I am looking into an alternative to my current backup method. I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for backing up data over a wan connection to an offsite vendor. I have looked at Vault Usa and Iron Mountain. Are there any others that would be worth evaluating?
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Off Site Backup Recommendations
- Thread starter mykul71
- Start date
There are a hugh number of companies that provide offsite backup services. In order to evaluate the alternatives you need to ask them a few searchign questions:
1. How do they store your backup data? (i.e. RAID5 arrays, etc)
2. Do they replicate your data in case their primary site goes down?
3. How physically secure is their backup site (or sites)?
4. If you have a lot of data to start off with do they allow you to do what is called a "seed load" onto a disk and send it to them to start off with a full backup more quickly?
5. Again with large amounts of data will they send you a disk with your data if you need it back in a DR situation? If so do they charge and what is their response time?
6. How secure is the transfer across the Internet - encryption (i.e. AES, Blowfish, Twofish, etc)
7. It is assumed that they will support compression (all do) but check also that they support In-File Deltas. This is a method of only backing up the changes within large files.
8. Make sure you properly evaluate the software in terms of backup and restore speed and functions. Do they have a web interface that you can logon to without the need to install the backup software if you need to restore remotely in a hurry?
There is a lot more in terms of detailed functionality but this will give you a start at least.
Lee
Lee Mason
Optimal Projects Ltd
1. How do they store your backup data? (i.e. RAID5 arrays, etc)
2. Do they replicate your data in case their primary site goes down?
3. How physically secure is their backup site (or sites)?
4. If you have a lot of data to start off with do they allow you to do what is called a "seed load" onto a disk and send it to them to start off with a full backup more quickly?
5. Again with large amounts of data will they send you a disk with your data if you need it back in a DR situation? If so do they charge and what is their response time?
6. How secure is the transfer across the Internet - encryption (i.e. AES, Blowfish, Twofish, etc)
7. It is assumed that they will support compression (all do) but check also that they support In-File Deltas. This is a method of only backing up the changes within large files.
8. Make sure you properly evaluate the software in terms of backup and restore speed and functions. Do they have a web interface that you can logon to without the need to install the backup software if you need to restore remotely in a hurry?
There is a lot more in terms of detailed functionality but this will give you a start at least.
Lee
Lee Mason
Optimal Projects Ltd
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