The right backup software caters to a business’ disaster recovery plan. A disaster recovery plan is used to quickly restore data and servers when hardware fails on the network. Part of an efficient disaster recovery plan is backup software that stores, secures and archives documents to external media such as tape, DVDs and network hard drives. However, not all backup software has the features necessary for large networks. These three features ensure your disaster recovery plan can handle quick recovery and storage requirements.
Verification Mode
One of the worst positions for a network administrator is being in charge of data restoration when the backups are corrupted. A good backup application has a checksum process that verifies the backups are copied without errors. A checksum is an error-checking process that checks the bits of a file before and after a transfer. If the bits match after the transfer, the backup software assumes the file is not corrupted.
Backup Scheduling
Unless you want to press a button to start the backup process, you need a backup software application that gives you the option of scheduling. A scheduler is set to back up files during business downtime. You can schedule backups on vital drives that can’t be used during normal business hours. Scheduling backups is a convenience for the business and the network administrator.
Security
Having a backup in one location on the network increases the risk of stolen data. A good backup software secures the backups to protect personal and corporate information. Security is implemented on the backup directories as well as the software itself. No one but the administrator should be able to access the software. For an added benefit, you can choose a backup software that encrypts some data.
These three features will improve the convenience and effectiveness of any disaster recovery plan. Backup integrity is an integral part of a business that needs quick recovery after hardware failure on a server. When choosing the right backup application, ensure you purchase a package that supports the features necessary for the business network architecture.