The threats associated with data today include human errors, hardware or software malfunctions, cyber-attacks, and natural disasters. For all small, medium, and large organizations, data is one of the most valuable assets in the current era. The business future and growth of any organization are associated with how effectively it performs data backup. A solid backup plan means that the organization is prepared for any disaster recovery and can restore its previous position in no time. Having a backup server plays an important role in setting up an effective backup plan. In this blog, we will shed light on “Backup Server” and its advantages, and similar other details.
What is a Backup Server?
A backup server is a server type that facilitates backing up data, databases, and applications on a dedicated on-premises or remote server. It includes both software and hardware technologies that are needed for effective backup data storage and retrieval service to connected PCs, devices, or servers.
Basic Working Principle of Backup Server
A backup server is a part of IT infrastructure where all the computing systems are connected to one or more backup servers. A backup server comprises of hardware server that possesses significant storage capacity and a dedicated backup server application. It regularly backups the data from the connected computing devices at the scheduled time. So, when the scheduled time comes, the device connects with the backup server and completes the latest data backup. The data stored in a backup server can easily be recovered during data corruption, data loss, or disaster recovery. A backup server is usually an on-premises server utilize or it is stored remotely mostly in the cloud hosted by a third-party cloud service provider.
Advantages of Backup Server
A backup server might seem like an additional expense for organizations, but in the longer run, it guarantees business protection from any kind of calamity. Following are the key advantages associated with the backup server:
- Reliable Data Protection
What if your organization gets hit by a cyber-attack, natural disaster, hardware malfunction, accidental deletion, or other such incidents, and it caused significant data loss. If you didn’t have a backup in place, then how can you recover your data? With a backup server, you are always making a duplicate of your organization’s crucial data, so even if your organization encounters an issue causing data loss, then your backup solution will be there to protect you.
- Enhanced Security for Important Data
Organizations today are collecting an unprecedented amount of data, which includes both vital information for extracting business insights and unimportant data. The data that is vital for business should be backed up to ensure that it can be restored in the hour of need. A backup server is such a backup media where you can continuously and automatically store your data crucial for business and also make it encrypted for enhanced security. This way, you are having multiple copies of the data, which brings data protection and data security.
- Immediate Recovery of Data
Having backup systems does not only mean that you can have a backup of data instantly, but it also means that you can also recover that data quickly. So, in case you have lost business crucial data, then all you have to need is to access the recovery drive and restore back the data.
- Possibility of File Versioning
File versioning means that you can store multiple versions of a file as it gets updated. For example, you backed up a file 4 days ago and since then its updated version is getting backed up continuously. But instead of overwriting the existing file, it stores the same file separately. This way, you can have multiple versions of the file and can easily restore back any past version. To have file versioning in a backup server, you can set up your backup software to ensure file versioning, or if you are looking for the backup services of a third-party cloud platform, then you can opt for that platform that provides file versioning support.
Remote Backup Server vs Onsite Backup Server
Now that you have realized the importance of a backup server and its advantage, there is also a need to clarify the doubts about which is an ideal approach, either remote backup server or onsite backup server.
You can either have a backup server on-premises or set up an offsite data backup server, but having an offsite backup server brings more data protection and reliability. For example, if a fire occurs in your organization building and it completely damages your data centers and servers, then your important files stored in the backup server are also lost in this whole situation. But if you have set up a remote backup server, then despite your organization building and servers are on fire, still you have peace of mind that your important data is still accessible.
In setting up a remote backup server, you can either set up a personal remote backup server at an offsite location or you can use the services of a third-party cloud platform where you just have to simply upload your data in the cloud. The advantage of a cloud-based backup server is that you get continuous access to the data from anywhere, anytime. Some platforms also provide file versioning and accidental deletion protection, which further increases data protection. Along with that, the cloud-based remote backup server also provides the possibility to share the data with anyone with just a few clicks.
Conclusion
One of the main threats to any organization today is data loss. The growing cyber-attacks and the chances of any hardware/software malfunction are enough to realize the importance of data backup systems. With a remote backup server, organizations can stay assured that the data is secure and can be recovered anytime they want. In a nutshell, a backup server presents as a powerful and recommended approach for effective data backup.
