Best Methods to Backup
Direct Attached Storage:
The best thing about direct attached storage is that it's easy
to access the information if your main drive is lost. Data in
its correct form can be accessed right from the direct attached
storage drive and you can quickly go on with you life.
For most small to medium sized businesses, a direct access
storage unit is the most logical option. The backups can be
scheduled to occur automatically and do their job consistently
and regularly without the need for a person to manage it full
time. The size of a direct access storage unit is often plenty
of room for a small to midsized business.
Tape Backup Drives:
There are 3 main benefits to keeping a tape library with a tape
backup drive.
Off Site Storage - The first benefit is that the data can be
stored off site to reduce risk of loss of both your primary data
and your backup data due to fire, flooding, or other natural
disasters.
Unlimited Storage Capacity - For businesses that have a great
deal of data, not using tape backup drives means filling up
numerous hard disks, which doesn't make sense economically.
Instead of purchasing a new storage unit each time the drive is
full, a new tape can be placed into the existing hardware and
the full tape can be added to the tape library.
Chronological Records - Direct access storage and online storage
solutions often present the storage of only the most current
document as an asset. In most cases, having only the most
current document is all that matters. However, many businesses
require 'snapshots' of various documents throughout their
lifespan and a tape library is an excellent way to accomplish
this. With a tape backup drive, you can look back on a document
such as a customer contract during different stages of its
development to look for critical variations.
Online Data Backup:
Online data backup services can cost $1500 per year on the low
end for just one Window based computer. While convenient, the
cost may not be justifiable for many small businesses who can
buy a tape backup drive or a direct access storage drive for a
fraction of the yearly cost of an online service. Also, you'll
want to do a good deal of investigation as to how safe your data
actually is.
The obvious benefit to an online service is that the data is
being stored outside of the office and better dispersed. In the
event of a fire, it's best to have your data in multiple
locations so to reduce risk. However, this can also be achieved
by storing tape libraries in a remote location or fire resistant
safe.
Because each business is different, there is no one right way to
handle information backup. Companies who specialize in backup
products can be a great source for information and consultation
as to which type of backup system to choose. If you're not
backing up your information now, make it a goal to have a system
implemented by the end of the month. It's a natural tendency to
put off preventative measures as long as everything is fine
today. Once you implement a system it can, for the most part run
on its own and you'll be back to business as usual with an even
greater sense of security.
Mapping FTP drives means to connect to an FTP site via a drive letter. This is simple to set up using BackupChain DriveMaker. For example, you can set up new drive K:\ to point to ftp://my-server.com and copy or edit files directly on it from any Microsoft Windows application. Windows 7 is also supported.