Back up is very important to consider as it protects and restores your data from being lost permanently. Any major problem that may arise in system can lead to lose of important files. Back up prevents loss of data permanently.
This article deals with back up procedures, factors to consider for back up device selection and back up devices generally used.
Back up procedures
- Full back up – In this procedure, each and every file is selected and backed up. This is time taking process but restore all the data of enterprise.
- Differential back up – This back up involves files that modified files of full back up. For example, a file has gone for full back up from Sunday to Saturday, in differential files you find files modified that whole week. It store back up files on each day separately. It is also time consuming process.
- Incremental back up – It look similar to that of differential back up but actually is not the same. Only recently backed up files are available in this back up. Example, a file backed up on Sunday , incremental contains files of Sunday, file undergone backed up on Monday, if you check in increment on Tuesday, you find back up files of only Monday but not Sunday.
- Selective back up – It will do back up only selected files.
- Continuous data back up – It is automated back up of files. Less expensive and similar to that of daily back up.
What features make up a good back up device?
- Capacity – Device should support maximum storage of backed up data either it can be daily, weekly and so on.
- Reliability – The device uses should support back up services for a long period without any errors.
- Extensibility – It is the property of device that support extended services and allow user to insert program or file of his interest. In simple, allowing usage beyond its capability if required.
- Speed – This is very important, a device which work with more speed is preferred for back up procedure.
Back up devices
- Tape drives – These are magnetic tapes with capacity of 100MB-2GB. They are less expensive when compared to other devices but the process of back up is very slow.
- Digital audio tape (DAT) – These tapes replace tape drives in terms of processing, capacity. The capacity of DAT varies based on diameter of tape used namely 4mm tape support storage up to 16GB, tapes with 8mm diameter support storage up to 36GB.
- Auto loader tape system – This device provides extension property if required during back up. It has combination of tapes ranging between 4-12 tapes, and any of the tapes can be modified if required during back up. It is the DAT type that are used in auto loader system.
- Magnetic optical drives – These devices use a combination of both magnetic and optical laser technology. They use 3.5 inch thick disks for back up process and support storage up to 4GB.
- Tape jukeboxes – They are same as auto loader system but the main difference is jukeboxes use disks and auto loader use tapes for back up.
- Removable disks – The main advantage of this device is speed with with they undergo process but at the same time they are expensive than tapes.
- Disk drive – Disk drive offers good speed but is expensive like removable disk. They can be used under conditions where a company require speed back up of data.
Selecting the right back up procedure and back up device that are optimal for your business will avoid loss of crucial data and protect your computing at the time of disaster.
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