data archiving disasters

Steer Clear of These Data Archiving Disasters

By Michael
August 10, 2015

Successfully managing offline IT assets requires tech professionals to recognize the importance of keeping a close eye on their data. A long list of backup storage tape catastrophes have occurred as a result of IT staff taking vital logistics, such as tape labeling or chain of custody, for granted. Failure to anticipate the most common causes of storage mistakes and backup failure puts the company at risk. The inability to swiftly access a piece of data due to mislabeling, for instance, could result in serious consequences, from upset clients to failed audits. Thankfully, the holes in your offline IT asset management strategy can be addressed by evaluating the backup process and supplementing this improvement with specialized software tools. Read on for tips to catch and correct  the issues that most commonly evolve into serious problems for companies archiving and storing backup tapes.

Automate in lieu of sending tapes offsite
TechRepublic pointed out that one enduring cause of data recovery reliability issues is the process of transferring tapes from the company’s headquarters to an off-site storage location. This transfer process, even if well​-executed, could put companies or their clients in a position where critical data is inaccessible at the most inopportune time. The results could be considerably negative for any companies with data in transit during a disaster recovery scenario.

The easiest way for a company to resolve this hole in availability is to move data recovery back on-site. How to facilitate this transition without putting an unnecessary burden on in-house IT? Complement the localization of backup storage with the implementation of a backup tape storage automation solutions like AssetAware. This type of software makes it easy to standardize offline IT asset management across the company and takes out most of the legwork necessary to keep track of important client data.

Use accurate labels to avoid an auditing nightmare
Visits from auditors, like urgent client demands for archived data, come unexpectedly. It’s crucial that companies have a reliable system of sorting and labeling tapes in place to ensure that the demand of auditors can be met quickly and accurately. Furthermore, companies often must produce defensible reports of offline IT asset management activity to satisfy an auditor’s inspection. Companies can reduce their risk of a poor audit and streamline daily operations by integrating this labeling system into storage automation strategies already in place.

Don’t depend on an untested storage strategy
TechTarget emphasized the importance of testing data loss prevention strategies before rolling them out into the field, especially when it comes to software. After all, adjustments must typically be made to ensure that new solutions are optimized for the unique challenges encountered during the company’s daily operations. Likewise, it can take time for IT professionals to utilize software as effectively as the vendor who demonstrated the software in the first place. That’s why it makes sense to simulate potential roadblocks for the company’s offline IT asset management to test which aspects of the strategy are most effective.

Limit human error by creating a culture of accountability
In addition to helping companies avoid auditing and organizational issues, establishing a detail-focused system for sorting and storing backup storage tapes also sets new
expectations for employees. As chain-of-custody becomes more discreetly monitored, for example, IT experts are more motivated to make sure assets go to where they need to be. Setting higher expectations will lead to better results, and the use of software tools like AssetAware make pushing up the bar that much easier.

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