Support

FAQ - Remote Backup

Q: What if we already have a tape backup system?
Using a tape/hard drive backup system and a remote backup system offers the best of both worlds. Critical files, like billing, customer contact files and databases can be kept on the remote backup system. While, the tape or hard drive system can be used to create a full backup of the entire system once or twice a month, instead of on a daily basis. The tapes and drive will last longer and require less maintenance. The remote backup system can provide a quick and easy way to retrieve critical files and databases without the hassle of searching through tapes.

Q: What if we already have a Zip drive?
We believe that it is not optimal, and most users should not use a Zip or other removable disk media for backup. A remote backup service is completely automated and has the required file redundancy to protect important data. The only safe way to use a Zip drive for backup is to have three disks and make the same backup three times. That way when one of the disks fails, you are still protected.

Q: How long will a remote backup take?
Offices with high-speed Internet connections should find this service comparable with tape drives. Dial up users will be able to do incremental backups in thirty to sixty minutes. The initial backup can take several hours to complete. We recommend backing up the most important files first and then selecting other files as the backup progresses. Or, the initial backup can be run over the weekend. Also, we can come to your office and make the initial backup of your system.

Q: Onsite, offsite - What's the difference?
Basically, remote backups work like regular tape backups, with one important difference. Instead of sending backups to a tape drive or other media attached to the computer being backed up, a remote backup sends encrypted file data over the Internet to a computer file storage system safely off-site. This usually happens at night while your business is closed and nobody is using the computers. It's completely automatic. In fact, you may forget it's working every night.

Q: Why are remote backups considered more beneficial?
The data is immediately stored off-site using an automated backup system. Also, only an Internet connection is needed. Completely eliminating the need for expensive backup equipment and media. And, since the system is automated, manual labor is eliminated.

Q: How secure are remote backups?
Very. All files are encrypted using Blowfish or DES encryption. This is selected by the user with their own personal encryption code, which is only known by the user of the system. Blowfish encryption has never been broken by a hacker. DES is used by the federal banking system, Wallstreet, and the US Military. Your offsite encrypted files are stored in a secure area by Fire2wire. We have been providing quality products and data services since 1984. Dunn & Bradstreet# 07-026-0943.

Q: What is encryption?
Encryption is basically a mathematical formula that scrambles a data file. And the only way to unscramble it is with the encryption code that only you have.

The average business has $30,000 worth of computer data. And, we have found that many of them have little or no protection at all.

To a business owner, your data is priceless. The loss of your data can put you out of business. In fact, according to Home Office Computing magazine, 30 percent of all businesses that have a major fire go out of business within a year. Seventy percent fail within five years.

Disaster strikes in many forms. Businesses that depend heavily on computer data are especially vulnerable. A study by International Data Corp. discloses it takes 19 days and costs $17,000 to re-enter just 20 megabytes worth of sales and marketing data. Retrieving accounting records is even worse; they require 21 days and $19,000. Thousands of businesses lose millions of dollars worth of data to fire, power outages, theft, equipment failure, virus, and even simple operator mistakes. Studies show that nearly half the companies that lose their data in a disaster never reopen. Ninety percent of these data losses occur because of power failures, leaks, loose cables, user mistakes, and other hardware, software, and human errors.

With hard drive prices around a dollar per gigabyte and plunging, the threat escalates as companies buy larger drives and maintain more data on-line. Backing up your data becomes more and more important, but very few businesses do it, or do it right. Most business owners would be appalled if they knew the risk they are taking by failing to properly back up their data.

It’s more important than ever to protect the data your business depends on with a solid backup strategy. That’s where we can help. We provide a secure, automatic and inexpensive solution that can make sure your critical data is fully protected

Using your modem or dedicated Internet connection, our new Remote Backup Service will backup your files to the Fire2wire off-site data storage facility/vault. Every night, your critical files are compressed, securely encrypted, and transmitted to our facility - automatically. Files are encrypted using DES or Blowfish - the same technology used by banks, Wall Street, and the US Military for secure file transmission. Only the customer can unlock the files. Each morning, an email confirmation is sent to the customer with details regarding the overnight backup status.

The need for expensive backup hardware, tapes and other media, and supplemental personnel expense is virtually eliminated. The service, for the majority of small businesses, costs less than a dollar a day, and sets up on any Windows-based computer in minutes.