Category Archives: Disaster Recovery

The importance of Disaster Recovery Testing

April 29, 2009

Since 2005 Backup Technology have performed tens of thousands of live restores and test restores for our Online Backup customers, it�s a critical part of what we do and it�s important for us to demonstrate the speed and reliability of our recovery process on a regular basis.

For the last year we have also been working with our customers to enable them to carry out complete Disaster Recovery Tests. The key difference is that rather than recovering 3 or 4 key servers, we are able to go much further and restore every server in the network to different hardware to ensure that in a Disaster situation our customers would be able to function with the minimum disruption to their business.

Previously this was never possible as clients did not have the spare hardware onsite to allow them to recover dozens of servers, and they also didn�t have the time to set aside a week to perform the testing.
To address this we developed a method of recovery which is revolutionary as we provide the hardware and also take care of all of the work, so that our customers have to do is log in via a secure VPN to check that everything is fully recovered.

To date we have performed successful recoveries with networks of over 60 servers including domain controllers, multiple operating systems, email servers, database servers and file servers. Technically it can be very challenging trying to recover complex configurations of things like clustered Exchange, but it is hugely rewarding to log in with a customer and go through server by server confirming successful recoveries.

The key benefit for us as a company is that having completed the Disaster Recovery test our clients know that they can fully recover their operations and they have a realistic expectation of the recovery times for each server. Armed with this information it makes a real life DR a far more straightforward process as the panic element is removed as the key procedures that each user on site has to follow is documented and rehashed on at least an annual basis.

For more information on our Disaster Recovery services please visit: http://www.backup-technology.com/disaster-recovery/

Backup Technology – New Website Launched

April 27, 2009

Backup Technology�are pleased to announce the launch of our brand new website www.backup-technology.com�which reflects our position as the market leading Online Backup and Disaster Recovery specialist.

The new�site has many new features including�a new interactive blog which will feature regular posts from members of our team who will talk about best practices and our experience of the industry.

After many months of development, we are delighted to�officially release�the Backup Technology Portal which will be made availaible to all existing customers and resellers over the coming weeks. The portal provides a central point of management for all backup activities to streamline the process of monitoring, whilst giving live updates and information around the clock.

Customers can now raise an online� support case by clicking a single button in the portal, all of the relevent information is then automatically transmitted to our Asigra trained support staff. Once the case has been assigned your account manager will then decide on the best method of resolving your issue either by telephone or a remote session.

We hope that new and existing customers will benefit from usability of the new design, please let us know your comments and feedback below

What is Disaster Recovery all about?

September 18, 2008

Disaster Recovery from the point of view of data backup refers to the recovery of data in the case of a mishap. It is a coordinated activity to enable the recovery of IT and business systems. There are many reasons why data may be lost and this could cause a lot of pain to your organization, especially if the necessary disaster recovery solutions are not in place.

A full disaster recovery can be achieved by restoring operations to entirely separate geographic locations. The disaster recovery processes can also save the latest copies of files at a local storage location. As a customer you can even restore the file quickly from the local environment, at LAN speed. For the local backup you do not need to connect to the online data bank.

Many clients have hired online data backup agencies to ensure that in the event of a disaster their data is quickly and easily restorable. Data backup agencies can fully control or assist you with the restoration of your critical servers in case of a disaster. The best part is that this can be done to your chosen disaster recovery site.

The best way to Disaster Recovery

September 15, 2008

There is a saying �disasters come without a warning�. You might think that something like that would never happen to me, and continue doing your business without foreseeing the need for any Disaster Recovery solutions. Well, you would realise how important they are in terms of data protection and recovery only after a sudden system failure resulting in the loss of all data.

Businesses are constantly at risk from both natural and manmade disasters, which can have devastating consequences. A business could lose everything in a matter of few seconds. However, there is no need to panic, even in such challenging times provided you have taken precautionary measures.

Using ‘best of breed’ services and products, experts are able to provide access to crucial data in the event of any disruption to your business operations. They help business organisations to store and to retrieve their data.

There are many agencies offering foolproof disaster recovery solutions. They offer exclusive customised solutions for varied businesses on basis of the complexity of their day-to-day operations. There are a host of services, including online backup, business continuity, offsite data backup and remote backup services that you can choose from. Making the right choice depends on the scale of data to be saved and the frequency of the backup.

Relevance of Business continuity and Disaster Recovery

September 10, 2008

Data storage or backup is a growing need. With the mushrooming of data-centric organizations, there has been a growing need for effective methods to store and save precious data. Traditional mediums are failing on this count as they cannot offer the required support. However, most business owners have now understood the relevance of Business continuity and Disaster Recovery. With changing business needs, technologies are also changing. Thus organisations are adapting newer ways to backup their data.

The most popular amongst all is online backup which has revolutionised the concept of data storage. According to industry experts, the market for business continuity and disaster recovery services in the UK will rise to over �600 million by 2009 and online backup is considered as one of the key contributors.

The fact that all data is fully protected to the point of failure is one of the prime reasons for the increasing popularity of online backup methods to ensure business continuity. In fact, data should be quickly recovered without wasting precious business resources. This is exactly what online backup does for you!

Remember, data loss or any such disaster will have a significant consequence for any business.

Common reasons for and types of Data Loss

August 27, 2008

Before you choose from specific Online Data Backups or Disaster Recovery solutions, it is pertinent to understand the various types of failures which can cause data loss. Some of them are as follows:

A leading cause of business data loss is the accidental or even intentional erasure of files by a user. This includes files which are erased by hackers who might break into your system. Then there are files inadvertently erased by inattentive employees or those deleted by disgruntled employees, you on your own might erase certain files thinking that they were not needed any further.

Another possible data loss cause is complete disk failure. This can happen if the computer system is dropped. It may also happen due to excessive or careless use of an old drive.

A common possible data loss reason is a sudden power failure and the ensuing Data corruption. Perhaps the most common type of disk drive failure is a slow, steady loss of ‘blocks’ on the disk drive. They can go bad in several ways. Although the disk drives have filters, which stop dust from entering, filters will not always keep out humidity, hence slow corrosion can set in.