As Easy As 3-2-1

I'm constantly talking to clients about backups. A couple of recent crashes will explain why.

I prefer to talk with people about backups before they're needed. Ideally, while we are setting up the network. Roughly half the time I walk into a situation where a server has crashed, I am met with either blank or panicked stares when I ask about the status of their backups.

I've found that if backups aren't simple and nearly completely automated, they don't get done. This holds true across the spectrum - whether the people are methodical, spontaneous, young, old, business owner or employee. Nobody likes to think about disasters, and few people feel like they have time or room in their psyche for the daily grind of setting up for backups.

Somewhere along the way, I read about a very simple backup methodology called 3-2-1. I believe I read about it in a newsgroup post somewhere, I'm not quite sure. In any event, here's how it works:

• Data exists in 3 places - the source computer and two additional places.
• The data needs to exist on two different kinds of media - you don't want both to be hard disks, or both to be tapes.
• One of the copies of data needs to be offsite.

I've used this methodology at several places, using a couple of different scenarios.

Scenario one: The micro office. 

I have an accounting client with a lot of data, in spite of her rather small office. She works primarily with her assistant generating a LOT of virtual paper on her clients. Her backups take place in two directions; one is an external hard drive with lots of capacity. This is used for a weekly backup of absolutely everything on her server. An additional tape drive does daily backups of just the data files, and that gets carried off daily. This works, but is a little less automated than I like... The tapes still need to be changed out and hauled offsite daily.

Scenario two: The small office.

 Another (slightly larger) office features a nightly backup to an external disk along with a nightly backup to a web-based storage facility. This works really well for people that don't want to remember to change tapes or take them offsite. The data is actually far more secure in the web-based storage location than it is on its original server - better firewalls, better security, and backed up very frequently. With some storage vendors, you can even have your backup data reside in several locations simultaneously. 

Larger companies (with multiple sites) can provide their own offisite backup by setting up storage at each of their locations and configuring backups from other locations to write there. 

The methodology that you use to back up your data is, to a point, less important than actually making sure that regular backups are occurring. Remember, you cannot call it a backup unless you know that you can restore from it; do frequent restore tests. Restore a file from your backup to your hard drive, and test to make sure you can open that file. 

Keep your data safe and you will sleep much better at night.

Comments

[Tissot Swiss watches replicas]

-Tissot Swiss watches replicas
That man is the richest whose pleasure are the cheapest.

[lisayun]

Thanks for taking this opportunity to talk about this, I feel fervently about it and I like learning about this subject will keep your new article.tag heuer 2000Thank you for your sharing! replica rolex watch

[Package]

available for you Cheap Newest Nike Shoes For Saleby no signifies know, whenAir Jordan 12 Max will you have a the Hot Nike Shoes On Salenorth face outlet you occur to be eying, for as a great Jordan Silver Anniversaryoffer as 80% discount. would Buy Discount Vibrams Five Fingers Shoesyou wonder, if they are Vibram FiveFingers Classicreplica customized coach outletDiscount Nike Shoes Online store online for less? There are Air Jordan 3.5 Maxtimes, when there are particular handbags, which come about straight within of the designer. These Cheap Nike Retro Jordandesigners can choose to slash decrease the costs of some items, if they really feel the Nike Jordan 8fact that product does not appreciate a sizable clientele.