Necessity of Data Back Up
by: jameswalsh
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It can be described as a method of duplicating or copying original data onto other storage media devices. Data backup can be done in the traditional format of documentation – on paper. This method is time-consuming, inefficient and totally unreliable. In contrast, electronic data backup is much faster and reliable.
Monetary losses of data in a commercial enterprise account to more than 12 billion pounds every year
More than 43% of business organisations experience data loss
Data loss can be calculated at an average financial loss of 843 pounds per day
More than 34% of commercial enterprises never re-open
Data Backup: Consequences of Not Doing It
Organisational Processes
Market and Production: Production figures, including machinery procedures and equipment are stored on digital devices. Thus, data loss slows down the production chain of departmental functions i.e. accounts, human resources, marketing and auditing. It deprives management and workers of the opportunity to analyse their performance, consequently improving production figures. The firm loses latest vital data, becoming obsolete and unable to compete with rival companies in a global market. In addition, data loss paralyses management. Managers are unable to make comparisons and voice suggestions for improvement. Thus, they are not able to motivate employees to work harder improving production levels. Further, management is disillusioned with employee commitment and experiences an inability to engage in horizontal and vertical job enlargement/ enrichment. Low and dwindling production levels have an adverse impact on profit margins. Low profits result in low production which further causes low employee focus and commitment and, consequently, low profits. Thus, data loss can force an organisation to shut down permanently.
This increases the importance of primary and secondary backup systems. Each organisation has to guard against data loss by engaging in electronic backup and archiving the information. It ought to be noted that this data backup has to be kept in a safe location away from the primary site. This ensures that even when the main site is hit by natural or man-made disasters – data is not lost and the company is easily able to get back into operational mode. There are basically two types of backup systems used by an organisation – departmental backup and overall organisational backup. In colloquial terms, these two backups indicate a replication of short-term departmental data and long-term organisational data on different storage media. This means that even if short-term departmental information is lost, organisational data is saved and vice-versa.
Continuous Data Protection (CDP) Organisation Back Up
CDP is a disk-based backup system used to ensure unified organisational backup. It is described as a multi-faceted backup system for data protection -- ensuring constant backup and upgradation. The automatic backup system is used by most UK multinationals. It provides locking and tracking system ensuring a check on accessibility to the data backup.
Features:
Continuous backup
Tracks data copying it from tape to disk to enable constant and quick data recovery
Provides secure data backup minimising data loss
Continuous data monitoring for latest data backups for the preservation of copies of all prior versions of the data. CDP provides the user with the ability to view and access prior data versions as required or needed. This CDP facility shortens data backup and recovery time from hours or days to seconds or minutes removing the obstacle of a backup window.
CDP is defined as a methodology of disk-based backup and replication systems
The business value of CDP is based on its ability to control data corruptions and interruptions
Backup systems are either file-centric unified organisation backup or block-based departmental backup
Removes the requirement for tape drive and media handling at the remote site
CDP hardware appliances are expensive costing more than 50, 000 pounds
CDP software functions with every server and network
Personal Backup Methods
PC users realise the importance of data backup. They employ the widespread method of online backup. Online backups provide data safety against man-made and natural disasters of theft, fire, flood or power surge. On the downside, online backups are often described as being unreliable and prone to data corruption. Online backups do not allow for data privacy. But, online backups successfully reduce the threat of data loss to a large extent. In short, the reliability and safety of online backups basically depend on the reputation of the network provider. Online backups open up private and vital data to the public arena. The individual user has to be extremely confident of the network provider. In addition, the user also has to make sure that online data backup is done only through a high-speed Internet connection.
About the Author
James Walsh is a freelance writer and copy editor. For more information on computer crime and Computer Forensics see http://www.fieldsassociates.co.uk
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