Better business backup tape tools
Company leaders know they need to hang on to their tape and vault management tools. They just don’t always think about how to make the best use of these assets. They’re often too busy considering new cloud storage or mobile device deployments, thinking in terms of light speed communication for file transfer speeds and network capabilities for big data control.
Wait, big data? In the cloud? Considering the cost some experts have found associated with inappropriate storage procedures in cloud environments directly related to asset control and transparency problems, firms are increasingly putting their big data inventories in tape. Symantec figured out that about half of everything businesses keep in the cloud is a duplicate of something else they’re storing in that same infrastructure. Working out the expenses associated with heavy duty network connections, storage by the byte and fees for everything from regular maintenance to individual users, tape and vault management is becoming the most affordable option for recovery and archive solutions.
Underlying infrastructure shortcomings
Speaking of continuity and disaster recovery, Symantec recorded that more than two-thirds of cloud-reliant corporations have suffered significant complications in trying to restore their operations following a natural or manmade disaster. The average recovery time for cloud storage resources was about three days. Considering that about one-fourth of firms have also faced some harsh compliance and transparency fines, it makes sense to assume that big data is not sitting well in the cloud.
“If you’re paying by the gigabyte and you’re backing up multiple copies of the same data, you’re going to run out of storage pretty fast,” Symantec’s Tom Powledge told Entrepreneur Magazine. He recommended checking existing infrastructure first to see where and in what capacity files exist, then offloading older files from the cloud to backup tape in order to keep costs down. This system also promotes better transparency and continuity, since firms will have to review data as it’s moved from the cloud to tape, tag and label it and then store it away for later use. Not only will this facilitate better cost control, it also allows businesses to ensure data quality while supporting future analytics and business intelligence initiatives.
Considering the impact of big data, hidden expenses and the lack of continuity protection, relying solely on the cloud seems like an altogether bad idea. Integrating these resources into a well-founded backup tape management suite could provide the security and accountability businesses need to succeed.