A “New” way to backup to disk!
Tape drives are becoming a thing of the past. They are costly, unreliable, limited storage and wear out often. That is one reason online backups are becoming so popular. ( see https://www.microdoctor.com/services/ )
Now we are running into limitations with the amount of data that can be sent via internet to an offsite backup site due to internet speed constraints. Our online backup uses special tricks to only send changed data to our servers in Atlanta and Salt Lake.
So for backup that exceed 72 Gigs of changed data, we needed a new solution. We are now recommending a “RDX” Solution from HP Storageworks. RDX is a type of 2.5” Sata hard drive that is in a special case that is then inserted (like a tape) into a RDX Docking Station.
HP’s RDX solution includes its own software. It is called HP RDX Continuous Backup Software. Let’s call it CDP for short. CDP backs up everything, all the time, while the system is running. That why it is called Continuous Data Protection. Sonicwall and Barracuda have separate appliances (servers) that do the same thing for much more money.
HP leverages the USB connectivity for a lower cost way of accomplishing the same thing. Micro Doctor is a vendor neutral solution company. Meaning even though we are a Sonicwall Silver Partner, if we find a better way to protect our customer’s data at a lower cost, we are going to present it. That’s what makes dealing with a company like us not only a smarter more efficient way to handle IT projects, but we save you money and save the hassle of worrying about backups and other IT nightmares.
We did some checking to compare the RDX Solutions out there. We found 3 vendors that had RDX Solutions. The first was HP RDX Storageworks solutions that include the CDP software but they are limited to USB connectivity. We also looked at Tandberg Data who offers their own Accuguard backup software but the interesting thing they offer SATA connectivity on their RDX Docking stations in addition to USB. It is hard to say if HP’s CDP software is an OEM of the Tandberg Data Accuguard solution or not. Then there is a third provider of RDX hardware, Imation, the tape company. (HMM are they worried?) Imation provides USB internal and external docking stations but their software is a problem. They provide a workstation backup utility and partner with EMC’s Retrospec software for servers, but I was never a fan of Retrospec Backup Software. I think Imation is a good solution where you want to use existing backup software like Micro Doctor’s Local Copy option of our Online Backup Software. Our online backup solution allows you to make a local backup to a drive that is total encrypted and protected like the offsite copies we store for the customer. If you already own Veritas, ( yes I refuse to call it Symantec ) Backup Exec or System Recovery and want to move from tape backups to local disk backup drives then this may be a solution for you also.
The bottom line is that backup is critical to businesses; however it does not have to be a huge burden on the business owner. For under $1500.00 you can get a complete 500Gig HP RDX Storageworks system with 3 drives for rotating offsite and HP’s Continuous Data Protection Software which handles backups, rotations, versions, Bare Metal Restore and easy single file or folder recovery.
Contact the Solution Experts at Micro Doctor Inc. for more info on how we can help you solve your IT problems.
Mark Richmond, MCSE, CSSA
