Re: Physical Tape Alternatives? (DrFranken)

I have to agree with Larry's comments here. I view Backup as an insurance
policy where the deductible is the down time. Much like how much can you
afford to pay on the deductible for a claim, How long can you afford to be
down?



I will add to this equation, where is your off site storage? I knew one
company where the offsite storage was across the street. Another company
used a safe in a warehouse 2 blocks 30 degrees southwest of data center in a
tornado prone zone. Point is think of the various types external disasters,
tornado, hurricane, dust storm, chemical issue, nuclear disaster, etc.
Given the location of your data center and offsite storage/secondary system,
could the same disaster make both inaccessible? If so, you will be in a
world of hurt, especially if you have non-local facilities that are still
trying to operate off that data center. Another thing to consider, How
available will staff be if there is a disaster? If there is a tornado that
not only takes out your data center, supporting two facilities in other
states, but also your house and one of your kids is missing? Are you
concerned about preforming a recovery? Are the recovery instructions clear
enough that someone else can perform the recovery? Just some food for
thought.





Regards,



Jim Hawkins

Programmer Analyst

Interkal LLC

Kalamazoo, MI



Backup must always be looked at as insurance is.



You CAN own a home without purchasing insurance against theft, or fire, or
weather. But do you?



If your home burns or is flattened by a tornado or hurricane ore
*reallybigtree how can you afford to rebuild your home. NOW I don't kow you
so perhaps it's possibly that you are wealthy and can rebuilt with money
from your bank account or from selling another asset. But most people cannot
so they pay insurance because the risk is too high.



So it is with backup. You can say OK I will risk the fact that I do not have
off-site backups. Hopefully it will never happen that will need it and if I
do need it because my building burned down I will simply close my business.
Or I can stand the time it takes to rebuild my computer from various pieces.



But most companies cannot afford to lose their computer system. And if you
cannot then you must, for the continuance of the business, have a set of
data off-site, readily accessible, to recover the computer and thus continue
the business.



So the decision to spend the money is exactly the decision to purchase
insurance.



- Larry "DrFranken" Bolhuis