Data Archive vs. Backup:
Understanding the Difference
A survey1 conducted by Symantec recently revealed that 70 percent of enterprises are using their backup systems to perform legal holds. Further, 25 percent of those counting on their backup systems for legal holds — something they were not designed to do — have never set an expiration date for the backup, effectively preserving them indefinitely.
There seems to be a misunderstanding of how backup is used versus archiving. Here’s our take on the two systems and how they’re best used.
Typically, a backup creates a copy of the entire database at regular intervals and saves incremental changes between each backup. The nature of this system makes it best suited for disaster recovery, when it’s necessary to restore records after they have been lost. It’s extremely inefficient for use as long-term record retention as most backup solutions don’t allow the data to be selectively retrieved, nor do they manage the preservation and expiration of no-longer needed records.
Alternatively, archiving data is best for long-term storage because it allows for more control over how the stored information is handled. For example, a good data archive relocates data that is rarely accessed so that more active records can be easily retrieved. This is key when you’re feeling records compliance pressure or if eDiscovery must be carried out. Additionally, when you use an archive for its intended purpose instead of burdening your backup, you’ll greatly reduce backup windows, which can negatively affect productivity and costs.
Both backup and data archiving are necessary; indeed, they are complementary systems. However, to get the most benefit from both, it’s important to use them as intended.
1 Symantec 2010 Information Management Health Check, July 2010