Shrinking backup windows essential to performance
The process of backing up an entire day’s information may feel like it’s taking longer all the time for many firms. That’s because big data is creating more files every day for infrastructure to have to replicate, deduplicate and archive. Creating thorough backup architecture takes more manpower and bigger windows than ever, but there are ways to shrink the problem. Running more regularly scheduled backups and at times when the office NAS services are less needed by the rest of the workforce is ideal, but prioritizing certain hardware also helps.
Finding the best solutions
Computerworld wrote that disk and tape management software have long fought over which is better for backup processes. While disk is inarguably a faster recovery tool, tape can store a broader amount of information on the cheap, something that’s becoming increasingly important for all kinds of organizations as the amount of records they need to keep in active backup continues to rise exponentially. There is a significant curve in backup window times and overall price to store that volume of data, as IT network storage expert Chris Poelker pointed out. A substantial middle-ground exists where performance and price even out, but for those with smaller data loads or companies at the highest end of information management, working with backup tape storage facilities is still the best practice.
That’s not to say that any company can’t make practical use of tape, disk or both kinds of backup infrastructure. Just like fingerprints, every business has a unique structure and layout, so while one data center may function best with magnetic tape, another could see similar benefits from using a hard disk management solution. There are even a growing number of organizations that have hybridized their information infrastructure, incorporating disk and tape into the backup process and even utilizing virtualized or cloud environments all in tandem. What counts most in these scenarios is how beneficial they are to shrinking the backup window.
It is possible to achieve significant improvement in overall backup times with the right kind of implementation, so long as companies take the time to analyze their infrastructure and determine what solutions will best fit their particular needs. As Legal Technology wrote, some firms have managed to cut their backup windows by as much as one-third, resulting in better flexibility and data quality in these essential assets. Creating accurate and expeditious disaster and backup continuity planning allows the entire organization to run more fluidly and securely.