The only purpose of an offsite backup service is to protect a business’s data in a last resort. Given the singular purpose of this service it is very important to make sure the solution is setup correctly. Ask these key questions when setting up a server’s offsite backups because not all backup solutions are created equal:
- How often are document changes saved? (hourly, daily or weekly)?
- How far back can I go if I need to retrieve a file or email? (weekly, monthly, annually, or forever)?
- How long will it take to retrieve the file (minutes, hours, days… longer)?
Managing our client’s data is the most important aspect of what we do and planning for the unexpected is a big part of this. Sea to Sky’s BDR backup solution is comprised of two key components; an onsite hardware device to manage the processor-intensive task of backing up on an hourly basis, and an offsite component to keep that data safe and accessible in the event of a localized disaster. While our clients do not necessarily need to use the service every day, it is a huge time/money/headache-saver when they do.
Before the BDR most businesses used a tape backup system – if your business used a server 3 or more years ago you know what I am talking about. The tapes were meant to be swapped daily, required human intervention, and typically provided a weeks’ worth of backups, if they worked at all. The new server-based BDR solution provides the ability to take that default week time frame and extend it as far back as the client requires. It also automates the process and allows a Managed Service Provider, such as Sea to Sky, to check for backup completion on a more regular basis.
For most businesses a week is typically enough time to realize a file is missing, but for others this is not the case. Sea to Sky’s technical staff will work with your business to make sure the backup retention period properly reflects your business’s requirements. This is not a complicated process, but must be addressed in advance of an emergency data retrieval scenario.
Finally, Sea to Sky supports organizations located throughout the province of British Columbia and beyond. Furthermore, our client list includes organizations which are regulated to maintain offsite data repositories in BC. Because of this fact, we provide all of our clients with a BC-based backup solution. Besides the legal implications, this geographical advantage allows our technical staff to maintain full physical control over our client’s offsite data repository if need be.
If your organization can not answer the questions listed above contact a Sea to Sky Network Solutions team member to learn more about the BDR solution with offsite data storage in British Columbia. We can be reached by emailing info@seatosky.com or calling 604.628.6965.
– Sea to Sky Team
