Offsite Backup Strategy

Brian,

Yes, tapes are prone to failing. Often at the most disastrous times, too.

Mozy and Carbonite are both good services. Brainspiral Tech also offers an off site backup service which you can read about here (http://brainspiral.com/services/offsite-backup ).

A one-year subscription would be $200, which would include unlimited server backups and storage.

We have a number of clients who maintain both off site and local data backup systems, and this is certainly an option. One benefit is being able to keep hourly (or semi-hourly) backups on site while also keeping a daily backup off site. Some think this is overkill, others believe you can’t be too careful. We’re happy to support either approach.

Any credible off site backup service will encrypt your data, allow you to select which data should and shouldn’t be backed up, and allow you to restore at any time. Most of these solutions will back up your data on a schedule, while a few of the more robust solutions will monitor files for changes and back them up immediately.

Transferability is never a problem with off site backup services. The files are stored as plain data, and can be retrieved from any machine with the software installed (and the username / password). Transferring from one computer to another is simply a matter of downloading the stored files onto the new machine. Transferring to a new company is as easy as turning off the old service and turning on the new one.

I’d be happy to answer any other questions you might have.

Jacklyn Matts Brainspiral Techonologies, Inc.

> From: “Brian” > Date: May 14, 2010 12:41:47 PM EDT > To: “Hunter Greene” > Subject: backups > > Hunter, > A quick question I forgot to ask earlier….. > Our backup tape drives all seem to have a life of 2-3 years until > they fail – they are also unwieldy. > > Given the technology advancements in the last 2 years on external > drive storage/transfer speeds, We are now considering an external > hard disk dedicated to backing up the server – a lot cheaper than > tape, more reliable – just one have off site tapes in case of fire, > flood, etc. > > We also looked into Mozy and Carbonite for internet based back-up, > encrypted……we prefer Mozy – they seem more business oriented, and > are part of a large public company. > > When I look at the costs, I am not even certain it makes sense to > have an external back-up drive onsite in addition to internet > backups, since Mozy seems to do everything, as long as there are > test restores that show everything is in working order. > > Your have had any experiences with offsite internet based storage/ > retrieve al systems? > > I guess one question I still have is “transferability” from one Mozy > to another company down the road, if that should ever be a need. > > Thanks for any input, > B > >