….
1) Check with your IT provider about subscription image backups. Many IT solutions providers such as Dataworks offer a monthly subscription of the software to reduce the pain of purchasing. For a small fee per month you can enjoy the benefits of image based backups without up front costs.
2) Upgrade backup software regularly. The average server is good for 4-5 years depending on environment. I recommend upgrading your backup software every other version or so to ensure you are getting the benefits your company needs. This is usually every 2-3 years.
3) Perform test restores often. No matter what form of backup don’t want to wait until the emergency to find out if your backup is good. A monthly test restore can help you determine potential issues before the emergency strikes.
4) If you insist on keeping your old file based backup system around, upgrade your storage to disk based instead of tape based. If you are still using tapes to store data you are looking to lose a lot of money in lost time and productivity during a restore, not to mention more hands on IT support bills to get it working.
I hope this helps you to think about your backup and recovery strategy. As we approach another new year, think about this and if you have any questions or concerns, ask your IT provider to go over some options with you.
