Like many things in IT history has a way of reinventing itself. Backup solutions are no exception. We've embraced tape backup while disk storage was limited and expensive. In more recent times the move has been towards disk backup.

However, is such a polarised approach the right one? Now that disk storage is relatively cheap, why not continue to maintain the convenience of having all backups online? There are several considerations:

• Cost per GB of storage
  • To purchase - initial costs
  • To maintain - hardware maintenance
  • To run - power and cooling
• How many backup copies you need to keep
• How long you need to keep backups
• Likelihood of acces to specific backed up data

If your requirements are simple then disk based backup is likely to be a good solution, but in many cases a combination of disk and tape makes the most sense. Disk backup is best suited to

• Long term storage of virtually unlimited data quantities
• Limited physical storage space
• Multiple redundant backup sets
• Easy off-site media storage

Whereas disk is well suited for

• High speed backup and restore
• Critical systems disaster recovery
• Rapid access to critical application data

Most companies have a combination of all of these requirements, making a combined solution ideal.

At Trustco we have years of experience helping many clients identify the most suitable backup solutions. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.