Dear Data-Diligent Reader,

IT professionals are increasingly looking to online backup and recovery (or “cloud storage”) services when it comes to server data protection. These solutions are especially relevant for small to medium-sized businesses and for the remote offices of larger enterprises. But with all the choices today, how do you decide what is right for your company?

The factors driving interest in online backup and recovery solutions include: workforce dependency on 24×7 access to business data; price and consistency of a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription model over costlier onsite options; and easier compliance with burgeoning requirements to protect distributed information (in all formats) and ensure business continuity.

The scope, strengths, and weaknesses of the various categories of online backup and recovery service provider should be evaluated in the context of the current and forward-looking requirements of corporate customers. Requirements range from full system (versus data only) backup and restore to comprehensive business continuity best practices and support. Understanding these strengths and weaknesses can help businesses clarify their server protection requirements and better align their selection criteria and focus with their business goals.

Unlike workstations and laptops, servers:

• Are usually left running, rather than frequently powered on and off, and are not mobile
• Require broader bandwidth requirements due to the volume of the data to be protected
• Store a wide variety of data types of varying importance and recovery or retention requirements

Category 1: Service Providers Leveraging Investments In Core Business Resources These service providers includes companies whose entry into online backup and recovery is driven by a desire to leverage pre-existing investments in core business resources. These include 1) business continuity and disaster recovery and 2) telecommunications vendors.

Category 2: Niche Developers and Service Providers Service providers in this category concentrate on niche solutions and market opportunities. These include:
1) “Point solution” backup and recovery services using their own software exclusively for backup and recovery and
2) Providers who use other vendors’ specialized solutions to address niche markets in specific verticals, company size, or geographic regions.

Category 3: Broader Spectrum Service Providers Like the point solution and licensed software developers, these service providers own and maintain their own software. Most obtained their backup and recovery technology through the acquisition of the original software developer, but the important point is they continue to invest in its maintenance and extension. These service providers typically offer most of the essential features for server backup and recovery.  Backup and recovery is offered as part of a broader spectrum of information management and data protection services

It is important to recognize the different categories of online backup and recovery service providers. Recognizing the basic differences in their business drivers and focus, potential resources, and core competencies is key when it comes to assessing their capabilities.  By understanding these larger business criteria, businesses can better focus and align their business goals with the right partner when it comes to online backup and recovery.

You should be able to compare the various providers against their ability to address your requirements for server backup and recovery functionality, administration and support.

We believe that that choosing a cloud storage vendor is an important decision.  Contact us to learn how we may be able to help you.

We would love to hear your thoughts. Please comment below!

Tags: data protection services, data security, disaster recovery, HIPAA Security Law, The HITECH Act
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Bob Chaput wrote this blog. Bob is president of Data Mountain LLC, a data security, disaster recovery and data protection services firm. Data Mountain specializes in helping Covered Entities and Business Associates assure they are compliant with the Contingency Plan Standard of the HIPAA Security Law and The HITECH Act.

Dear Data-Diligent Reader,

Today most companies are facing challenges when it comes to protecting their data.  There’s more of it.  And protecting the data properly is more important than ever.  But there are also more choices.  How do you decide what is right for you? Start by understanding what your data protection strategy should be.

Your business relies on its data. There’s more of it than ever, but more important, its value keeps multiplying. Companies are putting their information to work in new ways as they connect systems, transform business processes, and extend their relationships over the Internet with customers, partners and suppliers. Unfortunately, the risks from data loss or exposure have grown, too. The always-on world of e-commerce and companies’ increasingly distributed and mobile workforces have made data more vulnerable. Moreover, senior executives have to worry about maintaining regulatory compliance while mitigating the risk of litigation.

Do You Have A Data Protection Strategy? How can you ensure that your company is embracing the right combination of technologies and processes for a complete data protection strategy? Unfortunately, it’s easy to make the wrong choices.  Some companies assume a do-it-yourself approach, which can leave them open to unidentified risks.

An outsourcing partner who provides online disk-based backup can solve a number of the issues that organizations confront when supporting their business continuity, data retention and security requirements. The key advantage is that the data, stored off-site, is protected from unauthorized access and will survive a disaster.

Online backup combines better cost characteristics with superior reliability and world-class security. The great news for smaller businesses and remote offices of larger businesses
is that online disk-based backup services have matured in technology reliability and decreased in cost.  Today, online backup is often less expensive than tape backup alternatives.

Get Ready For Your Annual Data Protection Physical! Companies have different requirements when it comes to their recovery needs, data sensitivity, retention requirements and cost.  And these can evolve and change. Deciding which backup solution, or solutions, to use is just the start of what should be an annual process of testing data protection and recovery strategies to ensure they remain in line with business requirements. A great plan, a great vendor and getting data off-site are a good start, but you need to test the whole process, not only to ensure everyone knows what they are doing but to identify potential gaps in the process that need attention. And as the business changes, your plan needs to change with it to meet any new requirements.  

We would love to hear your thoughts. Please comment below!

Tags: data protection services, data security, disaster recovery, HIPAA Security Law, The HITECH Act
Posted in News | Comments Off

Bob Chaput wrote this blog. Bob is president of Data Mountain LLC, a data security, disaster recovery and data protection services firm. Data Mountain specializes in helping Covered Entities and Business Associates assure they are compliant with the Contingency Plan Standard of the HIPAA Security Law and The HITECH Act.