True or false: the basics of backup, restore, and DR

In this modern age, technology regarding digital internet data has greatly increased, and along with its growth has come many falsehoods. Everyone seems to have their own device on hand, and thus, the ability to fabricate IT urban legends is that much easier. We want to help you learn to discern what is true and what is false when it comes to backups and disaster recovery processes. This ability to decipher truth from falsehood will in turn equip you to be able to better manage the environment of your data protection system.

True or False: Tape backups have failed to restore for 77% of people

FALSE!

This falsehood has no references on the websites where it was originally found, and so it is safe to say that this inaccurate information was either outdated and removed, was never written, or was sorely misquoted over time. Remember that old game of telephone you played as a kid? Well, here is a possible example of that game in action. Claims that bear no truth can get twisted over time, and then perpetuated, which is what this false statement above resembles.

What is TRUE?

Storage Magazine reports that a high percentage of organizations, 77% in fact, DO have a set plan regarding DR. Also noteworthy is the fact that 51% of those organizations bi-annually conduct DR testing. Considering all of this information, it is good to remember another truth, which is the fact that the average time it takes businesses to recover and get critical applications up and running again online is around 24 hours. Knowing this is a great reminder as to why it is so vital to test DR systems for weaknesses regularly, and to use a management tool that offers a comprehensive view of the environment of your backup and recovery systems.

True or False: Post disaster, bankruptcy will follow a 10-day recovery period for 93% of businesses

FALSE!

This false information has been repeated as a result of individuals quoting what they believe has come down from the National Archives and Records Administration based out of Washington. However, in true misquoted fashion, this website no longer contains the information, meaning it is either irrelevant and has been deleted or was not communicated accurately.

What is TRUE?

The practices of IT disaster recovery have been well-documented since 2007. A recent study conducted in 2013 by Disaster Recovery Journal and Forrester found that in the last 5 years, 1 out of three businesses has had an IT disaster, while only a small percentage of companies have NOT. Though the statement that most companies will go out of business following disaster and recovery is not true, is does not mean that businesses won’t face economic hardship as a result. In fact, for every hour of corporate data that is lost, $10,000 to $3.5 million can be lost. Talk about hardship!

True or False: There are more failures with tape than with disk

FALSE!

Most CIOs and those in IT management tend to believe this myth, likely resulting from their previous experiences working with tape drive systems. In the past, these tape-based systems were not as stable and needed to be frequently restored. The information regarding disk versus tape-based systems and their reliability is vast and dependent on various factors.

What is TRUE?

The numbers regarding hard error rates between these two systems have been published in The Active Archive Alliance, and both tape and disk have been proven to be quite reliable. However, based off of the collected numbers, tape is actually slightly MORE reliable, as only a bit is lost during failure. This information must be taken in context though, so as not to start a globally perpetuated myth. The Active Archive Alliance only took into account hard failures when comparing the two systems, but remember, there are many other factors that can be considered. One thing is important to note in this research, and that is the fact that both disk and tape-based systems are performing better than ever. Do keep in mind though, they can both fail, and backup and DR plans must be in place in order for data to be protected. Since both tape and disk are reliable, choosing between the two will be a result of budget and purpose.

True or False: Tape backups are NOT tested by 34% of companies

FALSE!

This is falsehood has been perpetuated and followed by many other statements using all sorts of percentages and other supposed facts. Vendors use this statement combined with other proposed failure rates of tape systems in order to better sell their products. Some of the statements used to follow the above myth are:

• Tape backups failed to restore for 77% of people
• Microsoft states that 42% of tape backup recovery attempts have failed in the last year.
• For distributed organizations and mid-sized companies, there is a 50% failure rate when restoring from tape
• Data was not able to be recovered from a tape when needed by 40% of IT managers.
• According to Strategic Research, 54% of restores result in failure.
• There is a 71% failure of restores according to Gartner.

What is TRUE?

It is still in question whether or not any of these claims are true because their original sources are unavailable, yet they are perpetuated in various articles. This is why it is prudent NOT to repeat these claims when funding proposals are written for projects relating to new backup and DR. What is NOT in question is this: backups and restores DO fail. The concerns that must be addressed are the locations, which ones failed, and why.

Using a software that is equipped with tools to comprehensively view the backup environment and locate concerning areas is highly important. In order to persuade businesses to support backup and DR funding, correct data must be presented. Many companies are realizing that it is getting increasingly difficult to prepare for a disaster and do not feel well-prepared, as the “threats” come from all over. In order to be appropriately protected, companies must know that many backup copies of their data exists, that it won’t take too long to restore the data, and that data can be accounted for within the recovery window timeframe.