A crucial element of many business recovery plans is the backup. It may seem old-fashioned, but backing up data onto physical tapes is an incredibly robust way of keeping it safe. Backup tapes can store large amounts of data easily, making them perfect for highly regulated industries. If your business is currently using, or considering backup tapes, it is imperative they are managed correctly. To help, we’ve outlined the basics below.
What is a backup tape?
A backup tape is exactly what it sounds like – physical tapes used to periodically back up data to ensure security should there be a failure. Not only are they a great way of ensuring data is never lost or accidentally deleted or changed, but backup tapes can also be stored securely without the risk of hacking. Data breaches are minimised with tapes, especially when there is a robust chain of custody and they are stored securely offsite.
How are they used?
Any business that needs to store a large amount of data for a period of time, can benefit from using a backup tape. You may think that with cloud storage servers there’s no need for backup tapes anymore; however, this is simply not true. Tapes can be used alongside servers as a duplicate backup or as an alternative, depending on how much data needs to be stored. The other excellent thing about backup tapes is that they cannot be hacked and, with a full audit trail, you know where they are at all times.
How are they stored?
Largely the process for storing backup tapes vs documentation is very similar. In the same way as documentation has a lifecycle, so do backup tapes, which must be managed correctly. As you would update information regarding the retention of documentation, you must also do the same for backup tapes to ensure data is not being stored for longer than necessary. Similarly to documentation, it is also essential to consider the chain of custody for backup tapes. Best practice dictates that backup tapes should always be stored offsite in order to limit access and therefore improve security. If you use backup tapes and store them on your premises they are at risk if the building is compromised. In secure offsite storage they’re held in fire-rated vaults and can be retrieved and redownloaded when you’re ready. On the whole, the process is very similar, with even greater care being taken with backup tapes.
By working with Archive-Vault, you get a personalised plan of rotation built around your business needs. Each tape is individually barcoded, indexed, transported in secure media containers, and stored in our fire-rated vaults. We can either use our secure end-to-end barcode tracking or the Tape Volser, whichever works best for you. Through this technology we ensure you can keep track of exactly where each tape is via our Client Portal. We also understand the importance of having access to your tapes at all times, which is why we offer 24/7 access. All our vehicles are GPS tracked and our drivers vetted, while our end-to-end barcode scanning creates a full audit trail.
How do I implement this?
1: Find the right hardware for you. Do some research into the most suitable backup hardware for your business; this will vary according to the amount of data you need to store. Depending on your schedule, you’ll need to work out how many tapes you need to purchase.
2: Work out your schedule. How often do your backup tapes need to be rotated? Daily or weekly? Should you have a monthly backup? Businesses usually keep their schedule on an excel spreadsheet which is then shared with Archive-Vault to ensure the rotation runs smoothly. If you need some advice on templates to help you manage the process, get in touch.
3: Perform your backups! It is imperative to stick to your schedule to ensure backups are effective. Label your tapes to make sure the right one is used at the right time; mixing them up will reduce the effectiveness of your rotation so you need to keep on top of this. Monitor results, check for errors, and regularly test your backups. To ensure the process always runs smoothly you should always keep up with cleaning and maintenance.
If you’d like to find out how Archive-Vault can act as your backup tape partner, get in touch on 01603 720722 or info@archive-vault.co.uk.
