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As networks grow larger and the amount of data to be maintained increases, many businesses face a dilemma regarding data backup and retrieval. Tape backups, which have long been the standard, are slow relative to newer technologies and require an unacceptable amount of time to perform.
In addition, the process of recovering data from tapes can take several hours or even days, which isn’t acceptable when you’ve endured an equipment failure. Yet when it comes to offsite data storage, tape is still an affordable and important part of the storage equation.
So you’re faced with an interesting challenge: purchase a data backup solution that will complement your tape solution with faster performance but won’t break the bank. Luckily, you’ve got numerous options available, once you know your needs.
Sort and prioritize your data, then assess your needs
Determine whether data should be backed up or archived. Backups are designed for short-term use and are frequently overwritten. Archives, on the other hand, typically contain static data such as e-mail document files or old, inactive transaction records. Typically, as data ages it is archived to save disk space and simplify administration.
The next step to savvy storage is to prioritize data importance. The general rule of thumb is to store data that's essential for day-to-day operations on the storage devices that offer the quickest retrieval. Critical data includes customer contact information, purchase orders or any data that you need to consult quickly and frequently.
Choose the right equipment
You have many options to consider for data storage and management. Below is a quick introduction to the most common types of data storage solutions on the market today. Your CDW account manager can give you a thorough explanation of all data backup and storage options available.
Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI)
SCSI is a real-time solution consisting of interconnected high-speed hard drives. SCSI offers high levels of speed, availability, reliability and redundancy. However, SCSI storage comes at a price premium with a typical cost of $3 to $5 per GB. SCSI systems also require higher levels of management involvement.
Third-party SCSI real-time storage
If speed is critical but you cannot afford to purchase or manage an SCSI infrastructure, it might make sense for you to pay for a real-time data storage service. Third-party storage has numerous benefits, including high availability, freedom from management responsibilities and built-in redundancy.
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)
Although slower than SCSI, SATA drives are quite affordable, costing only about $1 per GB of storage. SATA drives can reside in external housings or inside each PC — this is known as direct attached storage (DAS). The DAS approach provides high levels of redundancy and works well until large files deplete capacity, which can happen quickly with graphics files. SATA is best for companies that have very general storage needs centered on basic applications.
Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS)
SAS drives are a newer technology for company-wide storage applications priced between SATA and traditional SCSI. SAS offers strong reliability and failover features. Its 2.5-inch form factor, an inch smaller than today's SCSI drives, enables greater density. Finally, because ancillary hardware that supports SAS drives is compatible with SATA devices, you can run both technologies in the same environment.
Network-Attached Storage (NAS)
NAS servers connect to your local-area network (LAN) and let you add capacity without having to interrupt business. Performance-monitoring software allows you to allocate a storage pool to everyone in your company. When an employee reaches their capacity ceiling, you simply assign another chunk of remaining space to them. If your NAS runs out of space, you can plug additional hard drives into it or attach an additional NAS box to the network.
Storage Area Network (SAN)
SANs provide an expandable pool of storage space ideal for database-intensive applications such as complex financial analyses. However, starting prices for SAN servers are around $11,000, and that doesn't include the hard drives. SANs also require a moderate amount of IT management. This is a sensible solution if you have specialized, high-volume storage needs.
Don’t forget to manage e-mail data
E-mail, and all of the attachments that come with it, can occupy significant amounts of server space. Today, several vendors offer appliances dedicated to relieving the burden of storage on your e-mail server. These products are available in either disk- or tape-based platforms and offer capacities up to 800GB. With them, you can index and archive all of the mailboxes connected to your e-mail server. This keeps data on your e-mail servers to a minimum and allows easier data restoration when necessary.
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