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Tech Perspective: Online backup systems

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by techperspective 1 view

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Using a case study of how Cisco Systems tackled backup and restore issues for its mobile and remote employees, Gartner contends that enterprises can achieve significant support savings and productivity gains by selecting appropriate remote backup and restore tools for remote users. Do you think that implementing automated system backups for mobile users can effectively save lost work and money? Do you believe that online backup systems can perform a background and transparent operation without interrupting users? What effect do you think a remote backup system would have on your servers? What kind of backup system does your organization currently use? How effective has it been? You can read the related Gartner article, which will be posted3 A.M. Monday, at https://www.techrepublic.com/article.jhtml?id=r00220001211ggp01.htm

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by sfbarnes

From a security standpoint I cannot see allowing a remote user to use an online backup system. Due to the length of time needed to backup mobile users systems, it would create an easy access opening for any cracker (hacker). Also, most remote software is slow and would be a disappointment for the users. Generally, users are not familiar enough with their systems to troubleshoot a bad remote session.
Just a couple of my thoughts based on our reasons for not allowing mobile and remote backups onour NT network.

by will962

Security is a major concern, but so is the time involved. I believe the only way that time and money can be saved is to accomplish the backups is when the user does not expect to be actively using his mobile/remote resource, because I do not believe anyone can make a blanket statement that the backup will be transparent. Databases, for instance, usually require the users to out of them prior to the back up. We currently have scripts that run at odd times of the early morning hours, when there are minimal user on the systems and work disruptions kept low.

by charley

We dont have any remote users, per se. We do, however, have mobile users. Policy maintains that "My Documents" and "Mailbox" directories are maintained on the server for backup purposes. Since that won't work for a mobile user, we equip ours withUSB Zip drives and Iomega backup software. The systems are set up to run automatic backups on weekly intervals. This seems to work well and has saved some serious corporate face on more than one occasion.

Not only *can* remote backup solutions save time and money, it is purely irresponsible to be without one.

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