that Enterprise data strategy is failing non-Windows users

When it comes to backup, mixed platforms environments suffer neglect.

A study of the backup habits of different platform users has shown marked differences between Windows and other platform users. The study, conducted by cross-platform networking specialists JPY, showed that Mac, Unix and Linux users are often left to fend for themselves on big networks.

Typically in a Windows environment the IT department takes care of the data backup, and help out in times of crisis. If however you add some Macs, or Unix/Linux machines, the strategy appears to fall by the wayside. In mixed platform environments the data backup strategies most likely will miss out some machines, leaving some users to manually backup and archive their work. Some users end up emailing work to themselves, using USB memory keys or even floppies.

The study showed that networks that use a single platform, either Windows or Mac OS, are significantly more likely to backup 100 percent of the machines. Almost half of the respondents on single platform networks claimed that all machines were backed up. That figure dropped by 40% for mixed platform networks. If Linux or Unix was present on the network that figure dropped by 50%.

The study also showed that Windows oriented installations rely on backup strategies that automatically backup across a network, or use a server that is backed up. In contrast Mac oriented networks favour more ad hoc arrangements, with 45% of users manually saving file to CD or DVD. 30% of Mac users use single user backup software, and 10% use more creative backup methods such as emailing important documents or using Internet storage such as Apple iDisk.

Apple users also appear more self sufficient in times of crisis. While 58% Windows users will contact the IT department if they lose work. Mac users are most likely to find their manually archived copy of the work (50%), or fire up their personal backup software (32.9%).

Of the people using Windows, most data was backed up centrally. However when it came to personal files, music, movies and pictures, a local backup was favoured.

The Mac users used a local backup more often than a centralised backup. Interestingly the data most often backed up wasn’t important documents (73%), applications (69%) or the operating system (69%). Mac users are most careful about their music files, with 79% of users that back-up, securing their music collections.

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