Part of:Archive and backup: Protect data in the long term
Data backups ensure copies of critical data are available in the event of a crisis or failure. When backing up long-term data, cost and capacity are vital considerations.
When it comes to backups, IT teams have several data storage options to choose from. Administrators must know what features to prioritize when storing long-term data backups.
There are several types of data an organization might back up on long-term storage. If the organization is in the business of historical archiving, such as a library, low-cost long-term backups are critical. If the organization is in a business such as healthcare, where data retention is under strict compliance regulations, reliable long-term backups are paramount in a disaster. Tape, disk, flash and cloud are four top options for backing up and storing data long-term. Each method has its benefits and drawbacks.
Security is a key factor for all storage, but organizations working with long-term data backups should also pay particular attention to access, cost and capacity. Since long-term data isn't accessed as often as mission-critical files, performance and retrieval times for these backups can be lower than for high-priority data. This can vary if the organization is subject to service-level agreements (SLAs) that require rapid recovery times.
Organizations that store backups of long-term data must retain many files indefinitely, so high capacity and low cost are vital elements of the chosen storage method. If the company has a larger budget, it might be able to prioritize access over cost. However, with long-term data backups, lower prices are often chosen over high performance.
Security is a key factor for all storage, but organizations working with long-term data backups should also pay particular attention to access, cost and capacity.
Below are four options to consider when selecting a long-term data backup option.
1. Tape
Tape storage has long been a staple for backup data. While newer technologies have come along, many organizations still use tape for long-term backup and data archiving.
The biggest advantage of tape is the price. Tape offers the lowest cost for storage when considering cost per gigabyte. This makes it well suited for large capacities with long retention periods, as is the case with long-term data backup.
Another key attribute for tape is its ability to create a physical air gap, which has become a crucial security element for protecting against ransomware and other attacks. Because of these attributes, backup teams should consider tape for long-term backup in which there is little expectation for quick restore time, or when additional security is required.
The clear downside of tape is slow data access. If a business must restore backup data quickly and often, tape might not be the correct choice. This is particularly an issue for organizations that must meet compliance regulations or SLAs that require a fast restore.
2. Disk
Disk storage has become a popular option as a backup method due to its improved performance over tape, while still offering attractive economics. Disk provides much faster access than tape, with a lower price tag than higher-performance flash devices. This makes disk well suited for backup environments by providing low-cost storage for large capacities of long-term backup data, while providing sufficient performance when a restoration is necessary.
3. Flash
Flash storage is well suited to high-performance workloads, and organizations typically use flash for primary workloads rather than backup. High-performance SSDs might be needed in certain backup environments that require the fastest restore times possible, but this is not often the case for long-term backup.
In recent years, the economics of flash devices are changing, and SSDs might become a more practical choice even for long-term applications. Quad-level cell devices offer denser, lower-cost storage comparable to disk. Along with a performance advantage, flash might be able to edge out disk for long-term backup due to its lower energy consumption, higher reliability and increasing life span.
4. Public cloud
Public cloud is another option that is popular for long-term data backup. Both the performance and economic characteristics depend not only on the selected service provider, but on the storage tier selected. For long-term data, the most appropriate choice might be a cool or cold tier, such as S3 Infrequent Access or Glacier from AWS, or Azure's cool storage tier and offline Blob Storage.
These options offer low-cost storage with the advantage of moving the infrastructure and management responsibility off premises. However, restores from one of these tiers can incur large costs. Colder storage tiers might have a long recovery time, even more so than on-premises tape. Quicker retrieval times might be available depending on the provider, but likely at a higher price point. With this in mind, organizations with an expectation for frequent access to backups can consider a more expensive warmer cloud tier or an alternative on-premises option.
Mitch Lewis is a research associate at Evaluator Group. He provides insight into the IT landscape for enterprises, IT pros and technology enthusiasts alike.
Part of:Archive and backup: Protect data in the long term
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Why is a data archive plan important?A data archiving plan might not be simply important for your organization -- it could be necessary, given legal and compliance requirements. Make sure you're ahead of the game.
4 long-term data backup optionsData backups ensure copies of critical data are available in the event of a crisis or failure. When backing up long-term data, cost and capacity are vital considerations.
Tape, disk, flash and cloud are four top options for backing up and storing data long-term. Each method has its benefits and drawbacks. Security is a key factor for all storage, but organizations working with long-term data backups should also pay particular attention to access, cost and capacity.
The 4-3-2 backup strategy is another approach to data backup, where four copies of the data are stored in three locations, but two of those locations must be off-site. This strategy adds an extra layer of redundancy, ensuring that data remains secure and recoverable in the face of diverse challenges.
Despite its apparent obsolescence, optical storage is important for long-term storage. CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays may store rarely-accessed data. They can withstand mechanical failure and long-term storage in cold, dark places.
Incremental backups take the least space and time to perform than differential and full backups, but it's the most time-consuming out of all of the methods to restore a full system.
The 3-2-1 backup strategy simply states that you should have 3 copies of your data (your production data and 2 backup copies) on two different media (disk and tape) with one copy off-site for disaster recovery.
It might seem like a strange regimen, but as new full-timers, we're exploring the virtues and pitfalls of the 4-3-2 Rule: drive no more than four hours a day; stop by 3 PM; and stay 2 weeks.
Keep at least three (3) copies of your data. Store two (2) backup copies on different storage media. Store one (1) copy offsite. Create one (1) immutable or air-gapped backup copy.
Tape, disk, flash and cloud are four top options for backing up and storing data long-term. Each method has its benefits and drawbacks. Security is a key factor for all storage, but organizations working with long-term data backups should also pay particular attention to access, cost and capacity.
That means storing magnetic tapes in environments with stable humidity and temperatures. A more realistic lifespan for magnetic tape is about ten to twenty years. And it's important to note that tape is more susceptible to wear and tear if used frequently.
Save your data in multiple formats onto the medium which is the most probably readable in the future. Use only the best quality disks, which are designed for lasting long. Make multiple copies and keep them all in different places (at home, fiend's house, office and rented vault).
Incremental backups are completed quickly and require fewer resources. Disadvantage: While incremental backups have the fastest backup time, they also boast the slowest data recovery time.
Important data should be backed up at least once a week, but preferably once every twenty-four hours. These backups can be performed manually or automatically. A lot of automatic software options are available that you can set to make a backup of your data at a set time of the day or week.
There are mainly three types of backups: Full backup, differential backup, and incremental backup. Let's take a look at each type of backup, their impact on data security, and their respective pros and cons.
One of the best backup strategies to have is the 3-2-1 rule. This means creating 3 different copies of your data to put on 2 different storage types and keeping 1 copy offsite. By doing so, you'll be able to create a failsafe system that keeps your data safe.
The 3-2-1 backup strategy simply states that you should have 3 copies of your data (your production data and 2 backup copies) on two different media (disk and tape) with one copy off-site for disaster recovery.
Various methods for data backup include physical media like CDs and external hard drives, hardware appliances, software solutions, and cloud-based services. The choice of backup method depends on factors such as the volume of data, the frequency of data changes, the required speed of recovery, and the available budget.
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