Backing up data critical to disaster recovery

Feb. 25, 2007
By JOSEPH M. DELEON News-Post Staff
jdeleon@fredericknewspost.com

   FREDERICK — When lightning fries electronics or a flood ruins a computer, the biggest loss isn't always the equipment — it's the information stored on the device.
     The best defense is a backup plan, which allows companies to recover after losing data on a computer, such as schedules, prices and payroll.
A backup can be as simple as recording computer files on a compact disc or as sophisticated as an automated Internet-based system.
Trevor Smith, a computer expert with Frederick-based technology consulting firm Welocalize, said many companies don't think about archiving electronic data until it's too late.
“Companies that are more high-tech have always done it because they have IT personnel,” he said. “But ma and pa type shops are probably more limited with resources and don't have a disaster recovery plan.”
     Some people don't believe they could lose every work-related record, but such a disaster almost always causes a business to fail.
     “If a company can't recover that lost data within a few days, they wind up not coming back,” Smith said. “Customers go elsewhere because they can't just wait around.”
     Even if a business could reopen the next day, it wouldn't get far without a record of invoices, clients or trade secrets.
     “If you lost all your contacts, you just wind up sitting there wondering what to do next,” Smith said. “You should always try to prepare for the worst.”
     Catastrophic events, such as a fire or flood, aren't the only things that ruin electronic data. Theft, accidental deletions and hacking can also contribute to data loss.

The plan
     Companies that keep electronic files should find out how often their data changes and set a schedule to back up the latest data.
     The plan should assume losing all data and make accommodations to restore old files back to a critical date.
     “If I lost everything right now, at what point in time do I need to go back to recover?” Smith said. “For stock traders, maybe you need up-to-the-minute data, but for other companies, they may just need it within days or weeks.”
     Some people believe keeping backup tapes, CDs or DVDs in a fire-proof safe is enough, but heat from a fire can still damage data.
     Smith suggests keeping backups at another location, preferably with a data management company.
     Every week, workers at Welocalize's Portland, Ore. office, where Smith works, back up data on tape drives. The office uses between 10 and 15 tapes, each of which can hold 600 gigabytes of data.
     When the backup is finished, a data management company picks up and stores them.
     “The key is to have a regularly scheduled routine,” Smith said. “Do it every day, every week or every month, whichever fits your need.”
     After backups are made, it's important to verify the data was recorded. A business that sets up a plan, but doesn't test to be sure it works could be surprised if it ever needs to rely on the backup.
     An increasingly popular way to back up data is on the Internet.
     Businesses can subscribe to backup services that use broadband Internet to transfer new data to an off-site server.
     If the backup is needed, it can be downloaded or delivered on disc. While such services could sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, Smith said cost shouldn't prevent a company from having a backup plan.
     “There are a lot of IT professionals that understand backups and can contract with you to perform the task,” he said. “It doesn't have to cost a lot of money to figure out a proper backup schedule and recovery method.”