Given that many critical processes are dependent on data, it’s now essential for organisations to make a backup of all their crucial company information. If this data becomes unavailable due to disruptions or if data gets lost accidentally or otherwise, then at least you still have a copy.
Backupned has been involved in unburdening companies in matters involving backups and off-line data storage for 27 years. We added a new service in 2021: Online Data Transfer, Off-Grid Data Vault.
Online data transfer, off-grid data vault
“There is great demand for secure data storage in order to have a reliable backup in case businesses – for a range of reasons – can no longer access their data,” says Dirk Rood, Commercial Director at Backupned. “We’ve been doing that with physical transports since 1 March 1995: collecting tapes and storing them in our highly secure underground depots. Online Data Transfer and Off-Grid Data Vaulting means we can make life even easier for our customers.
“This new service involves organisations using highly secure fibre connections to transfer their data to one of Backupned’s underground depots,” explains Dirk. “The data is put on tape there. The tapes are then stored off-site and off-grid in our second depot in line with the latest archiving standards. Data can therefore now be transferred to us directly online.”
Not a traditional data centre
It sounds like a backup function similar to those offered by many data centres, but Dirk is categorical: “We are not a traditional data centre that keeps online copies of data. We want to offer a secure archiving option. Our two depots have different functions: in one, the online data is put onto tape, which is then stored in our second depot. All the data that comes in online is processed in this way. In other words, online and offline data is kept strictly separate. So you see, Backupned deals with it differently from a traditional data centre.”
How secure is the digital uploading of data?
Transferring data online sounds risky. Surely organisations have good reasons for wanting to store their data offline? “Our online data transfer can’t be compared with sending an email with an attachment,” explains Dirk. “Data is sent to us encrypted via high-quality fibre connections. Besides, we use a secure IP and we manage data as objects: object storage. This means that no files are transferred, but units of data, made up of ones and zeros. Online data transfer is therefore a very secure process.”
Online data transfer, off-grid data vault: the advantages
“Our new service is interesting for companies for several reasons,” Dirk believes. “In the first place, it saves investing in hardware, such as servers, tapes and a tape library. Organisations therefore don’t need to think about depreciation or service contracts. Secondly, they no longer have to deal with the arrival of pallets full of tapes because everything is digital now. The whole process of exchanging tapes? Companies are spared all this.
“Another major advantage is that tape storage is better for the environment compared to online data storage,” Dirk continues. “Where data centres need to keep large server farms running and cool, we put all the data on tapes which are stored offline. This has a significant effect on minimising carbon emissions and reduces companies’ digital footprint.”
Getting started with our service
If organisations want to get started with our online data transfer and off-grid vaulting, it is important that their own software package for backups – solutions such as Veeam or Commvault – is up to date. “This is a pre-condition for joining the new service,” Dirk says. “This is because we work with S3, Simple Storage Service, and it only ‘speaks the language’ of the latest updates.
“Apart from this, we do everything,” Dirk continues. “We check that everything is properly set up when we do the onboarding. If not, we help the customer to do so. We ensure that the Online Data Transfer and Off-Grid Vaulting is compliant with the organisation’s backup schedule. From then on, the solution can be configured as the customer wishes and the backup process is completely automated.”
Our new service is an interesting solution for all organisations which want to safeguard their data in a Dutch environment. Many listed companies, NGOs, hospitals and municipalities are already customers of Backupned. Interested? Contact us for an introduction with no further obligation.
