Introduction
Having a rock-solid backup solution in place is absolutely critical for any business. Losing important data due to hardware failure, ransomware, natural disasters or human error can be catastrophic. Implementing real-time backup can help ensure your business is protected.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll explain everything you need to know to get started with real-time backup solutions tailored for your business.
What is Real-Time Backup?
Real-time backup, also known as continuous data protection (CDP), refers to backing up changes to data as they occur. This means backups happen automatically in the background without requiring any action from users.
The key advantage of real-time backup is reducing the risk of data loss. With traditional backup methods like daily or weekly backups, any changes between backup cycles are at risk. Real-time backup eliminates this risk by continuously saving changes.
Some key characteristics of real-time backup solutions:
- Continuous – Backups happen automatically in real-time.
- Granular – Even small changes to files are captured.
- Near-zero data loss – Data is protected as soon as it’s created.
- Allow point-in-time restore – Restore to any previous version.
Why Your Business Needs Real-Time Backup
There are several compelling reasons why real-time backup should be considered critical for any business:
1. Mitigate Data Loss from Hardware Failure
Hardware inevitably fails over time. Real-time backup ensures data is continuously captured offsite so that it can be restored when storage devices like hard drives crash.
2. Protection Against Ransomware
Ransomware is a huge threat, encrypting files until a ransom is paid. With real-time backup, infected files can quickly be restored to unencrypted versions.
3. Recover from Accidental Deletion
Human error results in data loss regularly. Files deleted accidentally are captured by real-time backup, allowing easy restores.
4. Restore Previous Versions
Real-time backup allows restoring older versions of data. This can save the day if faulty edits or overwrites are made.
5. Guard Against Natural Disasters
Fires, floods and natural disasters can destroy locally stored data. Real-time backup provides an offsite copy of data that can be restored after disaster strikes.
6. Streamline Restores
Restoring whole servers or mass amounts of data from traditional backups is slow. Real-time backup enables quick granular restores.
7. Meet Compliance Requirements
Some industries have data retention regulations requiring the ability to restore point-in-time data. Real-time backup enables proving compliance.
Key Factors When Choosing a Real-Time Backup Solution
Not all real-time backup solutions are created equal. Here are key factors to consider when evaluating options:
Data Capture Frequency
The more frequent backups are captured, the lower the risk of data loss. Some solutions backup data as often as every 60 seconds.
Restore Granularity
The ability to drill down to restore individual files, emails, etc is important. Avoid solutions only allowing full system restores.
Historical Version Retention
The backup window determining how far back in time you can restore data from is crucial. Retention duration varies greatly between solutions.
Hybrid Cloud Support
Hybrid options that backup both on-premises and to the cloud provide maximum flexibility and redundancy.
Platform and Integration Support
Ensure your critical servers and business applications are supported. API integration options also add value.
Security Features
Encryption of data in transit and at rest is mandatory. Two-factor authentication is also recommended.
Compression and Storage Efficiency
Advanced compression and deduplication maximize your backup storage utilization.
Pricing Model
Pay attention to how pricing is structured. Unlimited cloud storage or pay-as-you-go models are preferable for predictable costs.
Leading Real-Time Backup Solutions
Now that we’ve covered the critical basics, let’s examine some top real-time backup solutions to consider:
Veeam
Veeam is an industry leader used by over 400,000 companies. Key features include:
- Backup as often as every 60 seconds
- Restore individual items quickly
- Built-in ransomware protection
- Full virtual machine (VM) backup and recovery
- Integrates with top storage and hypervisors
- 30-day free trial available
Rubrik
Rubrik delivers easy-to-use real-time backup with an emphasis on hybrid cloud support. Highlights:
- Unified management across on-prem and cloud
- Automated policy-based backup
- Instant mass restore capability
- Immutable backups to defend against ransomware
- Native integration with popular applications
Cohesity
Cohesity converges backup, disaster recovery, files and objects, dev/test and analytics on one web-scale platform. Key capabilities:
- Global variable-length deduplication
- Built-in ransomware detection and recovery
- Automated cloud archiving and tiering
- Compliance support and eDiscovery capabilities
- Pay-as-you-go pricing model
Commvault
Commvault is an enterprise data protection solution. Notable features:
- Broad platform and integration support
- Automated copy management
- Legal hold for compliance
- Intelligent retention based on content
- Flexible cloud storage options
- Powerful indexing and search
Getting Started with Real-Time Backup
If real-time backup seems like the right solution for your business, here are some best practices for getting started:
-
Evaluate backup needs – Take time to fully audit what systems and data require protection.
-
Assess solutions – Compile a list of potential solutions to evaluate based on key criteria.
-
Run POCs – Do proof of concepts with your top choices to test capabilities.
-
Compare pricing models – Make sure the pricing model fits your budget and backup requirements.
-
Implement in phases – Roll out incrementally to key systems first, then expand over time.
-
Test restores – Validate that backups are capturing data properly by doing sample restores.
-
Refine over time – Continuously evaluate usage, retention duration and other factors.
Conclusion
Implementing real-time backup can provide immense peace of mind by protecting your business data from a wide array of threats. With an array of robust solutions now available, there are options to fit companies of all sizes and needs. Just remember to evaluate your key requirements and run thorough POCs before fully deploying a solution. With the right real-time backup in place, you can rest easy knowing your business data is safe and continuously protected.
