Exchange Server Virtualization: A Cost Effective Solution

July 17, 2015 Damien Garvey

It is important that each enterprise makes the right decision whether deploying physical or virtual machine. Servers cost add up and if companies do not virtualize the servers, they can not get the full value of the machines. On the other hand, virtualization assists in exchanging and running application on machine by making RAM and CPU available for more investment. As less boxes are used, less time and energy will be required for maintenance.

Scale & Performance

Physical hardware parts are linked with exchange process. If you do not have sufficient resources, virtualization can work without affecting on performance ratio. In order to run Mailbox Server, Client Access Server and Exchange server, companies need to scale out mailboxes athwart virtual environment to match physical server performance.

Quick Disaster Recovery

In Exchange Server 5.5, clustering endorses availability through designing passive node for slack selection even if the current node fails in operating mailboxes. Clustering is a tricky procedure, which promotes the server role only. Virtual Exchange environment helps in finding a way around clustering complications, improve availability, and disaster recovery by permitting failover of server roles starting from one host to other.

Authenticity of Virtual Exchange

When specific applications are used, companies need to get license for virtualization. For instance, if you have concerns with Microsoft affecting your plans to virtualize, do not fret as properly engineered software squeezes such ideas. Having said that, however, there are a few things that should be considered for making virtualization exchange accurate.

Significance of Virtualization Tool

It is important to have the right tool before performing a job. Microsoft’s Hyper-V and VMware have capabilities to work according to a given task. While making decision, always check hypervisor which is easy to use for IT people. In addition, select a hypervisor with significant features to match with company’s requirements.

Sensible Attitude for Resource Selection

It may be your preference to operate SQL Server, Hadoop and SharePoint, next to Exchange for virtualization. Keep in mind that selection of additional resources directly affects performance.

Support Policy of Microsoft

In virtual environment, deploying Exchange is possible through Microsoft’s policies. Companies must have an idea of how Microsoft policies work to understand what is demanded from hypervisor, key components, and supported hardware.

Disaster Recovery and Server Virtualization

Virtual servers are available on hard drive of physical server. It is easy to transfer virtual server from one physical server to another. As a result, disaster recovery completes faster. It is an economical and uncomplicated process. When data recovery plan depends just on hardware and needs similar hardware for all physical servers; the end results becomes too expensive. It is the reason, organizations select server virtualization for disaster recovery as recovery process requires enough space on hardware.

Organizations that are conscious of their resources and need effective email solution get satisfied because virtual Exchange system deploys without affecting on reliability and performance. Whatever is the type of system, virtualization project which is structured on unsatisfactory basis will suffer in the end. Therefore, implement a precise strategy to avoid uncertainties.

How SMBs Examine Cloud Storage Options

July 16, 2015 Callum Huddlestone

To reduce chances of data loss due to hardware failure, human blunder or cyber criminals, small businesses are searching for automated and affordable cloud deployment. Companies prefer to use cloud storage facility to get access to valuable documents in case they experience a disaster.

When small companies adopt cloud based affordable solutions, they get an opportunity to improve performance of employees. For instance, employees who are working on a particular project in the office are able to carry on the work if they happen to be at home or just happen to be at another location of the company. It is possible for workers to select different devices to use stored data in the cloud for sharing some of the important tasks with colleagues without wasting a single minute.

Need of Cloud Storage for Small & Medium Sized Businesses

Many SMBs have adopted cloud backup services. A Spiceworks research covering almost 1,400 professionals from IT department of small and medium businesses worldwide revealed that more than 60% are using cloud based solutions. A year later the figure has grown to more than 80%. Given that the study involved IT professionals, who are subject experts, and tried to find out their preferences, we can safely say that data storage and recovery systems have given satisfactory results to online companies.

What are the motives behind an increase in cloud storage? It is noticeable that clouds are specifically used for web hosting services, disaster recovery and data backup. Presence of reliable backup system to recover data reduces the downtime costs as well.

Selection of Cloud Services

Companies are using cloud services for data storage for an easy way to access their data. In reality, all services do not offer same services for the same price; so at times it becomes difficult to comparable services. Bandwidth is paramount concern when cloud storage solution is adopted. Customers having limited bandwidth get advantage from inexpensive seeding service because accessible backup version is first stored on physical drive then delivered to data centers whereas new backup images are sent to clouds. Some offer bandwidth throttling and others help eliminate or reduce bandwidth issues by offering a free Bare Metal Restore drive service.

When our customers face catastrophe, cloud offers virtualization built in capabilities. Therefore, businesses can download files or run their specific system in the vendor’s cloud for a period of time. Our cloud users run disaster recovery program to retrieve data in a matter of minutes or hours (depending on the SLA) . On the other hand, non-cloud users require almost two weeks for recovering data.

Backup Technologies’ cloud storage services are distinguished not only for bandwidth issues, but we use cost effective system to meet the demands of our customers. There are various cloud storage service providers which will force you to buy blocks of storage space per device. Contrarily, our service permits companies to pay only for required space that will be used for data storage.

Consider all cloud services, their backup and disaster recovery options before making final decision. Select the company which fulfils all of your requirements, including data security, bandwidth management system, and pricing.

Backup Technology Powers IIJ Europe’s Enterprise Cloud-IIJ GIO

July 15, 2015 Stewart Parkin

We are delighted to announce that IIJ Europe Limited (IIJ Europe) has selected Backup Technology to deliver enterprise cloud solutions in EMEA.

The partnership, which gets underway immediately, is a fundamental driver for IIJ Europe, whose parent company is Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (NASDAQ: IIJI TSE1:3774) , as they look to establish a dominant place in the European and African markets for the provision of enterprise cloud services.

Backup Technology (BTL) will provide strategic licensing, sales and technical support for its public and private Asigra-based cloud solutions which IIJ Europe will incorporate into its cloud solutions’ offering to larger organisations.

Matthew Parker, Managing Director of BTL, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen by IIJ Europe to play a significant role in its partner network. This is an exciting opportunity to use our significant expertise in the strategic design and delivery of public and private cloud backup plus disaster recovery solutions to benefit larger organisations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.”

Manabu Yamamoto, Managing Director of IIJ Europe, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with BTL. Adding their proven and robust Asigra-based solution to our competitively priced cloud IIJ GIO, provides significant added value to our offering. Furthermore this partnership will help us fully satisfy our customers’ service level requirements for mission critical systems. These added attributes makes IIJ GIO even more compelling to customers by catering for their complex needs. ”

IIJ Europe is a fully owned subsidiary of Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ), one of the leading cloud providers in Japan. IIJ Europe has huge ambitions to replicate IIJ’s success by providing IIJ GIO- their world-class, enterprise-ready cloud service – to the European market. IIJ GIO is a comprehensive, modular offer, based on a tried-and-tested platform, without the lock-in of a traditional private cloud or the risk and instability of a public cloud environment. IIJ Europe will offer their cloud service featuring BTL via strong partnerships in the channel.

Significant Software Features of Cloud Backup

July 15, 2015 Stewart Parkin

To overcome the chances of data deletion, businesses need offsite and onsite backup plans. Whether you are running a small business or have thousands of customers online, you must have at a minimum a local backup system. In addition, it is important to secure your data using a cloud backup service. In order to get the best possible services, you will need to hire the right cloud purveyor, and ask some basic questions or check the features of the software.

Various organizations use a variety of software systems for server, databases and virtual machines. Consequently, organizations need multiple systems for different backup applications. Lack of consistency could result in unsuccessful recovery attempts. Therefore, it is preferable to have all in one standardized backup solution.

In the cloud world, there are companies offering cloud backup services with specific features. Requirements of your business depend on risks associated with data, type of data, and privacy features. If your company is searching for cloud backup plan, check software features before selection. Some of the significant features are as follows:

Importance of Granularity

To search data, it is basic need of businesses to have granularity, as it helps in e-discovery procedure. Granularity is a process that checks bulk of data to get required information therefore software must accomplish search depending on:

Type of data: Microsoft Office Documents, PDF, emails, and etc.
Source of data: Search should be based on financial app, particular server file or Microsoft SharePoint
Analyzing information on the basis of Social Security numbers, bank account and credit card numbers

Logs & Alerts

It is one of the software features of cloud backup to monitor backup and give alerts concerning current backup status and failed backup jobs. Email alerts are sent on daily, weekly and monthly basis to keep your company ahead of customers. In this way, issues can be fixed before they change into catastrophe.

Customized Storage Option

Some of the benefits of customized storage are low risk, improved form of information, reduced capital, and use of secondary data for analysis and reporting. When data archive expands, it is troublesome to see search results with many copies of one file. To cope with this problem, deduplication engine is used to avoid copying of similar files. For data security, backup plans are used; always select software that offers fast recovery procedure.

Flexibility of Data for Cloud Backup

Flexibility of data archiving software supports various platforms at a time. Moreover, it can handle different data targets and data sources for extraction.

Secure and Fully Protected

Cloud vendors must have impenetrable system to enhance data security feature. Advanced features such as round the clock surveillance and biometric access controls should be used to make sure that cyber criminal cannot access cloud backups.

Backup with Server Configuration

One of the great advantages of getting cloud backup is to store folders, OS, files and settings according to their present status. It gives benefits to enterprises as backup is much more than folders and files backup. In fact, it covers whole system and recovers data in minutes based on your RPO and RTO.

Role of Cloud Backup Services in Disaster Recovery

July 10, 2015 Rob Mackle

Regardless of using external hard drives, USBs or cloud backup system to protect your data, more than 60% companies have lost valuable data. Usually, companies select either local backup or cloud system for data storage. You might have implemented both local and cloud based strategies to provide an ultimate solution. As a cloud backup company, it is in our interest to make customers aware of risks and benefits of data recovery plans. Small businesses and big enterprises must understand that system crashes directly affect on their business.

When system is down, it is ridiculous to imagine productive results. In fact, companies pay for each and every hour that is wasted due to disaster. Businesses cannot overlook disaster recovery plan, as a minute of downtime reduces the amount of profit. This downtime spoils company’s reputation. As a business, you need to get professionals to help you plan for your data. Let us find out factors which can lead towards debacle. When system stops working, our plans help in recovering data and running things in systematic manner. Within a short time span, employees can return to their routine operations. In order to avoid data loss in the future, selection of an effective recovery method is necessary.

Valuable data of companies is exposed to blunders, hackers and infections round the clock. It is auspicious that technology has given a solution in form of cloud backup and local environment. If you select our services — powered by Asigra — we give value to local level storage, as well as cloud based storage.

Cloud as Catastrophe Proofing

Backup in cloud form assists businesses in several ways. It supports operation and software distribution. It can be used for deploying services, infrastructure constituents and operating systems. Cloud offers flexible and convenient way of storing data that is the reason it is ranked as dependable source of business continuity.
If your business is struck by a disaster (theft, virus, fire), cloud backup works just like insurance policy that is responsible to recuperate your treasure. It is directly linked with virtualization so companies can restore backups on virtual machines. If your business needs to devolve routine responsibilities and pay attention on productivity issues, consult with professionals for disaster recovery program.

Cloud Friendly Hassle-free Solution

When cloud solutions are offered to customers, it is part of our job to inform them about local backup. No doubt, cloud is robust and amazing technology; however systematic strategy is needed to get benefit backup regimen.

Localize and Routine Data Storage

For disaster recovery, make sure that data which is backed up in the cloud is also stored within the company locally. An effective disaster plan means to use maximum sources to retrieve data. Use of software tools and cloud do not give justification for not saving data locally.

Organized Data

Usually, small companies neglect to organize their data when all information is backed up in backup cloud. In fact, categorization enhances visibility option and makes it easy to check what type of data has been backed up, what should be added, and where important files are stored?

Online Backup for Recovering Data

July 8, 2015 Stewart Parkin

Internet based cloud backup has become the topic of discussion as companies are concerned to keep important information safe from cyber criminals. The target of hijackers is not only to trace out Credit Card numbers. In fact, data breaching has covered email addresses, purchase data, registration numbers, and birth dates. By using such details, cyber criminals are able to make profiles of individual customers for black mailing and/or black marketing.

Famous and less known companies are always in danger of data breaches. As passwords and security software cannot protect data, companies must search for another method. When system faces problems, encounters security threats or malware, rest be assured that data can be restored in the system and retrieved from online backup repositories.

Change in business analytics and information management have made it possible for companies to have large sets of data and get more advantages from this information. Whether it is social media’s incoming data or companies’ private information, various ways are adopted to manage and protect data. In this regard, data backup is preferred to minimize the chances of loss or theft.

It does not matter whether your company gets some important files or bulk of data within a day; what is important is the way to protect for effective business continuity. Protection of data becomes problematic when volume increases day by day. As a result, small companies and large enterprises search reliable software for disaster recovery. Common sense dictates that presence of valuable and bulk of data make it essential to use data protection and restoring methods.

Data Backup
All companies must have data backup system implemented for data security and recovery. When effective solutions are selected for data backup, businesses get opportunity to recover data swiftly and reduce the chances of loss as well. Selection of data security solution depends on factors like type of data and its importance. It is essential to check operations and find out whether online backup system or local backup can become more appropriate or not.

Backup Data is Continuous Process
Selection of backup system is not enough for a company. There must be regular program for making backups. Usually small companies get solution in the form of server backup and overlook to update it regularly. Keep in mind, updating of backup is key to have a successful disaster recovery. Data is considered as backbone of a business so loss of data will be catastrophic and affect negatively on company’s progress and bottomline.

Test Backup Data
When companies make schedule for backup, it becomes certain to test data and check whether it is functioning in different scenarios. Whenever a disaster occurs, it is usually different from the last one. For business continuity, it is essential to understand how to respond accordingly in critical situations.

Data Recovery
Eventually, the effectiveness of cloud backup can be tested when some catastrophic situations occur. If your company has worked systematically for backup, scheduling and testing; it becomes easy to apply for disaster recovery. If you are prepared and are ready for uncertain conditions, you will be able to help in recovering data as soon as possible. As a result, businesses can decrease lost productivity, downtime and lost profits by recovering data immediately.