Computer Backup Options
A Backup Article Contributed by Melissa Larose
Computer Backup Options
Computer backup is a necessity these days. With databases and data needs running into terabytes in many corporations it would seem a rather daunting chore to backup that much data. There are many options to computer backup for both the large enterprise as well as the medium and the small.
Computer Backup Varies
When it comes to computer backup every enterprise has its own needs. Recovery of data may not be as crucial for some as for others. A company may have a 24/7 connection with their customer that requires them to never be disconnected. This can be a rather daunting enterprise to manage because as we all know things happen. A disaster can come dressed to the party anyway it wants. And a disaster in a 24/7 environment needs to be anticipated as best as it can be. There are no excuses available for a customer.
What fits you best needs to be discussed and outlined. Decide what must be recovered and in what order the data must be recovered and you are half way there. This type of discussion can be a tough one to get through but it must be done or a disaster can truly turn into a disaster with no recovery. Computer backup plays a big roll in surviving a disaster. Without proper backup there is no recovery.
Computer Backup is Synonymous with Survival
Sounds rather ominous doesn't it? And it has nothing to do with a reality TV show, although if Donald Trump can do it why not IT? The truth is without a backup to restore the critical data a company rich in data is not going to survive well after a loss.
In making decisions about computer backup consider the threats to data loss and then assign appropriate probabilities to those threats. In doing this you will also address the risks connected with each of those threats. Once you have completed this task you will need to decide on a backup plan.
Backup plans come in three flavors and all three need to be looked at in combination with different time frames. The first flavor is the typical file loss resulting from deletion, user error, software application error, and typically only requires a data file to be restored. This is the simplest loss to restore and use any media as the storage device.
The second flavor is a full system backup that is file based and includes a complete system recovery (operating system and all utilities and software) and data recovery. This takes much more time and storage and you will want to use a hard drive or tape drive for this adventure.
The third flavor is a full system computer backup that is image based. This requires more storage space and requires a hard drive or tape drive to backup to.
Computer Backup How?
The software you choose to use in the computer backup process needs to be researched thoroughly. Most software companies will allow you a trial period when considering their product. Make sure you take advantage of this and test the software thoroughly.
