Tag Archives: Connected Corporation

About 3306 days ago Data Security

Data Disasters

Hurricanes. Floods. Tornados. Fires. Earthquakes. Explosions. Extended power outages. Disgruntled employees. Hackers. And, most recently, terrorist attacks. Those are just 10 examples of circumstances that could disable your company by damaging your computer systems and destroying your valuable data. They’re also 10 good arguments for having a comprehensive, constantly updated disaster-recovery plan. Need a few more reasons? Blizzards. Forced evacuation due to toxic contamination (remember the anthrax scare in 2001?). Vandalism or theft. Civil unrest. Computer viruses. And the list goes on. Naturally, nobody can plan for all those eventualities. But too many small to midsized companies don’t plan for any of them. The Small Business Pipeline, a technology-related Web site and newsletter, found that nearly three-quarters of the 237 SMBs it surveyed in April 2004 had no written disaster-response strategies. And the penalties for being unprepared can be mighty steep: The American Red Cross, among others, estimates that as many as 40% of SMBs simply never reopen after a disaster such as a flood, tornado, or earthquake. In many of those cases, of course, insurance covers replacement of physical assets. But if companies haven’t protected their digital assets, such as critical financial and customer information, they may be out of luck — and out of business. Most entrepreneurs now understand the importance of network security. But shielding your systems won’t do much good if, in the worst-case scenario, they no longer exist. And if you back up information but store the duplicated materials onsite or in an adjacent building, as some downtown Manhattan businesses did before the terrorist attacks of September 2001, you won’t be any better off in a disaster that affects an entire region. For those reasons, the cornerstone of any successful disaster-recovery — or, in more positive parlance, business-continuity — plan is at least one offsite data center anywhere from a few miles to a few states away. At the very least, the distant site should contain complete, constantly updated copies of all company information; preferably, it’s more than a repository — it’s a mirror image of your main system, set up to let you easily access, search, and retrieve data from afar. Ideally, it should be a “fail-over” set-up, meaning that, when disaster strikes, your systems switch to the remote site, allowing you to run your company from there. Technologies that can help ensure business continuity during a catastrophe include: Tapes. You can rely on the old standby of duplicating data onto tapes, then transporting them to an offsite facility — either your own or a service provider’s. (At many small companies, somebody often just takes the tapes home — certainly not the best way to safeguard information in the event of widespread disaster. Better to rely on a storage site that’s at least 50 to 75 miles away. Disks. A newer option, offered by companies such as IntraDyn Inc. of Edina, Minn., lets companies to back up data onto disks, which, they say, are easier to search, cheaper to transport and store, and more durable than tapes. The Internet. Thanks to increased bandwidth, you can also do ever-larger backups online, either sending data to your own remote site or to that of a service provider. In either case, your budget will determine whether you’ve got a “cold” or “warm” backup — which cost less but can take days to fully restore operations — or a more expensive “hot” one, which should put you back in business within minutes or a few hours. Meanwhile, companies like Connected Corp. of Framingham, Mass., offer software or services that automatically back up small companies’ individual PCs. That’s a particularly useful option for smaller-scale problems, such as a single hard-drive failure or a power failure affecting just a few users. (My next column will take an in-depth look at storage options.) But before making any technology choices, it’s important to craft an information disaster-recovery plan — a formal written policy that’s part of a comprehensive company-wide business-continuity strategy. To start, appoint an information crisis-response team. Assign each member specific responsibilities, but allow for overlap: At least two people should be assigned to every major task. Provide all members with multiple ways to contact each other in a disaster. Install a voice mailbox on a remote system in case your own telecommunications system is down. Designate an outside gathering place in case you can’t access your building. Then, take inventory of your company’s information assets, recommends Elaine S. Price, CEO and president of CYA Technologies Inc., which makes business-continuity and collaboration software. Go beyond the network: Remember to account for data stored in e-mail, on individual desktop and laptop hard drives, on intranets and extranets, or in remote offices. Rank each component according to its current relevance and importance to business processes, Price recommends. For instance, ask “Could my company function without access to this particular data?” Obviously, if the answer is no, that information gets the highest rating. Critical financial documents, competitive data, and confidential customer records should also receive top-priority status, as should anything you’re required to keep by law. In contrast, promotional materials, historical sales data, and materials from past projects and initiatives probably deserve lower ratings. Focus on the top-ranked data first. Back it up constantly — preferably several times daily in at least two locations — and choose storage methods that let you quickly find and retrieve what you need in a crisis. Calculate the costs of recreating critical information — and, if applicable, the potential damage from data that’s permanently lost. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends examining both temporary and permanent replacement costs. The numbers may be frightening, but they provide a good gauge for determining the potential ROI on your storage and data-recovery solutions. Choose a remote site that’s far enough from your primary location that it’s unlikely to be affected by the same disaster, but close enough so you can get there in a hurry. For instance, one Inc. 500 CEO set up a disaster-recovery center in an outbuilding near his vacation home, about 45 miles from the high-tech company’s headquarters; he already knows how to reach that site by either the main highway or the back roads. Tip: For the best chance of quick recovery, select sites or providers beyond your company’s own power grid. Update the plan constantly to account for personnel changes, process improvements, increasing amounts of data, emerging technologies, and, sadly, any new threats. Sidebar: Resources Following are some resources for learning more about business continuity and disaster recovery: WEB SITES American Red Cross Resources to help businesses prepare for and respond to disasters Institute for Business & Home Safety Resources to help SMBs prepare for and respond to disasters Open for Business: Disaster Planning Toolkit for the Small Business Owner (free 39-page PDF document developed with U.S. Small Business Administration) The Hartford Financial Services Group , Small Business Insurance Center Free online template for a building a disaster-response plan The Small Business Administration Disaster-preparedness and recovery information VENDOR WHITE PAPERS CYA Technologies Inc. (several selections) Business Continuity Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank, by NSI Software (registration required) Guaranteed Backup for Small and Medium Businesses, by Live Vault (registration required) Six Tips Small and Medium Businesses Can Use to Protect Their Critical Data, by NSI Software (registration required) BOOKS Avoiding Disaster: How to Keep Your Business Going When Catastrophe Strikes, by John Laye (John Wiley & Sons, 2002). The Backup Book: Disaster Recovery from Data Center to Desktop, edited by Dorian Cougias, E.L. Heiberger, and Karstan Koop (Schaser-Vartan Books, 2003) Contingency Planning and Disaster Recovery: A Small Business Guide, by Donna R. Childs and Stefan Dietrich (John Wiley & Sons, 2002)

About 3733 days ago Computer Security

There’s a Virus Going Around

Note: This is the first in a series of technology updates by former Inc. senior writer Anne Stuart. Future columns will explore topics such as “spam,” videoconferencing, cell phone messaging, and smart business use of online auctions. Slammer. Klez. Bugbear. Bubbleboy. Lirva. Those sound like names for characters in kids’ cartoons, but they’re neither funny nor harmless. They’re computer viruses. And they’re increasingly common. Over the past decade, virus-writers worldwide have created and released about 80,000 viruses, worms, Trojan horses and other “malware” programs, according to Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for antivirus software vendor Sophos Inc. (www.sophos.com) And about 600 to 800 new variations crop up every month, although, typically, only a few cause widespread or serious headaches. What exactly is a virus? It’s tiny, malicious software program designed purely to disrupt or damage computers. What exactly do viruses do? Some simply display odd messages or images. Many — including the famous Melissa virus — perpetuate themselves by sending infected messages to everyone in a user’s e-mail address book. Others gobble memory or storage space, making systems sluggish. Some corrupt files — for instance, changing spreadsheets or chewing up text documents — or erase them entirely. Some alter Web pages. Some reformat hard drives, block user access, or cause systems to freeze. A few disable security measures or open secret “holes” into computer networks, providing hackers with easy access. Like their biological counterparts, computer viruses can spread fast, attack systems silently, and cause a great deal of pain. In January 2003, the SQL Slammer worm circled the globe in less than an hour, infecting 75,000 computers in 10 minutes. Slammer, which paralyzed computers running Microsoft SQL Server 2000, temporarily shut down South Korea’s telephone system, knocked out thousands of Bank of America automatic-teller machines, and slowed credit-card transactions worldwide. How much financial damage can viruses cause? It’s tough to find reliable numbers about the costs of virus attacks because some effects — for instance, decreased productivity and unrealized business opportunity — are tough to quantify. In addition, many companies simply won’t share information about security-related losses. Following are several ways you can prevent or minimize the impact of virus attacks in your business: Install antivirus software on every computer. That includes laptops and PCs in remote offices. Encourage employees to use antivirus programs at home as well, especially if they use their own computers to connect to your network. In addition, consider protecting e-mail gateways with software that automatically blocks all incoming messages carrying executable code — but keep in mind that those filters may also capture legitimate business communications with harmless attachments as well. Keep antivirus programs current. With new viruses popping up regularly, it’s critical to make sure you’ve got the latest protection. Most leading solutions can be set to periodically update themselves online; you can also do the job manually to respond to new threats. Launch a company-wide prevention campaign. State-of-the-art security measures won’t protect your company unless everyone uses them. A single employee can unintentionally infect the entire network by opening a booby-trapped e-mail attachment or installing contaminated software. Make sure everybody knows and follows these basic virus-prevention procedures: Always delete junk e-mail messages — ads, jokes, chain letters — without opening them. More than 85 % of viruses infect businesses via e-mail, according to the International Computer Security Association’s (www.icsa.net) annual Virus Prevalence Survey released in March 2003. Never open e-mail attachments from strangers. And even those from people you know should be scanned with software that might spot viruses forwarded unintentionally. Be selective about downloading and installing software. Know the source and scan the files before running any new program. Get knowledgeable about pranks and hoaxes. Phony virus alerts waste almost as much time as the real thing. When you get a forwarded e-mail message breathlessly proclaiming some new threat, check it out at Vmyths (www.vmyths.com) or on other virus information sites before responding. Regularly update Microsoft products. Many viruses attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in Windows, Outlook, Internet Explorer, and other products by the giant software empire. Microsoft’s security page (www.microsoft.com/security/) provides alerts, “patches,” and advice for both home and business users. Back up. Back up. Back up. At work, store files on both PC and network hard drives. At home and on the road, copy important files to CDs or floppies. Begin backing up entire systems nightly or weekly, perhaps storing an extra copy of critical information offsite. Look into Web-based storage services such as Connected Corp. (www.connected.com), Easyspace’s Easyarchive (www.easyspace.com/services/easyarchive.html), and Elephant Backup (www.elephantbackup.com). The computer-virus universe changes constantly, with, according to some estimates, about 20 new viruses surfacing every day. You can’t vaccinate your computers against all of them. But with vigilance and commonsense caution, you can strengthen your company’s electronic immune system, making it much more likely to survive an attack. Glossary Antivirus Program: Software that detects and removes viruses from computer hard drives. Such programs must be updated regularly to add profiles for the thousands of new viruses that appear every year; updating can often be handled quickly online. Trojan (or Trojan Horse): A malicious program in disguise, named for the giant wooden gift horse the Greeks used to conquer their Trojan enemies. Trojans appear benign, entertaining, or even useful, but actually conceal viruses that can harm systems. Backdoor.BO (also called Back Orifice) is among the best-known examples. Virus: A malicious software program used to deliberately infect a computer system. Typically, viruses are concealed in existing programs and activated when those programs are executed. Viruses often cause damage by replicating themselves, causing systems to crash, or by attacking or attaching themselves to other programs. Stealth viruses remain hidden or change themselves after executing so that they can’t be detected. Well-known viruses include Melissa and Bubbleboy. Worm: A type of virus that replicates itself and gobbles up computer memory but cannot attach itself to other programs. Well-known worms include Klez.H, LoveLetter (sometimes called “IloveYou”), Bugbear, and Lovgate. Further Reading The following books, all available from Amazon (www.amazon.com) and other booksellers, offer generally easy-to-understand information about computer viruses: Securing the Network from Malicious Code: A Complete Guide to Defending Against Viruses, Worms, and Trojans, by Douglas Schweitzer (John Wiley & Sons, 2002). Offers sound, practical, comprehensive advice from a security expert. Updates provided on a companion Web site. Malicious Mobile Code: Virus Protection for Windows, by Roger A. Grimes (O’Reilly & Associates, 2001). Focuses on defensive strategies. Viruses Revealed, by David Harley, Robert Slade, and Urs E. Gattiker (McGraw-Hill/ Osborne Media, 2001). Explains what viruses are, how they work, where they come from, how to prevent them, and how to deal with them. Includes case studies. Also available as a downloadable, searchable e-book. Resources The following Web sites provide comprehensive information about viruses, worms, and similar threats: About.com Antivirus Software Guide antivirus.about.com/index.htm?terms=computer+virus News, glossary, encyclopedia of hoaxes, links to vendors and other resources. CERT Coordination Center, Carnegie Mellon University www.cert.org/ A wealth of information on all aspects of computer security at work and at home. CNET Virus Alert Center www.cnet.com/software/0-7760531-8-6319437-1.html News on current threats, advice on PC protection, links to free resources, and antivirus software vendors. Computer Security Institute www.gocsi.com Major membership organization for technology-security professionals; Web site contains articles, reports, and links to additional resources about viruses and other security issues. International Computer Security Association (ICSA) Labs www.icsa.net Independent arm of security vendor TruSecure Corp. (www.trusecure.com) offers “vendor-agnostic” testing and research. Web site contains constantly updated virus alerts, white papers, studies, an annual Virus Prevalence Survey, and more. National Institutes of Standards and TechnologyComputer Security Resource Center Virus Page csrc.nist.gov/virus/ Information, links to other resources and antivirus software vendors. Sophos Inc. www.sophos.com/safecomputing Safe-computing advice for both network administrators and individual users. Virus Bulletin www.virusbtn.com Independent antivirus advice, news, profiles, and resources. Vmyths http://www.vmyths.com Supersite for information on virus myths and hoaxes. Vendors Following is a sampling of major antivirus software vendors whose offerings include products, services, and information targeted to small and growing companies: Command Software Systems Inc. www.commandsoftware.com Founded 1984; now part of Authentium Inc. Offers antivirus software for home users, large companies, and small businesses. Web site’s Virus Center includes news, alerts, a glossary, research, e-mail newsletters, and other information. Computer Associates International Inc. www.ca.com Founded 1976. Offers antivirus software for businesses. Web site’s Virus Information Center contains alerts, encyclopedia, and an extensive glossary. McAfee Security www.mcafee.com/ Founded 1989. Offers antivirus and security solutions for home users, large companies, and small and growing businesses. Network Associates Inc., McAfee’s parent company, provides free virus alerts, updates, update on hoaxes, and other information. Panda Software Inc. www.pandasoftware.com Founded 1990. Offers antivirus software for home users, large companies, and small and growing businesses. Web site includes Virus Information Center with virus encyclopedia (including “Top 5″ current threats), hoax updates, tips, and other resources. Sophos Inc. www.sophos.com Founded 1986. Offers antivirus software for companies of all sizes. Web site includes a rich collection of analyses, articles, updates on hoaxes, and alerts, including monthly “Top 10″ virus list. Symantec Corp. www.symantec.com Founded 1982. Offers firewalls, antivirus software, and other security solutions for home users, large companies, and small and growing businesses. Web site provides free virus alerts, library of virus information. Customers can download anti-virus updates from home page. Provides updates on hoaxes. Trend Micro Inc. www.trendmicro.com Founded 1988. Offers network antivirus software and other security products and services. Web site includes virus advisories, encyclopedia, prevention tips, and additional information. Also offers a free online cost-analysis calculator for determining potential financial impact of virus attacks. Send feedback, column ideas, and tech tips to annestuartinc@yahoo.com.

About 3733 days ago Antivirus Software

There’s a Virus Going Around

Note: This is the first in a series of technology updates by former Inc. senior writer Anne Stuart. Future columns will explore topics such as “spam,” videoconferencing, cell phone messaging, and smart business use of online auctions. Slammer. Klez. Bugbear. Bubbleboy. Lirva. Those sound like names for characters in kids’ cartoons, but they’re neither funny nor harmless. They’re computer viruses. And they’re increasingly common. Over the past decade, virus-writers worldwide have created and released about 80,000 viruses, worms, Trojan horses and other “malware” programs, according to Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for antivirus software vendor Sophos Inc. (www.sophos.com) And about 600 to 800 new variations crop up every month, although, typically, only a few cause widespread or serious headaches. What exactly is a virus? It’s tiny, malicious software program designed purely to disrupt or damage computers. What exactly do viruses do? Some simply display odd messages or images. Many — including the famous Melissa virus — perpetuate themselves by sending infected messages to everyone in a user’s e-mail address book. Others gobble memory or storage space, making systems sluggish. Some corrupt files — for instance, changing spreadsheets or chewing up text documents — or erase them entirely. Some alter Web pages. Some reformat hard drives, block user access, or cause systems to freeze. A few disable security measures or open secret “holes” into computer networks, providing hackers with easy access. Like their biological counterparts, computer viruses can spread fast, attack systems silently, and cause a great deal of pain. In January 2003, the SQL Slammer worm circled the globe in less than an hour, infecting 75,000 computers in 10 minutes. Slammer, which paralyzed computers running Microsoft SQL Server 2000, temporarily shut down South Korea’s telephone system, knocked out thousands of Bank of America automatic-teller machines, and slowed credit-card transactions worldwide. How much financial damage can viruses cause? It’s tough to find reliable numbers about the costs of virus attacks because some effects — for instance, decreased productivity and unrealized business opportunity — are tough to quantify. In addition, many companies simply won’t share information about security-related losses. Following are several ways you can prevent or minimize the impact of virus attacks in your business: Install antivirus software on every computer. That includes laptops and PCs in remote offices. Encourage employees to use antivirus programs at home as well, especially if they use their own computers to connect to your network. In addition, consider protecting e-mail gateways with software that automatically blocks all incoming messages carrying executable code — but keep in mind that those filters may also capture legitimate business communications with harmless attachments as well. Keep antivirus programs current. With new viruses popping up regularly, it’s critical to make sure you’ve got the latest protection. Most leading solutions can be set to periodically update themselves online; you can also do the job manually to respond to new threats. Launch a company-wide prevention campaign. State-of-the-art security measures won’t protect your company unless everyone uses them. A single employee can unintentionally infect the entire network by opening a booby-trapped e-mail attachment or installing contaminated software. Make sure everybody knows and follows these basic virus-prevention procedures: Always delete junk e-mail messages — ads, jokes, chain letters — without opening them. More than 85 % of viruses infect businesses via e-mail, according to the International Computer Security Association’s (www.icsa.net) annual Virus Prevalence Survey released in March 2003. Never open e-mail attachments from strangers. And even those from people you know should be scanned with software that might spot viruses forwarded unintentionally. Be selective about downloading and installing software. Know the source and scan the files before running any new program. Get knowledgeable about pranks and hoaxes. Phony virus alerts waste almost as much time as the real thing. When you get a forwarded e-mail message breathlessly proclaiming some new threat, check it out at Vmyths (www.vmyths.com) or on other virus information sites before responding. Regularly update Microsoft products. Many viruses attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in Windows, Outlook, Internet Explorer, and other products by the giant software empire. Microsoft’s security page (www.microsoft.com/security/) provides alerts, “patches,” and advice for both home and business users. Back up. Back up. Back up. At work, store files on both PC and network hard drives. At home and on the road, copy important files to CDs or floppies. Begin backing up entire systems nightly or weekly, perhaps storing an extra copy of critical information offsite. Look into Web-based storage services such as Connected Corp. (www.connected.com), Easyspace’s Easyarchive (www.easyspace.com/services/easyarchive.html), and Elephant Backup (www.elephantbackup.com). The computer-virus universe changes constantly, with, according to some estimates, about 20 new viruses surfacing every day. You can’t vaccinate your computers against all of them. But with vigilance and commonsense caution, you can strengthen your company’s electronic immune system, making it much more likely to survive an attack. Glossary Antivirus Program: Software that detects and removes viruses from computer hard drives. Such programs must be updated regularly to add profiles for the thousands of new viruses that appear every year; updating can often be handled quickly online. Trojan (or Trojan Horse): A malicious program in disguise, named for the giant wooden gift horse the Greeks used to conquer their Trojan enemies. Trojans appear benign, entertaining, or even useful, but actually conceal viruses that can harm systems. Backdoor.BO (also called Back Orifice) is among the best-known examples. Virus: A malicious software program used to deliberately infect a computer system. Typically, viruses are concealed in existing programs and activated when those programs are executed. Viruses often cause damage by replicating themselves, causing systems to crash, or by attacking or attaching themselves to other programs. Stealth viruses remain hidden or change themselves after executing so that they can’t be detected. Well-known viruses include Melissa and Bubbleboy. Worm: A type of virus that replicates itself and gobbles up computer memory but cannot attach itself to other programs. Well-known worms include Klez.H, LoveLetter (sometimes called “IloveYou”), Bugbear, and Lovgate. Further Reading The following books, all available from Amazon (www.amazon.com) and other booksellers, offer generally easy-to-understand information about computer viruses: Securing the Network from Malicious Code: A Complete Guide to Defending Against Viruses, Worms, and Trojans, by Douglas Schweitzer (John Wiley & Sons, 2002). Offers sound, practical, comprehensive advice from a security expert. Updates provided on a companion Web site. Malicious Mobile Code: Virus Protection for Windows, by Roger A. Grimes (O’Reilly & Associates, 2001). Focuses on defensive strategies. Viruses Revealed, by David Harley, Robert Slade, and Urs E. Gattiker (McGraw-Hill/ Osborne Media, 2001). Explains what viruses are, how they work, where they come from, how to prevent them, and how to deal with them. Includes case studies. Also available as a downloadable, searchable e-book. Resources The following Web sites provide comprehensive information about viruses, worms, and similar threats: About.com Antivirus Software Guide antivirus.about.com/index.htm?terms=computer+virus News, glossary, encyclopedia of hoaxes, links to vendors and other resources. CERT Coordination Center, Carnegie Mellon University www.cert.org/ A wealth of information on all aspects of computer security at work and at home. CNET Virus Alert Center www.cnet.com/software/0-7760531-8-6319437-1.html News on current threats, advice on PC protection, links to free resources, and antivirus software vendors. Computer Security Institute www.gocsi.com Major membership organization for technology-security professionals; Web site contains articles, reports, and links to additional resources about viruses and other security issues. International Computer Security Association (ICSA) Labs www.icsa.net Independent arm of security vendor TruSecure Corp. (www.trusecure.com) offers “vendor-agnostic” testing and research. Web site contains constantly updated virus alerts, white papers, studies, an annual Virus Prevalence Survey, and more. National Institutes of Standards and TechnologyComputer Security Resource Center Virus Page csrc.nist.gov/virus/ Information, links to other resources and antivirus software vendors. Sophos Inc. www.sophos.com/safecomputing Safe-computing advice for both network administrators and individual users. Virus Bulletin www.virusbtn.com Independent antivirus advice, news, profiles, and resources. Vmyths http://www.vmyths.com Supersite for information on virus myths and hoaxes. Vendors Following is a sampling of major antivirus software vendors whose offerings include products, services, and information targeted to small and growing companies: Command Software Systems Inc. www.commandsoftware.com Founded 1984; now part of Authentium Inc. Offers antivirus software for home users, large companies, and small businesses. Web site’s Virus Center includes news, alerts, a glossary, research, e-mail newsletters, and other information. Computer Associates International Inc. www.ca.com Founded 1976. Offers antivirus software for businesses. Web site’s Virus Information Center contains alerts, encyclopedia, and an extensive glossary. McAfee Security www.mcafee.com/ Founded 1989. Offers antivirus and security solutions for home users, large companies, and small and growing businesses. Network Associates Inc., McAfee’s parent company, provides free virus alerts, updates, update on hoaxes, and other information. Panda Software Inc. www.pandasoftware.com Founded 1990. Offers antivirus software for home users, large companies, and small and growing businesses. Web site includes Virus Information Center with virus encyclopedia (including “Top 5″ current threats), hoax updates, tips, and other resources. Sophos Inc. www.sophos.com Founded 1986. Offers antivirus software for companies of all sizes. Web site includes a rich collection of analyses, articles, updates on hoaxes, and alerts, including monthly “Top 10″ virus list. Symantec Corp. www.symantec.com Founded 1982. Offers firewalls, antivirus software, and other security solutions for home users, large companies, and small and growing businesses. Web site provides free virus alerts, library of virus information. Customers can download anti-virus updates from home page. Provides updates on hoaxes. Trend Micro Inc. www.trendmicro.com Founded 1988. Offers network antivirus software and other security products and services. Web site includes virus advisories, encyclopedia, prevention tips, and additional information. Also offers a free online cost-analysis calculator for determining potential financial impact of virus attacks. Send feedback, column ideas, and tech tips to annestuartinc@yahoo.com.

About 4797 days ago Data Security

Research Data Backup Turnkey Solutions

There are a number of different features you may want to consider, such as data security, storage space, and user interface. Itemize your needs in an organized way to ensure an efficient decision-making process. Research Data Backup Turnkey Solution Features Outlined below are the key features to look for in an Internet backup service: Data security. For secure transfer, data should be encrypted by the backup client software before it is transferred to the storage center. Data at the center should be password protected. High bandwidth connection. The backup service’s Web site should have sufficient bandwidth so that connecting to it isn’t a bottleneck for backing up and restoring your data. Sufficient storage space. Many backup services restrict the amount of storage space they give you. Make sure you find a service that provides adequate space to fit your needs now and in the future. Ability to schedule unattended backups. The client software for a backup service company should allow you to schedule unattended backups according to your needs, not theirs. You may want to schedule backups each day at 1 a.m., when there is likely to be little demand on your system. Simple user interface. The client should be easy to install and configure. Web-based access. The backup service should allow you to obtain your data directly from its Web site so that you can obtain your data from any PC, not just the one with the backup service client installed. Option to restore at any time. The backup service should allow you to restore at any time of day, seven days a week. High compression ratio. The backup service client should compress data on your PCs before sending the data to the backup service, to shorten data transfer time. Permanent archives. You should have the option to obtain CD archives of your data periodically. Delta backups. The backup service client should be able to back up only the change made to a file rather than a whole file, decreasing the amount of data you need to back up each day. Good internal procedures. Your data isn’t safe if your backup service isn’t backing up its server. Make sure your backup service provider has a secure physical location and adequate procedures for safeguarding your data. Understand the Issues to Consider in Selecting a Data Backup Turnkey Solution If you’re a Macintosh user, an Internet backup service may not meet your needs because most services are PC-only solutions. Initial (full) backups may take from several hours to an entire night, tying up your Internet connection. If you have a large volume of data to back up and don’t have a fast connection, you may not be able to complete your backups overnight. A slow connection may present a challenge in restoring data; if you have a large volume of data to restore after data loss, retrieving it via the Internet may take too long, and you may end up waiting for the backup service to send you a CD before you can restore files. Research Data Backup Turnkey Solution Costs Services generally cost between $10 to $20 per month for a license, with the difference in price reflecting the restrictions on data storage. Some services restrict their license to a single PC, while others have no restrictions. However, the services with no restrictions on the license limit the amount of data you can back up so that it isn’t practicable for use on multiple PCs anyway. If you have more than 10 PCs to back up, look for volume discounts. Most services do allow you to request CDs of your data but charge from $30 to $50 per request and may also restrict the number of requests you can make per year. Find a Data Backup Turnkey Solution Provider Safeguard Interactive and Connected Corp. offer services with enough storage space to meet the needs of either a small business or a sole proprietor. You may also want to check your Internet service provider for backup services. For example, US West’s small-business e-backup offers unlimited backup storage and gives a discount to US West customers. @Backup sells a service geared more to individuals and sole proprietors. Its storage limits of between 100 MB and 500 MB make it more suitable for backing up a few important files rather than an entire disk drive or server. Driveway (formerly Atreiva Corp.) offers a free service that is aimed squarely at consumers, who can receive as much as 100 MB of storage space in return for providing personal information. Copyright © 1995-2000 Pinnacle WebWorkz Inc. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate or redistribute in any form.