Tag Archives: backup strategy

03.18.14
by

Big Data Requires a Data Backup and Recovery Strategy

Because of the wide-ranging benefits that small and medium size businesses can gain from Big Data in today’s competitive world, many are implementing a local Big Data strategy.

Many companies feel that this is a monumental task that requires changes in all parts of the business. CITO Research developed a paper sponsored by Teradata called How to Stop Small Thinking from Preventing Big Data Victories. The paper states:Big data backup

“The right approach acknowledges that big data and data science efforts are evolutionary and incorporate new technologies and processes into existing ones. It is not about starting over, but about improving current models with new techniques and technologies, enriching those models with an ever-increasing amount of data: next-generation data architecture”

Although the transition to the benefits of Big Data are not a ‘all or nothing’ proposition, the data strategy does need to be evaluated. A data strategy is never complete without a Data Backup and Recovery strategy. A Big Data implementation presents a need for even more focus on the ability to recover from a catastrophic event quickly. However, the SMB is not often staffed or tooled to design and execute a backup strategy of this level of complexity.  The other consideration is that data backup and recovery can be managed remotely without having the live data be transferred to or running in a cloud environment.

There are Data Backup/Recovery Managed Service Providers (DB/R MSP) that provide remote management of the Backup process, along with professional Disaster Backup and Recovery consultation. Contracting an DB/R MSP with the model of remote DB/R management allows the SMB to maintain their data locally without the need to hire new staff or train existing staff in sophisticated data backup and recovery processes. Additionally, the SMB can have a comprehensive Data Backup and Recovery strategy while housing their Big Data locally.

As companies continue to require comprehensive data analytics using Big Data to remain competitive, then the need for sophisticated data backup and recovery processes will continue to increase in importance.

02.17.14
by

Data Backup and Recovery is Critical and Specialized

Data backup and recovery is a learned discipline. Excessive time can be taken away from the main focus of the IT department in learning this discipline. Or, short cuts may be taken that cause severe issues when recovery is necessary.Data recovery 350

IT staffs are overloaded with mission critical day-today activities. It is understandable that Data Backup may be assigned to the newest member of the team and not deeply analyzed. However, it will become the most critical task the IT staff will undertake when that data needs to be recovered.

Salvus Data ConsultantsAn offsite data backup process performed by an experienced managed service provider (MSP) offers efficiencies in the backup process and effective recovery of lost, deleted or corrupted data. Time can be freed up to focus on core business instead of spending hours developing plans and then repetitive functions on a daily and weekly basis.

Salvus is an MSP that specializes in IBM’s Tivoli Storage Manger (TSM) backup environments, providing both tactical and strategic backup solutions. The benefits are:

  • Permits you to focus on your core business, while they address your immediate performance issues on your TSM server and clients.
  • A proactive approach to your backup and recovery:
    1. Fixing it (tactical repairs)
    2. Monitoring your backup solution (discovery).
    3. Tuning the backup environment (proactive)
    4. Planning your long-term backup solution (strategic).
  • Salvus maintains your system and keeps it updated within IBM’s support matrix.
  • Salvus designs and deploys your future state TSM architecture base on collected metrics and service agreements established in your environment.

Contact Salvus Data to explore the benefits that an experience data backup and recovery MSP can provide your business.

01.10.14
by

What Considerations Need to be Made When Backing Up Encrypted Data

As we stated in previous posts on this Blog, the complexity of data is increasing. We have recognized and highlighted that business data is no longer of a traditional structured type.

Encrypted DataAnother consideration besides data type is when any of these many types of data are encrypted. Then the question arises “what needs to be done when encrypted data needs to be backed?”

As explained by IBM’s Technote FAQ, the Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) client makes no special provision for data on a machine that has been previously encrypted. From the perspective of Tivoli Storage Manager there is no difference between the encrypted data and plain text.

The Tivoli Storage Manager client configuration can be setup to encrypt its own data stream to the Tivoli Storage Manager server. In this case Tivoli Storage Manager will take the data as it exists on the client and encrypt it and store it in the Tivoli Storage Manager server in its own encrypted format. So, if the data has been previously encrypted, Tivoli Storage Manager will encrypt the data again using its own encryption method, and store this in the server. If it needs to be restored, Tivoli Storage Manager decrypts the data back to its original form. The third-party program will then be needed to decrypt that result and bring it back to its plain format.

There are special considerations that have to be made when encrypting data during the backup process to ensure the recovery is successful. For more details and special considerations, refer to the IBM’s Technote FAQ  or Backing up AIX encrypted files on this subject specific to TSM.

Salvus Data Consultants understand complex data issues. Salvus provides a unique data backup and recovery model by offering TSM remotely through the cloud for their clients while the data remains under the client’s control on the client’s servers and backup sites. If you have further questions on this subject, Salvus can be reached at 903-201-7233.