5 tipg.for olrline backup

By Mark Ferelli

f! ACKUP and recovery are cornerstones for anyone more a necessity.

Ilbuilding a data protettion structure. From the earliest In an effort to promote continued education in this condays of computing, settiiig aside a recoverable second copy sistently vital area, Remote Backup Systems, Inc. -devel- of essential business dab has made the difference between oper of offsite backup solutions that generate upwards of a business' survival and its painful death. 1.5 million remote backups daily-offers five worthwhile

This is by no means an anecdotal consideration, and the tips regarding offsite backup and recovery. inconvenience of lost data is the most trivial element of the equation. Studies by the University of Texas and U.S. Plan, plan, plan. Small Business Administration assert that 93o/o of compa-

The IT professional has an ethical mandate to safeguard nies that sustain a loss of critical data go out of business the data with which he or she is entrusted. It is essential to within two years. No competent IT manager will assume secure data's survivability, and this is by no means an offthat kind of risk. But, too frequently, businesses don't talk hand consideration. The kinds of different plans for disasabout making a backup copy of critical data until a disaster ter recovery and business continuity are legion, but in this strikes. At that point, it may well be too late. context, the key planning consideration is a profound

The data center cannot be the sole repository of mis- understanding of the data being managed. The question to sion-critical and business-critical data. It is vulnerable to be answered is: What data needs to be protected with offthreats from within and without. Natural disasters like site backup and recovery tools?

Hurricane Katrina or man-made catastrophes like the You must decide if it is necessary to protect your oper- World Trade Center attack make extreme and showy ating system, word processing software, spreadsheet makexamples. Less showy and more mundane examples ers, or similar applications programs. If you no longer have include fire or water damage, human I/O enors, and mali- the original CDs, backup will be vital to re-installation. cious attacks by viruses, worms or other malware. The records you keep should have priority. Records are Modernly, then, offsite backups are less a convenience and data objects that have either legal or business consequences should they be lost. These would include databases, including customer contact and ordering records, as well as inventory control materials. Financial software data files, such as essential spreadsheets for accounting and human resources, need that layer of offsite protection.

Email is a more and more important source of business records, and needs to be kept safe for both legal and operational transactions. Documents, including memoranda, work product text files, and other intellectual property should also be protected.

Adhere to a schedule.

Your data is only as secure as your last backup. Data important enough to be sent offline needs to be protected on a predictable, repeatable schedule. If your hard disk drive crashes and there has been no backup in four weeks, that time frame is your window of vulnerability. Backup on a daily basis is commonplace, and is scheduled within a backup window that will not impact the ordinary daily operations and transactions of the network.

Offsite storage concerns.

Transmitting data offsite requires a software solution that provides reliable and repeatable performance. As well, data that is going beyond your firewall should be encrypted against external inspection. Key databases with sensitive client identity information, billing records, tax records, and payroll are favorite targets for network snoopers, identity thieves, or greedy information brokers.

The stronger the encryption method, the more likely it is that data raiders will give up and seek less cautious prey. The only eyes that should see sensitive company data are the users of it.

Vendor selection.

Selecting an offline backup software vendor can make the difference between an easy deployment and a nightmarish experience. At no time in your infrastructure development should you be more risk-adverse than in purchasing your remote backup system. The vendor needs to be experienced; brand-new players are untested, and untested solutions are too great a risk for the data your business survives on. It needs to provide sound pre-sale consulting advice and excellent after-sale support. Remote backup is nothing new, and established vendors can show a history of deployments covering a wide range of infrastructures and backup/recovery strategies.

Test, test, test.

In an ideal world, there would never be a need to restore data from an offsite backup repository. But in the real world, both accidents and malicious conduct take place.

The greatest mistake that disaster recovery planners continue to make is that they do not regularly test their plan. You need to have a comfort level that testifies to the reliability of the restore function in the event of catastrophic data loss. Just like backup, testing the restore function should be done on a regular, scheduled basis. Too many businesses have attempted to restore files only to find them unrecoverable. There is absolutely no replacement for regular testing of the backup and recovery subsystem.

Data is recognized as an important corporate asset that wants safeguarding. Aside from the direct financial losses that can result from catastrophic data loss, there are indirect effects that range from loss of investor confidence to customer flight to competitors and lost opportunity costs. The drivers for protecting data are many: smooth corporate operations and transactions, compliance with an array of regulations (federal, state and local), litigation support, and much more.

Business continuity, however, continues to claim primary share of mind when considering the assembly and deployment of an offsite backup and recovery operation. Businesses are now operating 2417, depending on data traffic ranging from that original order to fulfillment and aftersale support of the customer. A well-planned, well-tested offsite backup and recovery infrastructure gets you back in business fast. The alternative doesn't always bear considering, and hindsight will not un-ring the bell.

- Mark Ferelli is an independent technology journalist, commentator and writer who since 1988 has written hundreds of articles on mass storaRe technologies.

Honduras

Honduras

Ash Mahogany

Birch Pine

Cherry MDF

Cypress Bending Plywood

Natural Maple Okoume rVhite Maple Meranti

Pre-Finished

Base Crown Moulding

Casing S4S Boards

T

T el: 386-322-2533' Fax: 386-7 60-1996 tommy. galloway@centuryforest.com

Lrrmrrs

Britt Lumber Co.,Britt,Ia., was acquired Oct. 1 by Derek and Lizanne Engh from Beryl and Sharon Buffington

United Building Centers late last month closed its SO-vear-old lumberyard in Davison, Mi., consolidating operations at yards in Lapeer and Grand Blanc, Mi. ...

1.N.R. Beatty Lumber Co. opened a new store with railserved lumberyard in Joliet, Il. ...

Alexander Lumber Co. is closing its 108-year-old yard in Joy, Il., reducing the chain to 38 yards ...

McCoy's Building Supply is building a new three-story 73,4OOsq. ft. headquarters in San Marcos, Tx., to replace its current 48,000sq. ft. offices, and closed its Palmview, Tx., pre-hung door operation with the addition of a 127,000-sq. ft. Valley Door & M iIIw orks manufacturing facility and showroom in McAllen, Tx.; Ruben Valdez, general manager

Green Way Supply, Indianapolis, In., has opened, specializing in eco-lumber and other ereen building materials

Budget Building Supplies, Mount Vernon, Il., has added a branch in Lincoln, Il., specializing in post-frame building packages, metal roofing, siding and accessories; Doug Fuller, manager ...

Keystone Building Center, Keystone Heights, Fl., has expanded, adding warehouses, enlarging its lumber shed, renovating its machine shop, and creating a flooring showroom ...

Freeborn Lumber, Freeborn, Mn.o was destroyed Sept. 7 by an early morning fire of undetermined origin; the company continued operations from a temporary location at an old fire hall

Stock Building Supply has acquired ProSource Building Supply 1nc., Houston, Tx., a construction services business that supplies commercial doors, trim, hardwood, related specialty products. and installation services

Palmetto Ace Hardware, Pawleys Island, S.C., has been opened by Charles Biddix ...

Harris Ace Hardware, Beloit, Wi., began construction of a larger replacement store and could be ready to move as early as March...

Home Depot opened new stores Sept. 6 in Allen Park, Mi., and At:g.23 in Myrtle Grove (Wilmington), N.C.

Lowe's Cos. opened new stores Sept. 25 in Gonzales, La.; Hutto, Tx., and W. St. Paul, Mn., and Sept. 18 in Franklin, Ky., and Wentzville, Mo. ...

Lowe's received city council approval to build a new store in Lorain, Oh., and expects new store openings in lst quarter 2008 in S. McKinney, Tx., and Reynoldsburg, Oh., and in 2nd quarter 2008 in Clarkstown, N.Y.

Menards opened a 158,400-sq. ft. store Sept. 5 in Richmond, In. (Jerry Ortman, general mgr.) ...

Wror:slrrns/tlnurltrunrns

Boise Building Materials Distribution is relocating its Tucker, Ga., DC to a larger, 38-acre facility in Auburn, Ga., which includes 155,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space, 18 acres of paved storage,and 12,000 sq. ft. of offices...

Webster Hardwoods will permanently close its Bangoro Me., sawmillDec. 14...

Canfor Corp., Vancouver, 8.C., has agreed to acquire southern yellow pine producer Chesterfield

Lumber Co., Darlington, S.C., for $18 million ...

Hager Group, Grand Rapids, Mi., is renovating a vacant lumberyard in Hudson, Mi., with plans to relocate recently acquired Townsend Lumber from Clayton, Mi. ...

Louisiana-Pacffic shut down OSB production at its Silsbee, Tx., plant indefinitely and at its Hayward, Wi., plant until Oct. 31; Hayward continues producing SmartSide composite wood siding

Bridgewater Wholesalers, Inc. has completed the first phase of a 20,000-sq. ft. renovation of its headquarters in Branchburg, N.J., with the final phase expected to be finished by year's end

Maier Lumber Co., Bangor, Pa., was destroyed by an Aug. 26 fire apparently caused by lightning ...

Trex Co. has ternporarily idled its composite decking and railing plant in Olive Branch, Ms.; production continues in Winchester, Va., and Fernley, Nv.

Hanna Lumber Yard, Hatfield, Ky., suffered a Sept. 10 fire

Ioret Architectural Doors & Plywood, New Albany, In., has been acquired by VT Industries, Holstein, [a. ...

Silvaris Corp., Bellevue, Wa., has launched www.osbmarket.com, a new website selling off-grade 0SB products

Weekes Forest Products. St. Paul, Mn., has reached an agreement with Northern Crossarm, Chippewa Falls, Wi., to distribute BluWood in Mn., Wi., Ia., N.D., S.D., and Ne. ...

Megola will test its Hartindo fire inhibitor in WoodSmart Solutions' BluWood lumber

Anniversar ies Law renc e burg Supply, Lawrenceburg, Ky., 100th ... Vaccaro Lumber & Hardware. Forrest City, Ar., 100th ...

Housing starts in August fell 2.6Vo to a seasonally adjusted

(Please turn to page 63)