Catastrophic events can happen anytime. And in these scenarios, fortune favors the prepared.

But is your business prepared for the worst case scenario? Is your business at risk of a catastrophic network failure that results in your company's entire collection of data being wiped clean? 

That's a scary thought, right? In this post, we'll explain what an enterprise backup system is and how to protect your data from potential disasters.

What Is Enterprise Backup?

"Enterprise backup" is a term used to refer to a business data management and backup storage system.

Enterprise backup systems utilize both computer hardware and software to move data from a primary storage device to a secondary backup device. The hardware consists of the physical equipment used to store information. For example, hardware consists of server networks and hard disk drives. Alternatively, the software of an enterprise backup system is a computer program. This program is designed to manage this transfer of information from one location to the next.

Like everything else in the modern world, enterprise backup technology has evolved exponentially in recent history. In the past, data was backed up onto tape reels. Nowadays, the data is saved to disk drives, and even in the cloud.

The need for enterprise-level data backup and storage has increased as technology has become more integrated into everyday operations. As a result, data centers will sometimes take on the responsibility of this data transfer and storage.

Today, there are options available. Not every system is created equal, though. This is something every business owner should keep in mind when preparing for disaster.

Why It's Necessary

Business networks have become more advanced and utilize increasing amounts of data. Due to this, the network infrastructure becomes a critical aspect of continued and successful operations.

Can you imagine what a catastrophic data loss scenario would look like at your business? An absolute worst nightmare, for example, might consist of entire data sets getting wiped from the company's primary backup storage. Depending on how much data is lost during this scenario, a business may have to start working from the ground up.

Just as you would prepare for a natural disaster such as a storm or fire, your business needs to protect the data of your business by implementing contingency plans. An enterprise backup system is one of the best ways to protect your company's data from falling victim to chance. 

How It Works

As previously mentioned, enterprise backup systems depend on a tiered backup system. Enterprise data is first backed up onto a primary storage device. This data is then moved to a secondary device which adds further data protection.

Of course, this process isn't as simple as moving data from one device to another. Business network technology has advanced and so has the technology used to backup this essential information. The following is a break down of the different aspects of an enterprise backup system:

Software & Hardware

An enterprise level backup system requires both hardware and software components. The hardware consists of the physical location of the data. That is the disk drives themselves.

The software, alternately, has an equally important role. It dictates exactly how data is transferred from hardware to hardware.

Any IT professionals wanting to implement enterprise-level backup into daily operations must be well informed of the differences between available products. The market has evolved substantially in recent years. As such, not every product will be best suited for your needs. Continue reading to learn about the three main functions of an enterprise level backup system:

Data Movement

Data movement refers to how the software application will transfer data from one storage device to another. In the past, this function was performed by dedicated devices which would copy data completely and directly from the primary application. This approach is time-consuming and very expensive.

Technology has changed, though, and the function of data movement is performed using a centralized storage device. But how that data is transferred to the final backup storage varies from product to product. Despite improvements to data transfer and storage technology, duplicating an entire system's worth of data requires time and energy.

The systems have evolved to accommodate this, however. For example, data transfer has improved by moving smaller packets of data through fewer channels. The type of data movement you'll need for your business, though, depends on the size and needs of your network. 

Data Management

Once the data has been transferred to the backup storage device it needs to be managed somehow. That is, the incoming data needs to be sorted and filed away from easy retrieval at a later date.

As such, an enterprise level backup storage will also function as a database. This database can fetch stored information quickly and accurately. Furthermore, it typically has attributes that allow the user to search for file names, date changes, specific points in time, and a variety of other parameters. 

Data management also allows controls the redundancy of the backed up files. For example, some data management software will allow for specifying how many versions of a file can be saved. Doing so minimizes the space required for storage.

Job Management

Finally, an enterprise backup system needs to manage how the data movement and management jobs are actually performed.

Backing up large sets of data requires lots of network bandwidth. As such, it's important that the various jobs performed by the backup system throughout the day are staggered. This ensures that the system is able to operate efficiently and continuously. This function also allows for the reordering of jobs to ensure that resources are used most effectively.

Backing Up

Enterprise level data backup is nothing new. But the technology it uses has evolved exponentially. If the infrastructure of your company is highly dependent on keeping large sets of data safe, then implementing an enterprise-wide backup system could potentially save the organization from unforeseen events. 

Data backup and storage are complex systems, though. It's okay to be confused. We can help! For more information on enterprise level data storage and disaster recovery, contact HubStor today!