The purpose of this blog is to briefly highlight the 7 key benefits of online cloud backup.
Tape management can be distracting and is prone to failure. Online backup is an excellent way to mitigate this risk and expense.
Disclaimer: iSeries and AS400 are servers. IBM i is an operating system. I use them interchangeably to make it easier for folks to find this kind of information when searching on the web.
In my blog last week, I wrote about an IBM iSeries user that had a hardware failure. He could not re-IPL (reboot), and his last complete save was over 10 years old. When he tried to restore his system, he discovered he lost his complete Accounts Payable sub-system. (Yikes!) Now, he must rebuild it from historical and forensic data.
There are options to avoid this grievous outcome.
One easy, straightforward, and affordable option is online cloud backup.
First, let’s define online backup. Online backup is a method of offsite data storage in which files, folders, or the entire contents of a system are regularly backed up on a remote server or computer with a network connection.
A number of IBM i hosting providers offer online backup services for subscribers whose computers are connected to the Internet, automatically copying selected files to backup storage at the service provider’s data vault.
Here are the seven chief advantages of online backup services:
1. No IBM i Expertise Required: IT shops with limited or no IBM i expertise can have an online backup set up for them. This is an excellent way to outsource this critical step.
2. Automatic: Once a schedule has been established, the backup is fully automated. There are no tapes to manage, no staff to schedule, nor any vendors to coordinate for pickup and delivery of tapes. This saves you time, money, and virtually eliminates errors.
3. Secure: Data is stored on disk, not tape. Tape has a history of failure, which typically occurs at the most inopportune moment. In addition, most tapes are not encrypted. One can only imagine the potential ramifications to your business if customer records were accessed by someone using one of your unencrypted tapes. The story is not much better if you are unable to recover critical data at a vital point in time. Online backup services can offer end-to-end encryption both in transit as well as storage. This further ensures the security of your sensitive data. With an online backup service, your sensitive data is also automatically stored offsite in a secure data center.
4. Accessible and Managed from Anywhere: A centralized system that allows you to manage your entire system’s backup and recovery requirements — regardless of where you are located — is a huge advantage to companies. This is particularly true for companies with multiple locations.
5. Efficient Use of the Internet: Some of the better online backup services back up only the daily changed data to shrink the size of the physical backup. These “incremental backups” result in significantly faster backup times and minimal storage requirements. Data is also compressed before transmission.
6. No Capital Investment: If your organization is like many, getting approval for large capital expenditure is a daunting task. With the Software as a Service (SaaS) approach, one is paying a monthly fee for the service. In addition, the startup can be almost immediate. Typically, set up can generally take 1-5 days. Then the scheduling/backup process can begin the same day.
7. Compliance Regulations: There has been a recent increase in government and industry-specific regulations (SSAE-18, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, HIPAA, SOX, and SEC|NASD) surrounding the privacy, accessibility, and retention of information. These regulations are creating new challenges for backup and recovery processes. Online backup providers are familiar with these challenges. They give organizations confidence that their critical information is securely stored for as long as necessary, yet quickly accessible when needed. This immediately addresses inquiries by auditors and security/privacy concerns.
Summary: As you can see, there are compelling reasons for an online backup service. Remember, the goal of any online backup and recovery plan is to maintain the integrity of your systems and your business with little or no interruption in the process. When an unexpected disruption occurs, your business will get back online in a short amount of time. With an online backup service, you can quickly transfer your data to a hosted IBM i LPAR or any target system from anywhere in the world and stay in business.
What You Can Expect:
Secure Online Backup and Recovery Services, a simple solution for IBM i (iSeries/AS400) and other platforms including Windows, UNIX, and Linux.
Online Backup is generally 70%-80% LESS than typical High Availability applications.
Instant access to long-term online data retentions…around the clock.
Automatic. Offsite. Encrypted. Secure. IBM i Expertise.
Need help with IBM i Online Cloud Backup? Please email me at blosey@source-data.com or call me at 714-593-0387.
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