Online Computer Backups Is The Key To A Good Data Center Disaster Recovery Plan

After the Millennium bug scare, the 911 incident and the great earthquakes and tsunamis, every business understands the importance of having good data center disaster recovery plans. In the event of any mishaps or calamities, all the important data of the company that has been backed up can easily be restored and business resumes as per normal.

However, many businesses only know about the importance of having a robust data recovery plan but is that good enough to prepare for any major catastrophe? It is fact that although businesses understand that having these disaster recover plans are important for business continuation, it does not ensure that they will be able to make a good plan.

Many factors needs to be considered when you are developing a data center disaster recovery plan. However, it is most important to start of with getting the right computer backup system that makes secure and reliable online computer backups. Computer data backup is the base of every disaster recovery plan. If there is no backup, there is no recovery - plain and simple. So fundamental to any disaster recovery planning is a need to have computer backups done online.

Of course you can backup files, programs, source codes, applications and other data in disk tapes, hard drives and even the now commonly found USB Thumbdrives. But nothing beats backing data onto an online server.

The problem with offline data storage is that if they are housed in the same location as the main data center, whatever threats that affect the primary data center will also affect the backup storage facilities. Many companies do not have facilities for offsite backup storage and are vulnerable to any risks.

Also, if you ever tried storing data in these devices on site, you will realize that it takes a lot of work to keep track of where the data are stored in, which device needs to be re-used, which tapes to recycled etc. All this work adds up and it dampens the productivity of the data center. But when you backup your important files on online servers, you have the ability to organize them easily and allocate appropriate access controls. Since these online computer backups are located far away from your main data center, any immediate or potential threats to your data center will not affect your precious backups. This is a great asset to any disaster plan.

One oft overlooked advantage of backing up data online is that you free up precious computer resources. Now your fastest and latest computers are no longer spending time doing resource hungry but low productivity work like backing up data. Efficiencies will increase and having the organized filing system is another plus.

So the key to having a good data center disaster recovery plan is to have a quality computer backup system that provides online computer backups because having this as part of your disaster recovery plan just makes good business sense.