Backup disk-to-disk-to-tape for short term retention of data and then archive to tape for longer term storage.

While keeping data protected for the short to mid term (Backup disk-to-disk-to-tape) is imperative. However, the amount of data being protected will undoubtedly increase over a period of time, and therefore, the amount of storage available will reduce and the number of tapes used for backup will increase. A strategy exists to allow the migration of live data and to free up precious storage to another storage media.

By archiving data that no longer needs to be saved on live storage, valuable space can be freed and used for more current and pressing needs. Once files are identified for archive they can be moved manually or automatically to alternative less costly media for the longer term. Except for the length of time that data will be retained, the actual difference between backup and archive is relatively small. However, it is important to remember the success of any archive will be that it remains accessible, easy to search and restore. So from this perspective, archive stragegies should be carefully planned: How and where will data be stored?; how many copies should be retained? - a minimum of two copies is advice that commonly offered; What additional information can be added to the archive so it can be found and restored at a latter stage - import metadata, generate file previews? Backup to tape or disk protects data for the short to mid term, but it does not offer a viable strategy to protect data over a period of many years.  Archiving data allows organisations to operate a cost effective way of managing data for the longer term - protect, research, review and restore.  

Synchronise backup

Tape archive

• Long-term storage of data no longer in use
• Data migration removing load from (costly) online storage
• Off-site storage
• Archive data from more than one server

Considerations

• Identify your data protection needs
• Decide what data should be protected short term (synchronised)
• Decide how often data should be replicated
• Look at total data set + how much changes
• Should you keep file versions
• Will cycles of data be held - 1 or more days?
• Check Internet/VPN connection speeds particularly of site
• Can users be switched quickly to the backup server if needed?

• Decide what data should be protected short to mid term (backup to tape)
• How often should your data be backed up?
• Look at total data set + how much changes each day
• Off-site protection of data is important - if the location of the backup server is the same as the primary server, consider where tapes will be stored and how this process will be managed.

• Decide and plan your archiving policies and protection of data longer term
• Will previews of all files be kept?
• Would importing metadata help find files?
• Will users be offered manual archiving processes?
• Off-site protection of data is important - if the location of the backup server is the same as the primary server, consider where tapes will be stored and how this process will be managed.

• only viable with small data-set
• simple to implement, especially if data-set fits on a single tape
• lots of redundancy, a file exists on many tapes at once
• as soon as FULL backup starts to take more time than you have, then it’s not viable

Features / benefits

• Provide immediate access to data short term
• Short to mid term protection of data is maintained with tape backup
• Long term access to data is maintained with tape archive
• No downtime
• Easy to search and restore using file system
• Keep versions and cycles
• Simple set up
• Little administration
• Scalable - add or upgrade licences to offer new features, servers or workstations, larger tape libraries
• Cost and time effective
• Any general user can be given permission to search backup and archives and restore files
• Searchable Archive indexes
• Previews of media files (PDF, TIFF, JPG, AIFF, MOV, m4v...)
• Import metadata -
• Metadata fields describing files, extensible & searchable
• Detailed PresSTORE Synchronise features
• Sync-to-disk/Backup-to-Tape with PresSTORE (Download PDF)
• Detailed PresSTORE Backup features
• Detailed PresSTORE Archive features

Licencing Considerations

• How many servers need to be synchronised?
• The server licenced for PresSTORE will be licenced to synchronise to and from itself and other servers
• The number of servers to be included for synchronise, backup and or archive dictates the number of server clients needed
• Will data be held off-site?
• How many tape drives and tape slots are required?
• How many tapes can the library hold? This will determine the number of media management storage licences needed
• How many drives does the tape library have? This will determine the number of media drivelicences needed
• Can the tape library be expanded and are their sufficient PresSTORE licences if early expansion is needed?

PresSTORE licences to consider first:

• PresSTORE Professional Edition 48
• PresSTORE Professional Edition XXL