From the classic backup solution to modern and crisis-proof business continuity & disaster recovery

Our last two blog posts were about the technical and the human Components in corporate security.

However, even if both aspects are in optimal condition within the company, data loss or costly business interruption can still occur – what backup solutions are available, where does a classic backup solution end and where does BCDR and? You can find out this and more in this blog post.

Warum sind Backups in Unternehmen unabdingbar?

According to the e-book „Backup vs. Business Continuity – Targeted Security Planning for Your Business,“ 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created daily. 90% % of all data currently in existence was produced in recent years, and a significant proportion by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). When you consider all the servers, desktops, and laptops that a typical SME operates, this results in a large volume of data that needs to be protected.

Such serious incidents can occur not only technically (e.g. through intentional/unintentional deletion or cyber-attacks) but also physically (e.g. through fires, extinguishing measures or server destruction). This is precisely why many entrepreneurs ask themselves the question:

Which backup do I need for my company and what for?

Even if you have a highly secure corporate structure and your employees are excellently trained, data loss can still occur – for a variety of reasons. Not only are people not infallible despite training, but technical safeguards can also be bypassed by constantly evolving malware. The following clarifies which safeguards you need for which scenarios to be optimally protected.

Restore deleted files – with a local backup

The local, „simple“ backup primarily handles user-caused deletion of files, documents, folders, and the like. Whether accidentally by careless employees or intentionally by dismissed, disgruntled employees – with the local backup, data can usually be restored quickly. Restoration of individual servers is also possible, for example, in the event of update errors. Furthermore, protection against hardware defects is guaranteed.

Against hacker attacks and physical threats – offsite backups

For a secure company structure, offsite backups are indispensable alongside traditional local backups. Offsite backups can restore data lost due to a hacker attack, fire, or water damage. They are located in an independent location, inaccessible from the company's premises. Even files that were not fully backed up can be recovered. A distinction is made between online backups, offline backups, and data centre vaults for offsite backups, which will be explained individually below.

For fast and error-free recovery – Online backup

Online backups can save many versions at high speed. It offers protection, for example, against accidental data deletion by a user or for restoring previous versions. As with local backups, it is also possible here to restore individual servers, for example, in the event of update errors, and protection against hardware defects is provided. However, longer archiving times are required for this. In addition, there are often problems with organising media changes, which then work unreliably and no longer provide protection.

To prevent attackers from gaining remote access – Offline backup

Compared to online backup, offline backup involves data storage that is disconnected from the network. This uses a physical storage medium – for example, an LTO tape, an RDX cartridge or similar. Due to this separation from the company's IT infrastructure, remote access to the media by an attacker is not possible. This means that restoration is feasible in the event of cyberattacks. Furthermore, offline backup offers protection against natural disasters and total loss due to building damage (fire, water damage) or hardware defects.

For continuous, automated backup – data centre vault

The data centre vault is usually a „one-way ticket“. Access to the servers in the data centre from the local environment will not be possible. It is connected to the local backup software, buffered and – still locally encrypted – loaded into a data centre. The great advantage for entrepreneurs is that no media changes are necessary – meaning that backing up the current save states cannot be forgotten. Furthermore, server systems can be easily started up and deployed in the data centre in the event of a total loss. The entire process is usually monitored by the IT service provider and is part of the IT service „Managed Services (Maintenance & Operation)“.

The use of a vault has both advantages and disadvantages, as there are ongoing costs, for example. On the one hand, these are costs that a company has to cover continuously, even if no acute incidents arise. On the other hand, no major investments need to be made for emergencies, but are included in this billing model. However, what is a disadvantage can also be an advantage: the company can plan and scale exceptionally well with the ongoing costs that need to be covered monthly. Furthermore, only low to no additional maintenance costs are necessary and sufficient storage is available. No one needs to worry anymore about where to store their hard drives or tapes; only a stable internet connection is required.

More than a backup solution: BCDRBusiness Continuity & Disaster Recovery
An important term for any company in the context of corporate security and backups is Business Continuity. This means that you remain operational even in an emergency, as the data is secured.

Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCDR) is an essential component of any effective cybersecurity strategy in today's corporate IT. BCDR essentially means that companies can quickly restore their data in an emergency and continue to operate without significant interruption (and thus impact on business operations, customer and supplier relationships, etc.). For this scenario, it is important to have a functioning overall strategy to remain operational in an emergency. A rule to follow when backing up data is 3-2-1 Backup Rule.

Two important keywords in the context of backups that a BCDR setup can fulfil are resilience and geo-redundancy. Resilience describes the ability of an IT system to react robustly to problems or disruptions and to continue to provide the company with the necessary services. Geo-redundancy is required for this. This means that the backup must be located at a secondary site (at least 200km away according to the Federal Office for Information Security) and independently of the infrastructure. This means that companies are usually protected even in the event of power outages, fires, or local natural disasters such as storms, floods, or earthquakes.

Jörg Liepelt – Channel Sales Executive at Datto - sees BCDR as more than just a conventional backup solution: „BCDR is now a familiar term, because anyone with even the slightest understanding of data security has a backup solution of some kind. Many people associate BCDR with the term backup, but it is much more than that. It's not just about restoring data after a disaster, but about maintaining business continuity on an ongoing basis.“ Where you would lose too much time with a ‚normal‘ backup, companies with a good BCDR solution can continue their work within a few minutes. „Fast recovery is a point that should not be underestimated. There are enough examples on the market where companies are sometimes unable to do business for days or even weeks. This can lead to huge losses in turnover and even bankruptcy - and that is no exaggeration,“ warns Liepelt. While the company can continue to operate, the infrastructure can be set up again within a few hours. The last uninfected backup in the backup chain is selected and the data restored. The fact that the data can be retrieved means that the company is protected from ransom demands in the event of a ransomware attack. Ransomware attacks protected.

Another advantage that BCDR brings is that all data protection and security requirements of GDPR, which pose difficulties for many entrepreneurs, can be met. This means they no longer have to deal with this extensive topic and can concentrate on their core business.

As a company, it is fatal nowadays not to have a good backup concept, as you thus expose yourself to all dangers. As a major advantage of Datto BCDR Solution Liepelt describes: „You don't have to cobble together every building block for data backup yourself. Whether it's hardware, software, or the cloud, i.e. storage – everything from a single source.“ He also offers a recommendation for end customers: „With a well-planned and professional BCDR concept, you are extremely well protected. I would recommend end customers who are not so experienced in this area to look for a reliable partner who will take care of backup and security for me.“