Utilize IT Support - How long could you last without your network?

How long could you last without your network?

Companies who rely on traditional tape backup may be securing their most critical business data but the process of restoring their systems in the event of a disaster can often take up to a week. Are you prepared for the day your network goes down?

We know that prevention is better than cure, and yet most clients fail to give any consideration to the important matter of business continuity planning (BCP) - that's until a disaster befalls their own network. Of course, those who have encountered extended system downtime need no further persuasion.

More to restoring files than meets the eye

The fact is that whilst a nightly backup will record your business data to tape in preparation for the day you experience critical server hardware failure or some other disastrous event, there is always more to the restoration process than meets the eye.

Individual files may be readily copied back to a stand-alone PC, but an SQL database like your Sage accounts system requires the SQL server to be restored first. Similarly, if you have lost your entire domain, all user permissions will have disappeared until such time as your primary domain server is restored. Allowing standard network users to access an unsecured data structure could prove more disastrous in the long-term than your server crash.

Business Continuity Planning

Businesses that have experienced the frustration of lengthy system downtime and the protracted process of restoring from tape generally vow ‘never again’.

When disaster strikes, Utilize business continuity solutions will have you back up and running in a matter of hours rather than days.

The reality is that BCP technology has become far more affordable and we are all more reliant on our systems than at any time in the past. Utilize can deliver a scalable BCP offering for your IT systems, which ranges from straight-forward online backup to full server replication services. Each of our solutions, which can have you back up and running in hours rather than days, are highlighted below.

Ignite Online Backup

Quite simply, if you haven’t yet arranged an online backup for your most critical data, you should do so today. Utilize recommends Ignite online backup and uses it to safeguard hundreds of its customer sites.

Files, email mailboxes and important databases are backed up to secure data centres from where they can be retrieved easy via the Web in the event of a disaster. With prices starting from just £2.50 per GB of storage per month, you can have added peace-of-mind without breaking the bank.

Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery

Symantec Backup Exec™ System Recovery is a simple, cost-effective backup and recovery solution for SME businesses that helps minimise downtime and avoid disaster by recovering complete Windows systems in minutes - not hours or days.

This solution can restore entire servers including domain security, files, email and application databases to different hardware, virtual environments, or even remote locations.

Double-Take Replication

A growing number of our clients are now considering full-blown business continuity solutions and Double-Take technology provides this facility through the continuous real-time replication of your servers, to either physical or virtual servers, usually located offsite in a secure data centre.

In the event of a disaster, this solution allows workers to connect via alternative Internet lines, for example their home connections, accessing all data created up to a few seconds before the system crash. Utilize can also arrange temporary office space if required.

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