The Mythology of Data Backup

As ubiquitous as sophisticated data backup has become, misconceptions about it are everywhere. These include widespread and mistaken beliefs about how backup works, what solutions are available, differences between vendors, and the risks companies run when choosing, installing and working with backup solutions. Two main reasons are the fact that backup technology never stops evolving, and the ballooning threat of hacker sabotage. Following are some of the most prevalent myths:

Myth 1. Backup vendors are pretty much alike.

Incorrect. In selecting a data backup vendor, it’s best to focus on those offering a full spectrum of solutions. This enables customers to address their needs with precision. RenovoData presents a suite of five distinct categories of data protection and DR solutions, each customizable to support each customer’s requirements.

Myth 2. Maybe so, but cloud solutions really are alike.

Wrong again. Most Cloud Backup storage solutions are not available in a tiered storage approach. With RenovoData all our solutions offer the best best-in-class storage, reliability and accessibility while minimizing costs and complexity. Our solutions vary to fit your business profile. The straightforward Public Cloud requires little additional equipment and is designed to expand as data needs grow. The Private Cloud features absolute data control plus multi-level security. The Hybrid Cloud combines the company’s infrastructure with cloud capabilities to protect legacy systems and content. All three offer best-in-class storage and performance, plus smooth operational characteristics.

Myth 3. Once data is stored in the cloud, it’s completely safe.

Not true, all cloud providers do not use the same software and have the same infrastructure. At RenovoData our solution is AES 256 Encryption: in flight and at rest as well regulatory compliant. Our infrastructure is high-performance using HP 3PAR technology. It pays to be doubly sure, and that calls for failsafe redundancy. Your Cloud data can be stored anywhere, so a cloud vendor might bring about a single point of failure. The answer is an extra layer of redundancy provided by cloud-to-cloud protection.

Myth 4. It’s easy to lose control of data.

Our Local Disk Backup option relies on hardware-based protection to ensure reliable recovery, keeping IT management in control while connected to the cloud. In a software-only version, it connects the customer’s production servers and workstations with a backup client installed on the customer’s computer. The solution can also be implemented in a Backup in a Box version.

Myth 5. With high-level backup, costs inevitably mushroom.

Not with Backup in a Box. This integrated RenovoData system allows companies to pay only for the multilevel data protection they need. Maintenance and management activities can be minimal, as are infrastructure investment and interruption. Backup in a Box delivers simple, affordable redundancy with a recovery server that manages PC and workstation data separately from production servers.

Myth 6. There’s no way to guarantee privacy for long-term storage.

Actually, there are several ways. With RenovoData’s Private Data Vaulting. Customers have a choice of configurations, management responsibilities and training programs.

Myth 7. You can’t store data with a certainty of preservation

If Earth collides with a meteor like the one that killed the dinosaurs, our Cloud Data Archiving solutions could be in trouble. Otherwise, our fault-tolerant data center provides cost-efficient archiving for any kind of digital material, keeping it safe and accessible.

Small businesses have their own classic data backup myths

Some smaller companies believe they don’t need data protection beyond their in-house capabilities. Here are a few of their reasons.

Myth 1 – We don’t have enough volume to require a backup solution.

Any company with files containing hard-to-replace critical data needs solid backup. It isn’t a question of the data’s volume, but its importance. Companies of all sizes need a data protection partner.

Myth 2 – Our users regularly back up their data on local media. We don’t need anything else.

Old-school, informal local backup is great, in theory. But users can forget to do backup tasks or fail to perform them correctly, the local media can fail, and disasters such as fire, extreme weather and break-ins can destroy stored information.

Myth 3a – We’re new and struggling business, so we can’t afford a sophisticated backup solution.

Myth 3b – We’re a well-established company with our own backup practices.  We get along fine without fancy systems.

The wide array of RenovoData data protection solutions can be tailored to serve shoestring startups as well as substantial corporations. We provide cost-effective solutions for any organization that uses Internet-enabled computers.

Myth 4 – High-end backup is too hard and time-consuming for us to manage.

We understand why some businesses think this way. Implementing serious data backup and recovery demands serious commitment. People throughout the organization must invest time and energy, not just to manage the solution’s functions, but to fulfill new duties of compliance and reporting. The result of that investment is the peace of mind that only strong recovery protection can bring.

Myth 5 – Backup solutions sabotage existing IT systems.

The reverse is true. Cloud-based backup and recovery solutions take full advantage of existing infrastructure without adding hardware. Of equal importance, they boost IT efficiency.

Myth 6 – The cloud is more than we need.

Cloud-based data backup has matured into a safe, effective and cost-efficient method. Your main consideration should be the exact nature of your backup requirements, which should guide your selection of solutions. As far as company size is concerned, cloud solutions offer the kind of scalability that helps position the organization for growth.

For a thorough, detailed discussion of small-business data protection, check out this small business overview.

It’s not surprising that misconceptions about data backup are so commonplace, and there are many more not listed here. If you want to dispel the myths and get the RenovoData facts, let us hear from you.