Doing data backup is easy. Considering the needs for data recovery is where many go wrong. There are 3 points of data recovery that must be considered when putting together a proper Backup and Disaster Recovery plan.
1. Recovery of a File – Very simple and straight forward, you must be able to recover data files. Can you recover deleted files from every location people save files? Most files reside on the server or in a document management system. Are people saving these documents on their workstations while they edit them? What happens if Microsoft Word crashes? I am sure that the file server is backed up, but is it backed up often enough? Daily backups taken over night are typically not sufficient in most modern networks.
2. Recovery of a Server – Many business owners take comfort in that fact their server is being backed up without ever considering what recovering the server really means. How long will it take to get a replacement server? Will the same type of server be available? How do people work while waiting for the hardware? Once you have the replacement server, how long will it take to restore it to service? With many backup solutions, restoring requires the server OS and applications to be reinstalled before the data is restored. It adds another level of complexity (and time) when recovering to dissimilar computer hardware.
3. Recovery of a Site– Unfortunately, disasters do happen. Here in Texas the media has been marking the ten year anniversary of the tornado that ripped through downtown Fort Worth destroying buildings and ravaging businesses. We have also been seeing all the coverage of earthquakes. And let’s not forget about fires. A recent study discovered that, of companies experiencing a “major loss” of computer records, 43 percent never reopened, 51 percent closed within two years of the loss, and a mere 6 percent survived over the long-term. Having a plan and being able to recover quickly can greatly improve the chances of the business surviving.
A Complete Solution that addresses all of these points –
A good backup system should allow for quick and flexible restores that allows for recovery of files, folders, partitions, mailboxes/messages, databases/tables using a quick and intuitive process. A 15-minute incremental based backup allows restores to be done from any point in time, allowing for multiple versions of files, folders, messages/mailboxes, database/tables to be restored.
If any of your servers fail, a good data backup solution will include virtualization technology embedded in the Network Attached Storage (NAS) that allows customer servers and applications to be restored and rebooted in less than 30 minutes in most cases. As you may sometimes wait several days in order to receive replacement servers from vendors, your NAS can have your business up and running. The NAS multitasks so that, even while functioning as a virtual server, it can continue to back up data from other devices plugged into the NAS. This technology thus allows you to remain in business without any significant loss of data backup, server functionality, or application downtime. In case of a complete server failure the solution should support a bare metal restore to new hardware which has a different configuration, hardware and drivers as compared to the failed server.
Transmitting data to a remote site is another key component of a worthy Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan. It guarantees that, in case of physical damage to the client’s network or NAS, or even regional disaster, the data is safe. Encryption is required in transmitting data between the NAS and the remote sites, because it greatly reduces the risk of data loss incidents that plague magnetic tape and prevents man-in-the-middle attacks during transmission. Of course a key consideration of off-site backup is the amount of time it could take to restore data over the Internet. Solutions that offer both transmission as well as emergency delivery of a new device with the most recent image are doubly effective.
In summary, the most important aspects of Backup and Disaster Recovery are to first, have a specific plan, second have a well thought out and comprehensive plan that matches the requirements of your business and lastly, to consistently manage and test your BDR solution. In an age of document management, EMR, paperless office, HIPAA, HITECH, Sarbanes Oxley, eDiscovery, etc., a reliable Backup and Disaster Recovery solution are paramount to the longevity of your business.
Cognoscape Secures Law Firm Data from Loss, Virus and Potential Disaster
/in Business Continuity, Company News, Data Backup, Press Releases /by CognoscapeCognoscape Secures Law Firm Data from Loss, Virus and Potential Disaster
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) April 28, 2010 — In a city that’s famous for being considered the lower section of “Tornado Alley” it’s comforting to know that one of your most important business assets (data) is secure and recoverable. With uncomfortable memories of the recent 10 year anniversary of a tornado that ripped through the west side of the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex in 2000, the threat of a disaster that could potentially put an entire business at risk is quite real. Thirty three businesses were damaged or destroyed in that disaster.
Cognoscape, a Dallas based Computer Services start up has secured a local law firm’s data through their sophisticated TotalCare Data Back Up and Disaster Recovery solution. With both on-site and off-site data backup and recovery, *GoransonBain, one of Dallas’s premier family law firms, is now protected from data loss, hard drive failure and major disaster. “Backing up data in and of itself is certainly not a complicated issue” states CTO of Cognoscape – Charles Tholen, “but a sophisticated system allowing for a complete and quick recovery is paramount to maintaining business continuity and keeping a business up and running.”
“The sad part is that most small and medium businesses think they are covered for Backup and Recovery but don’t have sufficient systems and/or don’t test those systems on a regular basis to know if they even work properly or not. Add to the mix, little or no security for the network itself against virus or malicious attacks and this compounds the problem.” says Michael St. Martin, Cognoscape’s COO. In addition to Data Backup and Disaster Recovery, Cognoscape has also improved the overall use of technology at GoransonBain with the latest in servers, desktops, laptops, software and applications which has streamlined the law firm’s business process and increased productivity. Thomas Goranson, attorney and managing partner at GoransonBain states that “not only do we feel better about our data security but the use of newer technology allows our lawyers to focus more on our business and our clients.”
With a number of technology solutions, all carefully chosen to ensure business continuity, Cognoscape is uniquely positioned to make a name for itself in the growing Managed Services market. “It’s been quite a ride so far, and I look forward to being able to continue to deliver to our clients the ability to make them even better at what they already do well”, says St. Martin.
For a free Backup & Disaster Recovery evaluation contact Cognoscape at 214.377.4884.
About Cognoscape – A growing Managed Services and Technology Solutions company that focuses on Business Continuity and delivering Enterprise Class Technology Solutions to Small and Medium Business. Using the latest Cloud Computing technologies such as redundant or fail over server capability, hosted Microsoft Exchange, sophisticated network monitoring & management and government grade security we allow you to focus on your business while utilizing technology as a competitive advantage.
Windows 7 Upgrade: 4 things to consider
/in Computer Products, Windows 7 /by CognoscapeYou may have heard that Microsoft reports that the adoption of Windows 7 is the fastest adoption of an operating system in the history of the company. It’s not clear yet if this is because Windows 7 is that good, or because people were so frustrated with Vista that they are eager to get away from it, but the early reports on Microsoft Windows 7 are very favorable.
You may be considering an upgrade soon. If so, here are a few things to consider before you pull the trigger:
1. Clearly determine why you want to upgrade. Are you looking for a specific feature or performance enhancement? You should get clear on your goals before spending the money and make sure you get the correct version. There are three editions – for different needs. Tip: most small businesses will want to go with Windows 7 Professional.
2. Backup before you upgrade. Some upgrade paths will require a clean install of Windows 7, meaning your computer will have to have the current operating system wiped out before installation. Make sure all of your data is backed up before you start.
3. Consider the age of your computer before upgrading. New computers will come with Windows 7 pre-installed, so if you are within a year of buying a new computer anyway, it probably makes sense to hold off on the upgrade so you don’t double-pay. Your old computer may not have the horsepower for the new operating system either, which will diminish your experience and leave you frustrated.
4. Confirm that the applications you want to use will work with Windows 7. If you are using general office applications, you are probably safe. But if you are using anything custom or specialized, you need to verify compatibility.
Many people are calling Windows 7 the best operating system yet. Time will tell, but it definitely has some significant improvements over previous operating systems. Plan your upgrade carefully and you’ll have a better chance at enjoying all of the benefits Microsoft Windows 7 has to offer.
Internet Marketing Quiz
/1 Comment/in Internet Marketing, Search Engine Advertising /by CognoscapeQuiz: By how much did small businesses increase their search engine advertising spending in 2009?
A. 91 percent
B. 59 percent
C. 74 percent
3 Points of Data Recovery
/in Business Continuity, Data Backup /by CognoscapeDoing data backup is easy. Considering the needs for data recovery is where many go wrong. There are 3 points of data recovery that must be considered when putting together a proper Backup and Disaster Recovery plan.
1. Recovery of a File – Very simple and straight forward, you must be able to recover data files. Can you recover deleted files from every location people save files? Most files reside on the server or in a document management system. Are people saving these documents on their workstations while they edit them? What happens if Microsoft Word crashes? I am sure that the file server is backed up, but is it backed up often enough? Daily backups taken over night are typically not sufficient in most modern networks.
2. Recovery of a Server – Many business owners take comfort in that fact their server is being backed up without ever considering what recovering the server really means. How long will it take to get a replacement server? Will the same type of server be available? How do people work while waiting for the hardware? Once you have the replacement server, how long will it take to restore it to service? With many backup solutions, restoring requires the server OS and applications to be reinstalled before the data is restored. It adds another level of complexity (and time) when recovering to dissimilar computer hardware.
3. Recovery of a Site– Unfortunately, disasters do happen. Here in Texas the media has been marking the ten year anniversary of the tornado that ripped through downtown Fort Worth destroying buildings and ravaging businesses. We have also been seeing all the coverage of earthquakes. And let’s not forget about fires. A recent study discovered that, of companies experiencing a “major loss” of computer records, 43 percent never reopened, 51 percent closed within two years of the loss, and a mere 6 percent survived over the long-term. Having a plan and being able to recover quickly can greatly improve the chances of the business surviving.
A Complete Solution that addresses all of these points –
A good backup system should allow for quick and flexible restores that allows for recovery of files, folders, partitions, mailboxes/messages, databases/tables using a quick and intuitive process. A 15-minute incremental based backup allows restores to be done from any point in time, allowing for multiple versions of files, folders, messages/mailboxes, database/tables to be restored.
If any of your servers fail, a good data backup solution will include virtualization technology embedded in the Network Attached Storage (NAS) that allows customer servers and applications to be restored and rebooted in less than 30 minutes in most cases. As you may sometimes wait several days in order to receive replacement servers from vendors, your NAS can have your business up and running. The NAS multitasks so that, even while functioning as a virtual server, it can continue to back up data from other devices plugged into the NAS. This technology thus allows you to remain in business without any significant loss of data backup, server functionality, or application downtime. In case of a complete server failure the solution should support a bare metal restore to new hardware which has a different configuration, hardware and drivers as compared to the failed server.
Transmitting data to a remote site is another key component of a worthy Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan. It guarantees that, in case of physical damage to the client’s network or NAS, or even regional disaster, the data is safe. Encryption is required in transmitting data between the NAS and the remote sites, because it greatly reduces the risk of data loss incidents that plague magnetic tape and prevents man-in-the-middle attacks during transmission. Of course a key consideration of off-site backup is the amount of time it could take to restore data over the Internet. Solutions that offer both transmission as well as emergency delivery of a new device with the most recent image are doubly effective.
In summary, the most important aspects of Backup and Disaster Recovery are to first, have a specific plan, second have a well thought out and comprehensive plan that matches the requirements of your business and lastly, to consistently manage and test your BDR solution. In an age of document management, EMR, paperless office, HIPAA, HITECH, Sarbanes Oxley, eDiscovery, etc., a reliable Backup and Disaster Recovery solution are paramount to the longevity of your business.
Social Media Revolution Video
/in Internet Marketing, Social Media /by CognoscapeOver the last couple weeks I have had several discussions with friends regarding the value of social media and business. To many, it all just seems to be a waste of time. If you don’t get it, just watch this classic video from almost a year ago, it explains it all.
Data Backup and Recovery: 7 Questions to Answer
/in Business Continuity, Data Backup /by CognoscapeThe statistics are gloomy: 50 percent of companies that loose their data for 10 days or more file for bankruptcy within that same time period.
Ninety-three percent file for bankruptcy within one year.
Now that I’ve got your attention, now’s the time to start preparing for disaster, before you become another statistic! The first step is
1. Who will be responsible for the plan and who will perform the actual recovery of the data? The time for pointing fingers is not when disaster strikes. The person who creates the plan and the person who performs the actual recovery may be the same—or not. Determine who’s responsible for what early in the plan to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.
2. How important is your data? Data varies in importance, helping you determine how and when it should be backed up. For instance, critical data, like a customer database, will likely require a plan that’s more elaborate, with more frequent and redundant backup sets that go back several backup periods. Less important information, such as daily user files, may simply need routine backups so you can recover the information when needed. Sift through your data and identify your most important and least important information.
3. What kind of information does your data contain? Data can contain everything from mundane, everyday information to highly sensitive and mission-critical information. Additionally, information that’s not very important to you might be important to someone else. Identifying the type of information your data contains will help you determine how secure your backup system needs to be, as well as when and how frequently your data should be backed up.
4. How frequently does your data change? The answer to this question determines how frequently you should back up your data. Information that changes daily should be backed up daily. Information that changes every few days should—at the very least—be backed up every few days. And so on.
5. When is the best time to schedule backups? Over the weekend? During the evening hours? In the morning? Backing up data generally takes less time when system use is low. Unfortunately, you may not be able to schedule backups to occur at these times. Carefully consider the best time and day to back up your information, keeping in mind that automated technology makes this easier while minimizing administrative time.
6. How quickly will you need to recover data? Apply the old adage here: time is money. Some businesses may function relatively well for a day or two without access to their systems and data stores. Others may crumble in a matter of hours. If you fall into the latter category and need to get access to critical systems immediately, create a plan that lets you do this. Prioritize which systems you need first, second and so on, and make sure your recovery solution delivers.
7. Should you store backed-up information off-site? The answer for most businesses: yes. This is especially important if you operate in an area prone to natural disasters such as tornadoes or hurricanes. In addition to storing your tapes or disks off-site, make sure you store copies of any software you need to re-establish operations, and that multiple people have the keys or access code for that location.
Avoid saying, “If only …”
No one anticipates a disaster. But we can plan for it. Today’s backup and recovery technology makes protecting your critical business information and systems easier and more affordable than ever. So stop making excuses. Start planning. Information is one of your business’ most important assets. Protect it.