BCS

The Technology At Work To Keep Your Systems Working

The NAS device can be configured to backup multiple Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 servers by partition or by logical drives. There are no file or folder-level exclusions, because a snapshot of the entire partition is taken at the block level on the hard drive.

Also, database applications such as Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Exchange Server transfer data in blocks without having to worry if files are open or if they are in use.

Key Components Of The Device's Technology Are:

Base Image

The first backup taken of a server is the base image — an exact copy of the currently used space on the server. The base image is taken for each volume (or partition) on the server. Once the base image is set all future backups are incrementals.

Remote Storage and Base Remote Backup Image Creation

Your data is stored (in encrypted form) in two secure online data backup centers, located hundreds of miles apart from each other. The BASE IMAGE will be sent via a SATA II drive to the primary remote storage facility. There is generally a three-week turnaround time required for this base image transfer to occur. Incremental back ups will occur in the meantime and they will collapse into the base image when the transfer is complete.

Incrementals

Incrementals take place at the frequency that you schedule. If you select 24/7 backups at 15 minute incrementals, 96 incremental files will be created each day. If you selected one-hour incrementals, 24 incremental files will be created each day.

Incremental Forever Methodology

Incremental Forever Methodology differs from regular incrementals in that only one full backup or base image is required. This greatly reduces the time it takes to perform subsequent backups as each incremental takes only seconds to complete.

Synthetic Incrementals

Incremental files are collapsed into synthetic incrementals (basically one larger incremental file). This is done to ensure chain integrity and to speed up
restorations. The fewer hops from the current point-in-time back to the base image, the faster your restoration will be.

Recovery Options

Recovering files and folders is a simple process where the entire image is mounted as a volume on the NAS device. The encryption is needed. Files can then be copied to the destination server over the network. We also provide utilities enabling your engineers to restore files, folders, Exchange mailboxes or messages and SQL tables and databases.

Virtualization (Physical to Virtual) Standby Server Functionality

The NAS device can "virtualize" failed servers while keeping the system in the same state as it was before the problem arose. No configurations are necessary. Once virtualized, the NAS will resume the backup schedule that was in effect before the failure.

Bare Metal Restore (Virtual to Physical)

When it comes time to restore the virtualized server back to physical hardware, our bare metal restore process allows restorations to dissimilar hardware.

On-site and Off-site Solution with Multiple Restore Points

Multiple NAS devices can be placed on a LAN. Each NAS device, depending on the model, can be configured to backup one single server or multiple servers.

Everything comes together in our NAS device to produce 15-minute incremental snapshots that safely reside within the device and are ready to be used to restore a file, a file folder, an email, or a database… all within five minutes.

Protect Valuable Informational Assets & Keep Downtime To A Minimum

Our NAS device is a comprehensive Backup and Disaster Recovery solution (BDR) for Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 servers. This reasonably priced,
all encompassing solution for small-to-midsize businesses provides:

• Very frequent backups (as frequent as every 15 minutes) with an onsite NAS Device
• Optional off-site data storage at highly rated data centers
• The ability to restore downed servers in less than 30 minutes!
• Advanced restoration options (file and folder-levels) with Exchange message and mailbox recovery
• Bare-metal restorations to dissimilar hardware
• Low cost

Tape vs NAS

Though tape backup is common, it's far from being an ideal BDR solution. Analysts have said that over half of tape backups fail, so chances are that if you need to restore from tape, you'll be out of luck. But assuming all goes well with tape backup, how does it compare with the NAS appliance?

TAPE vs

NAS

A significant backup window is required to complete a full backup — time lost for access to vital systems.

There is no backup window...your critical business systems remain up and running.

Systems are typically backed up every 24 hours. Are you ready to lose a days worth of work?

Data Snapshots take place every 15 minutes...about the same length of time as a coffe break.

There's nothing automatic about restoring with tape. The process is time-consuming and labor Intensive.

Recovery is as simple as pushing a few buttons (or clicking a mouse). Systems are restored in less than a half hour.

What Happens If My Server Crashes?

Now let's look at how our solution keeps your business running if, for instance, an e-mail server goes down.

Because the device takes snap shots every 15 minutes, administrators can choose a point in time shortly before the problem occurred and with just a few clicks of the mouse, this appliance allows you to activate it as a virtual server to keep business processes up and running while we diagnose the problem and plan a course of action for the down email server.

In the event of a catastrophic server failure, our business continuity solution also includes a boot CD that allows us to perform a bare metal restore on new hardware in a fraction of the time of a typical server rebuild. And, this NAS device restoration will allow you to eliminate the hardware abstraction layer during the restore process so that the new drivers can be loaded on the server replacement, no matter which server brand is used — giving you speedy recovery options in times of crisis.

Recovery after a Catastrophe

If a disaster results in your end-client losing their entire office — servers and on-site NAS included— you order a newly imaged NAS with the most current backup-normally the last daily that was done, to be shipped out via next business-day air transportation to a location of your choice. If such an event occurs, we will not host the data at the co-location facility. Depending on the NAS model used, multiple servers can be virtualized on one NAS even as the NAS continues to perform backups of other servers.

When the NAS arrives, all you need to do is plug in a patch cable and you're up and running. This recovery service will allow you to use the NAS for two weeks before it must be returned or purchased. This timeframe should allow you to get a new server ordered, in place and do a bare-metal restore from the NAS before returning the NAS. Alternatively, you can choose to keep the NAS and you will be billed for the list price of the new NAS. This would also allow you to use this NAS for the ongoing backups when you move forward, re-establishing the network for your client.

Off-Site Storage Facility

For additional protection in the event of a complete disaster, data is securely transferred to an off-site co-location facility on a daily basis. Then, in event of such an occurrence, you will receive a new NAS device imaged with your latest data. The storage facilities are two XO high-availability data centers in Phoenix and Baltimore. They provide:

• Backup images stored at the data centers on a Storage Area Network (SAN) at the primary facility, then replicated to the secondary facility
• Connectivity provided by multiple providers with automatic failover capabilities
• Facilities provide two fiber optic network drops for our backbone
• Full physical security at each facility including security cameras and key card access
• Network is secured with high-end redundant, automatic failover firewalls
• Fire suppression and environmental control provided
• Automatic back-up power provided with on-site generators