For most of the history of file server backup, tape drives have been the focus of most backup methods. Tape has always provided the benefits of multiple media allowing for flexible rotation and archiving options. However, tape has the stigma of being an expensive and somewhat fickle method of backup.
For some, it just seems as though they shouldn’t trust their data investment to some tapes which they purchase for less than ten dollars apiece. Hopefully, critical systems have employed mirrored hard drives to decrease the potential for hardware failure requiring a restore from backup in the first place.
If confidence in a single form of backup is at issue, why not add additional backup methods to the system. There are several means to this end. The most logical and cost-effective technique is to add an external hard drive, or two, to the current system. The cost of such hard drives has dropped substantially over the last few months. Some of these hard drives come with backup software to offer the user some effective backup options.
The drawback to the use of external hard drives as a primary backup method starts with the fact that it is dependent on a single medium. With removable media like tape, a user can take the last backup offsite at night. This is more difficult with an external hard drive since it is the only one in use each night. Still, it’s better to have the information in one more location than you have without the drive. For specific files or directories which are critical, a simple USB flash drive can be used.
With the price of a 1 GB USB flash drive down around $75 (even less when on sale), it’s certainly an affordable piece of hardware. A high-quality USB external 200 GB hard drive can be found for less than $200. Either way, the cost of either drive is much less than the cost of replacing any possible data loss. Contact your Responsive consultant to find out which type of backup is best fitted for your system. |
