Data Archiving

 
 
By Ed Harnish  |  Posted 2010-08-27 Email Print this article Print
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Data archiving

A similar approach to combining cloud-based technology with local solutions should also be applied to data archiving. While growing numbers of online storage vendors are pronouncing cloud-based backup the only way forward, organizations have justifiable concerns. One is the security of the data-a valid concern given it was an online service that enabled hackers to access millions of customer records held by retailer TJ Maxx (as just one example).

But there are other issues such as business continuity that cloud-only solutions are failing to address. Consider what happens when a server fails, for example, and the organization needs to download that online archive. First, the IT team-if there is one in this cloud-only model-needs to reinstall the server, reinstall the operating system, reset network permissions, and reconnect to the router and ISP. Only then can the company start the process of recovering data from the online backup company. The entire process will take several hours, during which time staff members are unable to work. This is bad at any time but potentially catastrophic during the weekly payroll run or during month-end processes.

Therefore, in addition to the online archive, organizations need a local, on-premises solution to which all the operating system parameters, applications and network provisioning are backed up. When the server goes down, it can be recovered very quickly from this local system, enabling the business to start accessing the online data archive within a matter of minutes.



 
 
 
 
Ed Harnish is Vice President of Marketing at GFI Software. Ed, a 25-year veteran of the high-technology industry, has a long track record of providing both customer and shareholder value. A pioneer of the concept of customer-centric organizations (where everyone in an organization works toward a clear set of goals that empower its customer base to become more competitive), Ed has assisted dozens of companies to achieve their growth goals. Prior to joining GFI, Ed was vice president of marketing at Acronis, contributing to the company's growth from less than $20M 2005 to $120M in 2008. Ed has held senior positions at Aptus Technologies, Switchboard, and Banyan Systems. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Ed was honorably discharged in 1979. He can be reached at eharnish@gfi.com.
 
 
 
 
 
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