Apples, oranges, and the distinction between backup and recovery
Companies must have access to backups in the event of a disaster recovery situation. However, these two processes and the types of data needed to accommodate each of these needs can be different. Organizations need to realize that backup tape management tools are different in some cases than those in demand for disaster recovery. While there can be limited amounts of overlap, different solutions should be in place to meet each area’s unique needs.
As Forbes stated, it’s vital for firms to try and think of each of these regions of the business continuity spectrum as unique facets. Different kinds of business processes should always be viewed through their own, independent lens, therefore making it possible for companies to ensure that each of these individual demands is met. For instance, the source pointed out that running a regular backup tape management program may fail to provide the kinds of information and application control needed to quickly access applications needed specifically for disaster recovery. In those instances, a more targeted set of updates and image capturing would be essential for restoring operations quickly and completely.
That’s why the source stated that it’s wisest for firms to perform backup tape management with recovery specs in mind. If an organization is working on enhancing compliance through information mining, it may not be putting enough emphasis on disaster protection. Just placing backup resources at a remote location won’t suffice to protect corporate assets, either. It’s a matter of balancing different kinds of business needs against one another and ensure that these tools are able to meet the demands of each unique corporate request.
Identifying factors
Microsoft pointed out that there are a wide variety of different kinds of backup plans. These include variables like time, completeness and automation. In some cases, a full backup is necessary to maintain compliance, but a daily backup is also needed to capture information that is generated each day. Simply applying the most recent backup to a defaulted system might also not suffice to get operations running once again. It’s important, therefore, to execute more detailed and compartmentalized backups that help facilitate rapid recovery.
The difference between backup and recovery is therefore as different as apples to oranges – while both have similar qualities, the two cannot be considered one and the same. Differentiating among different classes of information management ensures that nothing falls through the cracks and that certain business practices remain as rapid, flexible and accurate as possible.