Wednesday, August 5, 2009

For companies in the middle, solutions like Data Domain offer a way to implement disk-based backup cost effectively with a purpose-built disk backup appliance. And, since Data Domain devices can replicate to a remote site easily, they have solved the DR problem for the mid-market.

But what if you don’t have a remote facility that is suitable for IT gear – or a remote facility at all? Or, what if you don’t have the IT resources to set up and run a remote site for DR? And, how do you get applications running again, in the event of a disaster?

In a recent briefing with Storage Switzerland, a company called Simply Continuous explained how they answer these questions. They provide a suite of enterprise-class managed services which enable companies with real DR needs but no DR facilities to have dedicated, 24x7 DR protection for their Data Domain systems and virtual applications.

Simply Continuous offers a DR Managed Service with two components it collectively calls the Universal Recovery Platform. Data Recovery Vault supplies a target-side Data Domain appliance in their SAS-70 Data Center with a comprehensive set of management and recovery services, and an SLA. AppAlive captures virtual images of application servers, transmits them to the Data Recovery Vault and provides on-demand recovery hosting after a DR event.

For the company that is using Data Domain for backup and is interested in DR protection but doesn’t have appropriate facilities, these services complete the solution. But even for companies that DO have a remote site with available floor space, the Simply Continuous suite of services can still make sense.

Just putting a target appliance in a remote site doesn’t make a DR system. You also need to be concerned with security, data availability, operational costs and implementation.  As a turnkey solution, for a monthly cost, the Universal Recovery Platform includes:

- Installation, configuration and management of the Data Domain appliance and firewall on-site at the customer location

- Automatic copying and encrypted replication of backup data sets to an SAS-70 Data Center, via the internet

- Continuous monitoring for data integrity and recoverability per Service Level Agreements (SLA) established

- 7x24 data access and technical support via customer web portal

- Fast access to data in the event of a disaster, with multiple communication and recovery mode options

On top of data recovery protection, application protection is also available with the AppAlive service. This service captures virtual server images and provides recovery hosting when needed. It enables mission critical applications to be available within minutes and run until primary site IT services are restored.

Given the current economic climate, resources for things like DR can be hard to come by. Too often when expenses must be cut, a disaster recovery project with its scope and list of unknowns for most companies is an easy target. A turnkey solution like that from Simply Continuous can be a valuable DR option when the company doesn’t have the IT resources, the expertise, or just doesn’t have a remote facility.

Eric Slack, Senior Analyst