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Compliments of i365 EVault Data Protection Edition New cloud-based data backup and recovery technologies can help businesses like yours FREE eTips at dummies.com ® Peter H. Gregory , CISA, CISSP Data Backup

New cloud-based data backup and recovery technologies can … · 2010-12-09 · Our online backup and recovery solutions work automatically, with none of the risks of tapes. Your

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Compliments of

i365 EVault Data Protection Edition New cloud-based data backup and recovery technologies can help businesses like yours

FREE eTips at dummies.com®

Peter H. Gregory, CISA, CISSP

Data Backup

i365 EVault: Data protection

you can count on.Our online backup and recovery solutions work automatically, with none of the risks of tapes. Your files are always immediately available and fieasy to restore — just point and click. End-to-end encryption and assured disaster recoverysimplify regulatory compliance. Expert support, available 24/7 for critical needs, completes the picture.

Learn more at www.i365.com

by Peter H. Gregory, CISA, CISSP

Data BackupFOR

DUMmIES‰

i365 EVault Data Protection Edition

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Data Backup For Dummies®, i365 EVault Data Protection Edition

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 ofthe 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permissionof the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed tothe Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ07030, (201)748-6011, fax (201)748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Manlogo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Funand Easy Way, Dummies.com and related trade dress are trademarks or registeredtrademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States andother countries, and may not be used without written permission. i365, EVault,EVault SaaS, Evault Software and the i365 logo are trademarks or registered trade-marks of i365, A Seagate Company. All other trademarks are the property of theirrespective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product orvendor mentioned in this book.

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Introduction

It’s a tough world for IT departments these days.They’re expected to do far more with a lot less.

Backups have been squeezed from all sides: data setsare growing at phenomenal rates, users demand instantavailability of information, they no longer tolerate main-tenance windows, and regulation is watching backuppretty closely with requirements for encryption andretention. Like flying on commercial airplanes, doingbackups just isn’t fun any more (well, if it ever was).

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. EVaulting —now often referred to as “backup to the cloud” —addresses many of the problems experienced by ITdepartments. This book will guide you through the fea-tures available in EVaulting, online, disk-based andcloud-based backup, and help you to understand howthis technology can address the performance, regula-tory, and privacy issues related to backup.

How This Book Is OrganizedUnlike backup tapes, which must be read from begin-ning to end in order, this book is set up so that you canskip around and read the sections that are of the mostinterest.

In Chapter 1, Wrestling with Backup Challenges,I explore the typical backup-related issues facing ITdepartments and the businesses they support.

Chapter 2, Understanding Backup Technologies,explains EVaulting technologies and the ways they

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can help organizations improve their backup and data-retention strategy.

In Chapter 3, Evaluating Backup Solutions, I describethe various hosted, licensed, and managed solutionsavailable from companies like i365. The chapter alsolists many of the desirable characteristics of EVaultingsolutions.

Chapter 4, Ten Reasons to Switch to EVaulting, is aconcise list of motivations to move from traditionalbackup to EVaulting. Some of these reasons can beused to help build a business case for your own organization.

Icons Used in This BookThis book uses the following icons to indicate specialcontent.

You won’t want to forget the information inthese paragraphs.

This icon indicates technical information thatmay or may not interest you. I provide it justin case.

These paragraphs provide practical advicethat will help you craft a better EVaulting strategy.

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Chapter 1Wrestling with Backup

Challenges

In This Chapter� Exploding growth of information� Demanding instantaneous access� Being challenged by distributed systems� Understanding technology gaps� Wading through regulations� Dealing with disasters and security concerns

This backup isn’t like your father’s reel-to-reel tapebackup. In those “olden” days, all the enterprise

data resided in one place: the mainframe behind lockeddoors. There were no desktop or laptop computers,networks, or distributed applications, and organiza-tions did not depend on instantaneous access to enter-prise data any time, from any place. The notion ofonline privacy had not yet been thought of, and therewas hardly any regulation on data integrity, security, orprivacy at all. That was 20 to 30 years ago when tapebackup was not only the standard choice, but also theonly choice.

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Today, IT departments are responsible for assuring theconfidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.This task is known as data protection, and the task isgetting a lot more difficult. IT departments are caughtin the “perfect storm” of developments:

� Rapid growth of databases

� Growing intolerance of downtime

� Distributed systems and lack of control

� The technology gap

� Regulation

IT departments are expected to be accountable fordata assurance that often exceeds the boundaries ofthe enterprise, and to achieve data assurance withfewer resources even in the face of growing databasesand expectations.

Colossal Growth of InformationEverything is online these days. Virtually all forms ofbusiness- and consumer-oriented dealings can be con-ducted online, and rich records of past transactionsand events are also available for historical researchpurposes.

Information that belonged to the domain of paperrecords is going online. Public records, hospitalrecords, and many other types of formerly paper busi-ness records are being converted to online resources.Archives of paper records are being scanned and digi-tized and put online to streamline future access.

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Demanding Instant AvailabilityThe near-instantaneous access to current and histori-cal business information has resulted in new servicecapabilities where businesses and government oftenmake these records available on demand. What used totake weeks is now expected in seconds. Instant access toinformation has become the norm, and often the failureto live up to this expectation is considered disastrous.

Customers and consumers aren’t the only ones whoare growing accustomed to immediate access to infor-mation. Business workers need specific informationright now so that they can complete the tasks that sup-port time-critical business processes.

Downtime is no longer tolerated but instead is seen as afailure to provide adequate infrastructure and capacity.

Backing up quiescent systems during spacious mainte-nance windows is a thing of the past. This is partlybecause users are no longer just “local,” but arelocated all around the world — so “late night” in onemarket is “prime time” in another. IT departments needto be able to create backups with shortened (or no)maintenance windows, including the ability to back upopen databases and files.

Challenges of DistributedSystemsDistributed applications rely on many servers anddatabases, often located in remote places. Variousserver and data components often are based on differ-ent technologies: Windows, UNIX, and mainframe, toname a few.

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But even when all the components in a distributedsystem are within the control of the organization, theircomplexity often makes it more challenging to properlymanage their information.

Some of the systems in a distributed application arenot even owned or controlled by the organization, butthey still provide a vital (and sometimes critical) partof the correct functioning of applications. For example,an online application that lets users search for informa-tion about homes for sale might depend on real-timeaccess to government parcel and tax data.

Increased complexity means increased riskOne of the dirty little secrets of distributed systems isthat the applications, servers, integrations, interfaces,and networks that deliver these applications arebecoming increasingly fragile. Developers and adminis-trators have less time to thoroughly design and testsystems, which means it takes less to “tip over” a dis-tributed IT system than at almost any time in the past.

The reason for this is not because supporting hardwareis less reliable. On the contrary, the MTBF (mean timebetween failures) of system and storage componentshas never been better. However, as a result of stringingso many different components together, today’s com-plex distributed application environments are statisti-cally more likely to fail. This risk puts increasingpressure on IT departments to make all the compo-nents more reliable than before. You could say that ITdepartments need to make data recovery of distributedsystems even better, in partial compensation for theirrelative fragility.

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Struggling with the technology gapTape backup just isn’t cutting it any more. Althoughsignificant advances in tape backup medium havetaken place, primarily in capacity and speed, tape isnow in its fifth decade of commercial use and is beingovertaken by disk-based solutions, as I discuss inChapter 2.

But tape is still tape: it’s a serial-access medium that ishundreds of times slower than online disk-based stor-age. Tape is also a fragile medium: it’s subject tostretching and tearing, it’s sensitive to temperatureswings, and data on tape medium slowly decays overtime.

Compliance and RegulationNew laws in nearly every industry sector require organ-izations to improve the backup and archival capabili-ties in their key systems. Regulations require robustcontrols and recordkeeping for key business activities.Because the majority of business processes are information-based, this translates into the need to frequently back up data as a hedge bet against thepotential for hardware and software failures that cancorrupt or destroy vital business information.

Legislation has a distinctive “trickle down”effect: while certain laws apply to companiesin specific industry sectors, often the lawsalso apply to companies that provide servicesto directly affected companies. For example, abank may outsource its e-mail system to anonline e-mail service provider in order to

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reduce costs. However, the e-mail serviceprovider will be required to demonstrate com-pliance to laws related to the protection andarchival of e-mail data that the bank is requiredto comply with.

Sarbanes-OxleyEvery U.S. public company and many private compa-nies are required to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley legis-lation. The primary impetus behind Sarbanes-Oxley isthe reform of accounting practices by publicly heldcompanies. Within this, a particular emphasis is placedon records integrity, retention, and availability.Backups are a strategic component here.

Health careCompanies providing health-care-related services inthe U.S. are required to enact several safeguards to pro-tect business information. HIPAA’s (Health InsurancePortability and Accountability Act) Security Rulerequires that organizations securely back up data, provide safeguards for backup media, and develop adisaster-recovery plan that ensures that vital recordswill not be lost in a natural or man-made disaster.

Banks, credit unions, and other financial institutionsBanks, credit unions, and other financial institutionsendure a significant regulatory burden that requiresthe protection of business records and informationabout depositors.

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� Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (GLBA) requires thatfinancial institutions must protect data from unex-pected losses through backups, and that backupdata be adequately protected against unautho-rized access.

� FFIEC Information Technology (IT) Guidelinesrequires financial institutions to employ best practices for securing systems that process andmaintain information. This includes business continuity planning, outsourcing, IT management,and computer operations.

� FDIC Information Technology Examinationsrequire that banks verify their Disaster Recoveryand Business Continuity Plans, and that they’vebeen tested.

� Sarbanes-Oxley legislation, discussed earlier, alsoapplies for all financial institutions that are U.S.public companies.

Planning for DisastersBusiness Continuity Planning (BCP) and DisasterRecovery Planning (DRP) together encompass a vastarray of prevention and response activities that ensurethe survival of a business through a natural or man-made disaster.

In many disaster scenarios, IT systems are directlydamaged or made inaccessible, which effectivelyknocks vital business processes “off the air” until ITsystem functionality and connectivity is restored. Oftenthis requires that critical data be recovered ontoservers in original or alternate business locations.

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Backup data needs to be located at a secure locationthat is far enough away that it is not also involved in aregional disaster (businesses affected by HurricaneKatrina took little solace in the fact that their backupdata was across town in a flooded vault), but posi-tioned for rapid “over-the-wire” recovery that does notdepend on couriers to ship backup tapes to a disaster-recovery site. For more information on this, considerRemote Disaster Recovery (RDR) solutions.

SecurityThe increasing body of laws and regulations thatrequire the protection of stored information alsoapplies to the same data on backup media. Data mustbe protected from unauthorized disclosure regardlessof its location or the type of media that it is stored on.

To be truly secure, backup data must be encrypted, notonly in transit but also in storage. This measure willeffectively eliminate the risk of disclosure of sensitivedata to any unauthorized party. The elimination ofphysical transport of backup media can further ensuresecurity.

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Chapter 2Understanding Backup

Technologies

In This Chapter� Taking a look at EVaulting� Comprehending recovery objectives

Backup is really just any method used to make acopy of important data in another place. Then, if

something goes wrong, you can recover the data fromthe backup back into the original system, and you’re offto the races.

I’ll presume you have some basic IT knowledge and justskip over the old standby, copying data to any form oftape media. Equally obvious is copying data to anothercomputer’s storage system (such as from one disk toanother) — in fact, some would not even consider thata backup.

I’ll also skip over replication and mirroring — whilethose function as backup-like technologies, their inten-tion is slightly different: with replication and mirroring,you’re usually not backing up data so much as you arecopying live data to another online server in the cloudwhere it can be accessed in near real time.

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In terms of providing real value to organiza-tions, the only choice that’s left is the one thatholds the greatest hope: EVaulting.

Understanding EVaultingEVaulting, or electronic vaulting, is simply the processof performing an over-the-wire backup of critical busi-ness information into the cloud to an on-site or off-sitedata storage facility. This is similar to network-basedbackup, where software on a server or workstation ini-tiates the transfer of information to a centralizedbackup server.

Disk-to-disk mediaWhile EVaulting has been around for a while, the newerEVaulting solutions use disk technology as the backupmedium. Using disk as a backup medium is superior totape for three principle reasons:

� Cost. The cost of disk drives has dropped signifi-cantly while capacity and speed have dramaticallyincreased. As a result, the cost of disk-basedbackup solutions has dropped significantly,adding to the value of its technical benefits.

� Reliability. Disks are far sturdier and “tougher”than fragile magnetic tape cartridges.

� Speed. Tape media is “serial,” which means itmust be read serially to locate data. All the dataon a tape must be read in order to identify thelocation where specific data resides. The through-put (speed at which data can be read from or writ-ten to) for disk is significantly greater than tape.Further, techniques like compression and saving

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only changed disk blocks can also markedlyimprove performance.

Backing up from multiple locationsBecause EVaulting relies only on network connectivityto the data center, data can be backed up from anylocation to the cloud. Although servers tend to stay inone place, users and their laptop workstations tend totravel a lot and spend a good part of their time awayfrom the enterprise network. This is not a problem withEVaulting, which works from anywhere a network con-nection is available.

Better EVaulting solutions also support slow connec-tions, which includes

� Background transfer. Backup data should take alower priority than interactive user traffic, so thata running backup does not degrade any user pro-grams that require network access.

� Transfer changed data only. Only the data blocksthat have actually changed should be transmittedto the electronic vault. This is particularly impor-tant when only small portions of large files arechanged; for example, Microsoft Outlook’s localmailbox files can be gigabytes in length and prob-ably change daily, but only the changes should betransferred.

On-demand backupAn EVaulting solution should have the ability to sched-ule backup tasks. But users should also be able to runon-demand backups. For example, if a salesperson onbusiness travel has just completed working on presenta-tions and legal contracts, it will be vitally important toget those important files backed up as soon as possible.

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Secure EVaultingData that is being transmitted over the wire, into thecloud, should be fully encrypted in order to protect itfrom any eavesdroppers. This includes not only thebacked-up data itself but all other communicationsbetween the system being backed up and the vault.

Remote EVaultingThe electronic vault should be located in a remote datacenter, preferably a Tier 3 or Tier 4 facility, and betteryet a facility that has a SAS70 Type II certification.

A Tier 3 or Tier 4 facility refers to a datacenter that is built and operated to strict stan-dards that provide high levels of security andreliability.

SAS70 Type II is an independent audit of inter-nal processes and controls, to ensure conform-ance with industry standards of security andintegrity.

Backing up to multiple vaultsLarger organizations may want to employ multiple elec-tronic vaults, to expedite with backup or recoveryoperations. If an organization has an extremely largedatabase or a database with a short Recovery TimeObjective, recovering from a remote vault may takelonger than needed. The organization also may want toutilize a vault within its own network (or cloud), inorder to maximize network bandwidth and thereforeassure a faster data recovery.

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It is common for data at remote locations to be backedup to nearby local vaults, which can then be replicatedto off-site data centers or to electronic vaults at com-pany headquarters.

Ease of recoveryBackups are a waste of time if backup data cannot berecovered reliably. Moreover, data recovery should notbe the difficult affair that it was “back in the day” offull, incremental, and differential backups. A modernEVaulting system should provide single-action recoveryregardless of the methods used to back up data in thefirst place.

What I mean is this: Even if a data set isbacked up in many small pieces over time(using full, incremental, differential, or justchanged-blocks methods), data recoveryshould consist of a single step that is the GUIequivalent to “recover this data set to thatcomputer.” The system should then take careof all the details without the user (even anexperienced system administrator or databaseadministrator) needing to get tangled up in allthe details on how the backup data was cre-ated in the first place.

Establishing Recovery TimeObjectivesWhen an organization is setting up or refining a backupand recovery plan, one of the most important decisions

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is the length of time required to recover key systemsand how recent the data will be on a recovered system.The two key targets are Recovery Time Objective and Recovery Point Objective, which I discuss in thissection.

Achieving Recovery Time ObjectivesThe ability to achieve a given Recovery Time Objective(RTO) depends on how rapidly a system can be recov-ered from backup. The main factor at work here is thespeed at which data on backup media can be restoredonto a system.

The frequency of backups doesn’t matter much forRTO; whether data being restored is a few hours old ora week old has more to do with Recovery PointObjectives (RPO), which I discuss in a minute.

Example of Recovery Time ObjectivesA popular online retailer has established RTOs for theprimary components in its database, as follows:

� Online catalog. The retailer considers its onlineorder catalog to be its most important database.Recovering the online catalog quickly means thatcustomers can browse the catalog for goods thatthey would like to purchase. The retailer placed atwo-hour RTO on its online catalog.

� Online purchase. The retailer decided that theability for customers to place orders was its nexthighest priority. The retailer chose a three-hourRTO on its online purchase data.

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� Order history. The retailer reasoned that the abil-ity to see an order history was far lower than theneed to place new orders. They chose a 48-hourRTO for order history.

As you can see, RTO is not an all-or-nothingproposition. Organizations with large data-bases can establish RTO figures for differentparts of its data in order to prioritize recoveryefforts.

Achieving Recovery Point ObjectivesThe ability to achieve a given Recovery PointObjective, or RPO, depends on how frequently backupsare performed. RPO is the maximum acceptable periodof time that data loss will occur if data is lost for anyreason.

Example of Recovery Point ObjectivesA document management system is used to storeupdated documents. The system is backed up twiceeach day. If a system failure or disaster requires thesystem be rebuilt, the most data that will be lost isabout half a day. The RPO for this system would beapproximately 12 hours.

An RPO of two hours means that, at most, two hours ofdata will be lost if a malfunction or disaster occurs. Itdoes not, however, mean that a system will be recov-ered within two hours. On the contrary, a system witha two-hour RPO could have an RTO of one day. Thismeans that a system could be down for an entire day,but once it is back up and running, only two hours ofdata will be lost.

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Chapter 3Evaluating Backup Solutions

In This Chapter� Venturing into backup and recovery� Exploring licensed backup solutions� Taking a look at managed services� Evaluating solutions

When you buy a pair of shoes, you probably trythem on for look and fit, and take a few steps to

see how they feel in action. Most IT systems and solu-tions are that way, too: even when you’re impressed bya demo, you still want to try it out on your own systemto see how it will really run. Why should backup solu-tions be any different?

In this chapter, I describe the various EVault backupand recovery solutions that are available from i365, ASeagate Company. One is sure to fit your needs well.

Online Backup and RecoveryOne solution is Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), where allyou have to do is install backup agent software on yoursystems, and your service provider securely storesyour critical data in the cloud over the Internet. If andwhen you need to recover data, you log in to the serv-

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ice provider’s network to perform data recovery opera-tions. Unless you need support from your i365 serviceprovider for some reason, you can usually recover dataon your own.

The i365 EVault SaaS family of solutions providesexactly that. With Evault SaaS, your data is safely trans-mitted over encrypted network connections throughthe cloud to one of ten secure data centers. UsingEVault SaaS is as easy as using a Web browser: You setup backup policies to customize and optimize howbackups are run on specific systems or classes of sys-tems (like all laptop users in a single configuration).

With EVault SaaS, you solve several vital problems all atonce:

� Data de-duplication. Helps eliminate redundantbackup of identical files, which reduces band-width and backup times.

� Ease of use. You don’t need special IT skills tomanage backups. Anyone can do it. Your IT staff isfreed up to devote time to more productive tasks.

� Media management. i365 stores all your backupdata, so you don’t have to manage backup tapesever again.

� Off-site cloud storage. Outdated tape backupsolutions also require that you find a serviceprovider to store your backup tapes off-site, aswell as secure courier service. With EVault SaaS,your data is stored in the cloud in one of i365’s tensecure, Tier 3 and 4, SAS-70 Type II certified datacenters. Your storage problems are solved!

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� Regulatory compliance. i365’s disk-to-disk tech-nology, encryption, and assured disaster recoverymake it easy to satisfy data protection and privacyrequirements.

� Reliable and robust media. When you use EVaultSaaS, you never have to worry about those fragilebackup tapes that stretch and break and grow oldand unreliable. EVault SaaS stores your backupdata on reliable disk media. And, you don’t have to worry about whether someoneremembered to load the tapes or label them properly.

� Security Stories of lost backup tapes keep CIOs upat night, but with EVault SaaS, you have no couri-ers, since your backup data is safely transmittedusing end-to-end encryption into the clouddirectly to one of i365’s data centers.

� Simple recovery. Back when you managed yourbackup media, recovery was complicated andinvolved restoring data from many differentbackup sets and tapes. When you use EVault SaaS,you can recover data to any server from anywherewith just a Web browser.

Figure 3-1 depicts the EVault SaaS logical architecture.

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Licensed SolutionsAlthough EVault SaaS’s model is suitable for many busi-nesses, some backup and recovery models require thatbackup data reside on customers’ premises instead ofin i365 secure data centers. Possible reasons for thisinclude unusually large data sets combined withrequired short recovery times. Businesses in someindustries are required to keep sensitive data undertheir direct control and within their own data centers.More complex environments may also dictate need forcompanion products and plug-ins (for example,VMware and Exchange).

The solution in these cases is EVault Software, alicensed software version of i365’s EVault technology.EVault Software provides the granular control neededwhen data protection means managing a wide range offactors including multiple operating systems andbroadly distributed networks. Its functions include

� Administration. Administration and recovery isperformed via the same secure Web interface thatcan be located anywhere.

� Agents. Lightweight software agents operate onservers and user workstations, conforming toyour backup policies.

� Data de-duplication. Helps eliminate redundantbackup of identical files, which lowers your stor-age costs and backup times.

� Efficient backups. EVault’s DeltaPro™ technologymakes backups super-efficient by only backing upthe changed data.

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� Secure backups. Backup data is encrypted whentransmitted to and from the vault, and alsoencrypted in the vault itself.

i365 also offers EVault Plug-n-Protect, an all-in-onebackup and recovery appliance that consists of pre-configured hardware and software and is priced forbusinesses in the SMB market.

Managed SolutionsOrganizations with complex environments but limitedIT resources for operating a backup solution can turnto i365’s EVault Managed Services. Designed for mid-and large-sized enterprises that are distributed and reg-ulated, EVault Managed Services partners with you toimplement a backup solution, on your hardware ortheirs. A few of the many advantages of using EVaultManaged Services are

� Proactive monitoring. With EVault ManagedServices you get a dedicated data protectionexpert who monitors your backup processes soyou don’t have to.

� Resource efficient. You can deploy your scarce ITresources where they’re needed, and leave backupchores to others.

� SAS70 Type II certified. You can have confidencein the business and technical controls already inplace.

� Scalability. You build as you grow

.

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Evaluating SolutionsBefore you begin an evaluation of a backup solution,you need to understand the type of solution that willwork best for your organization. Some questions thatyou can ask yourself include

� Does your regulatory landscape permit your datato reside on a backup service provider’s environ-ment? If so, then an online (or cloud-based)backup solution can be considered.

� Is your critical data so large that you must havelocal storage of backup data?

� Do you have backup experts on your IT staff? Ifnot, then you may want to rely on managed serv-ices to get your backup solution up and running.

� Have you established your recovery time andrecovery point objectives? If not, then you mayneed to start with a managed service providerwho can help you develop these targets.

� Do you require a tiered recovery architecture withreplication offsite to provide disaster recovery toaddress RTO requirements? Make sure yourvendor offers these capabilities.

When you think you’ve decided which type of backupsolution is right for your organization, you can drilldown and explore the characteristics of variousbackup product/service vendors. Some of the itemsyou’ll want to look at include

� Unattended backups

� Ability to back up open files and databases

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� Ability to centrally manage backup and restoreoperations from any location

� Off-site cloud storage located in a secure Tier 3 orTier 4 facility

� Rapid restoration 24x7x365 via an easy-to-use Webinterface

� Encryption of data in transit and when stored

� Encryption keys always and only in your control

� Customizable backup and retention schedules

� No hardware changes needed for off-site storagescenarios

� A single management interface for backing upmany types of systems and data types from work-stations to mainframes and flat files to databases

� SAS70 Type II certification

� Data replication and disaster recovery

� Bare metal restores if an entire system fails

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Chapter 4Ten Reasons to Switch to

EVaulting

In This Chapter� Gathering enough ideas in one place to get an

EVaulting project under way in your company

If you’re looking for more ideas on how to convincemanagement that EVaulting using cloud or software

disk-based backup and recovery is the way to go,you’ve come to the right place. All of the ideas appearelsewhere in the book and are included here in oneconvenient place for you to cherry-pick as needed.

ReliabilityEVaulting uses highly reliable Internet connections tocloud-based storage and proven backup, retention, andarchival technologies in hardened Tier 3 and Tier 4data centers.

When you upgrade to EVaulting, you can kiss fragilebackup tapes good-bye, while you wonder why you betthe business on spools of flimsy acetate in the firstplace.

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SecurityEVaulting is more secure than tape backup. There areno backup tapes to be stolen from delivery trucks withheadlines in the local newspaper the next day. In fact,EVaulting simplifies your backup strategy by com-pletely eliminating off-site tape storage and couriers.

EVaulting solutions worth considering will fully encryptyour data, both in transit as well as in storage. Further,only you will have the decryption keys, which meansthat only you can retrieve your data, no matter where itis located.

Because all of your data is located in the cloud, youroff-site storage and disaster-recovery requirements areautomatically taken care of.

UsabilityToday’s EVaulting solutions have secure, easy-to-useWeb interfaces that provide centralized control andmanagement capabilities. And because they’re Webinterfaces, they can be accessed from anywhere andrequire no special client software.

Administrators should no longer have to understandhow full, incremental, and differential backups work,and to have to figure out which tapes are needed torestore data. Instead, the UI should permit the adminis-trator to just select the files to restore, regardless ofhow they were backed up or how they are stored. Itshould be as easy as point and click!

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ComplianceAn EVaulting solution should have provisions for satis-fying today’s stringent compliance requirements.Features that should be present include security,encryption, disaster recovery, retention scheduling,access controls, and recordkeeping.

PerformanceEVaulting is just plain smarter than old backup pro-grams. In addition to compression, one of the biggestgains is a feature where only changed disk blocks arebacked up, which can dramatically reduce the time,bandwidth, and storage needed to back up data. i365’sEVault DeltaPro technology offers this capability.Another is bandwidth throttling, which lets you controlhow much of your network traffic is devoted to backups.

Broad Platform SupportC’mon, we all want one interface for backing up allkinds of data on all kinds of systems from laptops tomainframes. Some of today’s EVaulting solutions pro-vide this capability where the complexity is appropri-ately hidden from administrators who can thenconcentrate on backing up and restoring systems anddata sets.

Support for Multiple LocationsEVaulting permits servers and workstations to bebacked up, no matter where they’re located, even if

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they are mobile! With EVaulting, location is just an attrib-ute and is practically irrelevant. As long as a targetsystem has a network connection and a running agent,backups and restores can take place behind the scenes.

Frees Up ResourcesEVaulting streamlines and simplifies backups, whichreduces the IT footprint necessary to support it. Thosescarce IT resources can be better placed in tasks andjobs that are more relevant to the business instead ofmanaging backup media as it is loaded, unloaded,racked, unracked, and transported to and from off-sitestorage locations.

ScalabilityEVaulting is as scalable as your business, whether youare backing up onto your own media or a backup serv-ice provider. You can just add agents to any new sys-tems to back up and add storage capacity as needed.

Simplify and Reduce CostBecause EVaulting simplifies enterprise backup, itreduces and simplifies cost. Before EVaulting, you hadto allocate budget and floor space for backup media,racks, transportation containers, tape-drive mainte-nance and replacement, courier service, and off-sitestorage. All of these represent activities that IT staffmembers are attending to daily or weekly. EVaultingeliminates all these activities in favor of one unifying,scalable, secure solution that permits you to easilymanage backups and restores from anywhere with justa Web browser.

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ISBN: 978-0-470-58024-0

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i365 EVault Data Protection Edition New cloud-based data backup and recovery technologies can help businesses like yours

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