Your questions about our online data backup and recovery services answered

Why should I consider switching to disk-based backup and recovery?
It’s all about recovery speeds, although there are also issues concerning tape’s reliability and durability. For example, a disk based recovery solution will recover the file or server in the time it takes to phone your courier service and ask them to deliver your tape back from its offsite storage.

What are the real benefits of an online backup and recovery system?
With an online system, data can be stored locally to ensure rapid file and application recovery - and automatically replicated offsite to provide backup and recovery assets in case of real disaster. With tape, backup and recoveries can stay on site for one or two extra days before being removed. In the event of a real catastrophe the business can only recover to data that’s two or three days old, rather than to data that’s just a few minutes old with disk.

Why do I need to outsource my backups?
See The Outsourcing Decision White Paper.

What are the principal elements of a typical RecoveryShield™ system?
There are 4 components to the solution: Reporting Server, Storage Server(s), Management Console(s), Autonomous Agent(s).

How secure are Thinking SAFE’s offsite data facilities?
We operate data centres in London and Reading. Each is protected by redundant mains power supplies, backup and recovery generators and batteries and is connected to the internet by at least three network providers, using diverse routing to ensure resilience.

Each data centre is also protected by high performance fire suppression systems, and 24 hour security with CCTV and access control.

What are the advantages of an automated backup and recovery system?
Your staff are freed from the responsibility of managing backup and recoveries manually – with the devastating potential for this vital procedure to be forgotten or overlooked.

An automated system also brings in data held by mobile and remote users, which might otherwise be at risk from manual backup and recoveries not being carried out regularly.

What platforms do your backup and recovery systems support?
Our RecoveryShield software secures data from all supported versions of Microsoft® Windows operating systems plus Windows NT4, Microsoft Exchange® v5.5, 2000 and 2003, Microsoft SQL Server® v7, 2000 and 2005, UNIX (Solaris, AIX, HP-UX), Linux and AS/400.

Reseller, consultant or service provider? Partner with us and add Thinking SAFE backup and recovery services to your customer portfolio. Check out the options here.