Backing up data is essential for any business in the event of a breach or catastrophic data loss. Think of it like buying insurance—it’s a pain and it’s expensive yet everyone needs it. Database backup isn’t a sure thing, however. A bad backup process can render your expensive “insurance policy” useless when you need it, and what’s worse, IT professionals usually don’t know their backups are bad until they’re trying to restore. If and when that happens, it’s time to start looking for a new job—or career.
The good news? The old way of doing database backup is being phased out in favor of newer, more reliable approaches. Breakthroughs in virtualization, replication and synchronization provide an alternative to database backup methods that’s always on and proactive (instead of the old reactive model).
Here’s how it works:
- Virtualization – unstable data is separated in real time from stable data
- Synchronization – stable versions of data are sent to a replication core
- Replication – copies of the stable versions are sent to different data centers around the world
As a result, copying of system data is no longer a standalone process, so the risk of backup failure is no longer an issue. This new method also contains a hybrid of established data and live data, adding greater flexibility and versatility to enhanced reliability.
This new data protection is achieved in two ways: through block-level virtualization and file-level virtualization. The benefit of block-level virtualization is speed, with typical workloads including virtual machines and databases. File-level virtualization’s main benefit is its unlimited ability to scale, meaning file systems aren’t bound by physical limitations. File volumes can operate in multiple locations at the same time, making collaboration and disaster recovery across different sites much easier.
A new paradigm in data protection is upon us, and it’s a good thing. We’re saying goodbye to traditional backup—which is only valuable (when it works) in an emergency—and moving toward a model of constant data protection, which means less risk and more reliability for all.