Network Partners

							A	message	from	the	author:		
Why	I	created	this	report	and	who	should	read	it	
                   	
                   Richard	Mash	
                   President	&	CEO,	Network	Partners	

                   	
                   	
                   	
                   	
Dear	Colleague,	

Have	you	ever	lost	an	hour	of	work	on	your	computer?		

Now	imagine	if	you	lost	days	or	weeks	of	work	–	or	imagine	losing	your	client	database,	financial	records,	
and	all	of	the	work	files	your	company	has	ever	produced	or	compiled.		Imagine	what	would	happen	if	
your	computer	network	went	down	for	days	and	you	couldn’t	access	email	or	the	information	on	your	
server.	How	important	would	that	be	to	your	business?	

What	if	a	major	storm,	flood,	or	fire	destroyed	your	office	and	all	of	your	files?	What	if	a	computer	virus	
wiped	out	your	network?	How	quickly	do	you	think	your	company	could	recover	from	a	serious	data	loss,	
if	at	all?	Do	you	have	an	emergency	recovery	plan	in	place	that	you	can	rely	on	to	keep	your	business	safe?		

If	you	don’t	have	a	rock‐solid	disaster	recovery	plan	in	place,	you’re	gambling	with	your	business.	With	
the	number	of	threats	constantly	growing,	it’s	not	a	matter	of	if	you	will	have	a	problem,	but	surely	a	
matter	of	when.		And	even	though	many	people	know	they	should	be	backing	up	their	data,	I	have	found	
that	most	business	owners	are	grossly	misinformed	about	data	backup	and	(more	importantly)	business	
continuity.	

That’s	why	I	created	this	report.	I	wanted	to	give	CEOs	and	executives	an	informative,	easy‐to‐read	guide	
explaining	what	they	need	to	know	about	backups,	data	security	and	business	continuity	so	that	they	can	
keep	their	business	running	in	the	event	of	a	loss	of	data	or	systems.	

Just	by	asking	for	this	report	you’re	putting	yourself	far	ahead	of	most	business	owners	who	never	get	
around	to	thinking	about	this	issue	until	it’s	too	late.	For	that,	I	congratulate	you	and	hope	that	you	find	in	
these	pages	the	information	and	the	encouragement	that	you	need	to	put	the	proper	systems	in	place	so	
that	you	can	sleep	easier	at	night…	knowing	that	you’re	prepared	for	the	worst.	
                                        About	the	author	
Twenty‐five	years	ago,	my	first	job	was	as	a	service	engineer	for	International	Computers.	In	those	days,	
data	was	often	stored	on	floppy	disks	and	backup	processes	were	very	slow,	which	meant	they	were	
performed	infrequently,	if	at	all.	Unfortunately	a	lot	of	my	service	calls	involved	explaining	to	distraught		
(often	tearful)	office	administrators	that	days	or	even	weeks’	worth	of	their	hard	work	was	now	gone	
forever	as	the	fragile	disks	on	which	they	relied	had	failed	and	any	attempt	at	data	recovery	was	hopeless.	

Today,	advances	in	computer	technology	mean	that	the	amount	of	data	we	are	storing	is	exponentially	
greater,	yet	I’m	still	meeting	people	every	day	who	are	not	protecting	their	systems	correctly.	

Twenty‐five	years	ago	I	had	a	simple	phrase	I	used	a	lot:	“I	can	fix	everything	on	your	network…	except	
your	data.	If	you	lose	that,	then	I	can’t	help	you.”	The	same	facts	hold	true	today.	As	a	business	owner,	
manager	or	employee	you	must	take	steps	to	protect	the	lifeblood	of	your	business,	which	is	the	
information	held	on	your	company	PCs,	laptops	and	servers.		

I’ve	experienced	the	IT	industry	in	a	number	of	roles;	as	a	service	engineer,	a	systems	analyst,	an	IT	
manager,	a	Chief	Technology	Officer	(CTO)	and	as	an	independent	consultant.	I’ve	worked	for	large	
enterprises	like	The	Bank	of	England,	The	Bank	of	Canada,	Virgin	Airlines	and	GM,	and	also	for	small	and	
medium‐sized	businesses	and	co‐operatives.	

In	case	this	is	starting	to	sound	like	me	bragging	about	how	much	better	I	am	at	running	computer	
systems	than	you,	I	should	tell	you	that	in	one	of	my	first	jobs	as	a	systems	administrator	I	managed	to	
accidentally	delete	a	company’s	database	that	contained	the	details	of	over	20,000	customers.	On	that	
occasion,	a	backup	tape	saved	the	day	(and	possibly	my	career!)	as	I	was	able	to	restore	the	files	from	tape	
before	too	much	damage	was	done.		

To	this	day,	I	remember	the	feeling	of	shock	that	set	in	as	I	realized	the	extent	of	the	damage	I	had	just	
caused	to	the	system.	Looking	back,	that	incident	probably	shaped	the	rest	of	my	career	as	I	now	make	
protecting	data	my	top	priority.		

During	my	career,	a	large	proportion	of	my	time	has	been	spent	installing	systems	to	protect	computers	
from	data	loss,	damage	or	corruption.	When	I	was	working	with	larger	enterprises,	they	had	big	budgets	
to	spend	on	redundant	systems	and	backups,	yet	sometimes	even	they	struggled	to	find	tools	and	
procedures	to	make	sure	everything	was	protected.	

In	the	last	few	years,	business	continuity	solutions	have	become	more	affordable,	and	now	my	company	
specializes	in	helping	small	and	medium‐sized	companies	implement	the	correct	backup	and	recovery	
systems.	I	started	this	company	because	there	is	still	too	much	misinformation	and	ignorance	about	what	
to	protect	in	a	company’s	network	and	how	to	do	it.	

I	feel	good	about	what	our	company	achieves	for	businesses.	I	always	give	the	best	advice	possible,	even	if	
that	advice	is	hard	to	hear.	Unless	I’m	100%	comfortable	with	a	solution,	I	won’t	suggest	that	others	use	it.	
That’s	how	I	can	sleep	at	night;	knowing	that	my	clients’	data	is	safe	and	secure	and	that	in	the	event	of	an	
incident	–	no	matter	how	severe	–	we	can	help	them	recover	their	data	and	critical	services	and	get	their	
business	up	and	running	quickly.	
                          “But	that	could	never	happen	to	me!”	
           (And	other	myths	business	owners	like	to	believe	about	their	businesses)	
After	working	with	hundreds	of	small	and	medium‐size	businesses	over	the	years,	I’ve	found	that	the	
majority	of	business	owners	I	talk	to	don’t	have	a	reliable	backup	of	their	data	and	don’t	know	how	or	
what	they	would	do	in	the	event	of	a	data‐erasing	disaster.		They	simply	hope	their	backup	is	working	and	
that	it	will	save	their	company	when	disaster	strikes.	This	“hope”	approach	is	incredible	when	you	
consider	how	dependent	businesses	are	on	information	–	be	it	client	databases,	accounting	records,	
emails,	pictures,	inventory,	blueprints	and	other	proprietary	information	–	almost	all	processes	in	a	
business	rely	on	the	availability	of	digital	information.	
	
The	cost	of	losing	that	information	(or	being	without	it	for	an	extended	period	of	time)	is	hard	to	
accurately	quantify	since	it	affects	so	many	aspects	of	a	business.		Not	only	are	there	the	direct	costs	of	
repairing	and	restoring	data,	but	the	indirect	costs	of	lost	productivity,	lost	sales	and	damaged	reputation	
that	occur	when	a	company	can’t	operate	or	fulfill	its	promises	due	to	network	downtime.	
	
                                      Did	you	know	that…?	
       PricewaterhouseCoopers	found	that	approximately	70%	of	small	businesses	that	experience	a	
        major	data	loss	go	out	of	business	within	a	year.		
        	
       20%	of	small	to	medium‐sized	businesses	will	suffer	a	major	disaster	causing	loss	of	critical	data	
        every	5	years.	(Source:	Richmond	House	Group)	
        	
       40%	of	small	to	medium‐sized	businesses	that	manage	their	own	network	and	use	the	internet	for	
        more	than	email	will	have	their	network	accessed	by	a	hacker,	and	more	than	half	won’t	even	know	
        they	were	attacked.	(Source:	Gartner	Group)	
        	
       About	70%	of	business	people	have	experienced	(or	will	experience)	data	loss	due	to	accidental	
        deletion,	disk	or	system	failure,	viruses,	fire	or	some	other	disaster.	(Source:	Carbonite)	
        	
       The	first	reaction	of	employees	who	lose	data	is	to	try	to	fix	it	themselves	by	using	recovery	
        software	or	restarting	or	unplugging	their	computer	—	steps	that	can	make	later	data	recovery	
        impossible.	(Source:	Ontrack	Data	Recovery)	
	
                             “But	I	already	back	up	my	data…”	
                                                         	
Most	businesses	have	some	type	of	computer	backup	system	in	place,	as	anyone	who	has	ever	worked	
with	computers	realizes	that	it’s	not	a	matter	of	if	a	computer	will	fail	but	when.		

However,	it’s	important	to	realize	that	backup	alone	can’t	address	the	problem	of	the	lost	productivity	a	
business	faces	while	it	waits	for	data	to	be	loaded	onto	new	hardware.		
Most	people	I	meet	believe	that	installing	a	tape	backup	system	on	their	network	will	protect	them	from	
extended	downtime.	After	all	–	if	the	server	fails	today	the	data	files	can	be	restored	from	tape	and	
everything	will	be	back	online	tomorrow,	right?	Unfortunately	the	answer	is	“probably	not”.	Not	unless	
the	backup	system	is	part	of	a	more	comprehensive	business	continuity	solution.	

To	understand	the	differences	between	backup	and	business	continuity,	ask	yourself	these	3	key	
questions:	

Q1:		“When	a	server	fails,	how	much	business	can	we	afford	to	lose	during	the	downtime?”	

If	you’re	backing	up	data	to	tapes,	external	hard	disks	or	USB	devices	then	recovering	from	a	server	failure	
typically	takes	2	or	3	days.	That’s	if	you’ve	been	backing	everything	up	correctly	and	you	have	all	your	
software	CDs	and	license	keys	on	hand	during	the	recovery.	

A	business	continuity	solution	is	capable	of	bringing	a	failed	server	back	online	within	a	few	minutes,	with	
no	lost	business	opportunities	or	missed	customer	contacts.		

Q2:	“If	my	server	fails	at	4	pm	this	afternoon	and	we	have	to	recover	from	last	night’s	backup,	can	
we	recreate	everything	we’ve	done	on	the	computers	today?”	

If	your	company	deals	with	enquiries	or	orders	over	the	telephone,	it’s	likely	that	your	staff	members	are	
making	changes	directly	onto	the	computer	system	without	making	additional	manual	notes.	Recovering	
stale	data	from	a	tape	and	then	remembering	and	recreating	the	work	performed	since	the	backup	would	
likely	be	impossible,	resulting	in	lost	orders	and	upset	customers.		

Business	continuity	solutions	take	very	rapid	copies	of	changing	business	data	and	can	be	configured	to	
copy	data	from	a	production	server	every	few	minutes,	or	even	as	soon	as	a	file	is	changed.	

Q3:	“If	my	building	and	everything	in	it	was	destroyed,	how	would	I	recover	my	data?”	

If	you’ve	been	backing	up	data	to	tapes	and	someone	has	been	removing	those	tapes	from	your	building	
on	a	regular	basis,	you	should	be	able	to	recover	your	data	to	a	new	server	within	a	few	days.		

Business	continuity	solutions	automatically	send	copies	of	your	data	to	a	secure	vault	over	an	internet	
connection,	so	there’s	no	tape	or	other	physical	media	to	worry	about.	In	the	event	of	a	disaster,	your	
company	data	can	be	downloaded	directly	from	the	internet	onto	a	new	server,	or	even	installed	on	a	
server	in	the	vault	itself.	In	this	second	scenario,	all	you	need	is	a	laptop	and	an	internet	connection	to	
access	the	remote	copy	of	your	server	and	you	can	be	back	online	and	working	within	a	few	minutes.	

Before	you	assume	all	the	benefits	of	business	continuity	systems	are	too	expensive	or	too	complex	for	
your	business,	you	should	know	that	they	are	often	no	more	expensive	than	traditional	tape	backup	
systems,	and	are	much	simpler	to	manage.		In	this	report	I’m	going	to	outline	what	you	need	to	know	
about	choosing	a	good	backup	and	business	continuity	solution,	and	what	you	need	to	know	to	choose	the	
right	company	to	set	up	and	manage	your	backup	system.		
	
                    Why	you	need	to	get	rid	of	your	tape	backup	
Most	business	owners	don’t	know	that	the	average	failure	rate	for	a	tape	backup	system	is	100%.	All	tape	
backups	fail	at	some	point	in	time.	Incredible,	isn’t	it?	Most	people	spend	their	days	dutifully	swapping	out	
tapes	and	taking	them	home	day	in	and	day	out	only	to	discover	their	data	wasn’t	being	backed	up.	But	
what’s	really	dangerous	is	that	most	companies	don’t	realize	their	tapes	have	failed	until	it’s	too	late.		
	
Tape	backup	systems	have	been	around	for	40	years	or	more,	yet	the	technology	has	changed	little	in	that	
time.	Yes,	we	can	store	ever	increasing	amounts	of	data	on	smaller	and	faster	tape	cartridges,	but	the	basic	
principle	of	writing	our	company	information	to	flimsy	magnetic	tape	is	the	same.	
	
Don’t	get	me	wrong	–	tape	backup	systems	have	been	the	savior	of	many	companies	and	IT	providers.	If	
you	read	my	“About	the	author”	section	you’ll	know	that	a	tape	backup	saved	my	reputation.	I’m	sure	I’m	
like	many	IT	professionals	who	have	a	love/hate	relationship	with	tape	backup	systems.	We	know	they’re	
fragile,	slow	and	expensive	to	manage,	but	we	believe	that	having	a	backup	system	in	place,	no	matter	how	
unreliable,	is	probably	better	than	having	no	backup	at	all.	
	
In	the	last	few	years,	a	host	of	new,	affordable	technologies	have	been	introduced	that	address	the	
limitations	of	tape	backups	and	provide	a	new	level	of	security	and	resilience	that	I	could	only	dream	
about	when	I	started	in	the	IT	industry.	
	
Do	you	remember	the	days	when	you	rented	movies	from	a	video	store,	came	home	with	a	VHS	cartridge	
then	tried	to	get	a	decent	picture	on	your	TV	from	a	tape	that	had	been	used	dozens	of	times	before?	Well,	
that’s	the	same	technology	used	in	tape	backup.	Unless	you	were	lucky	enough	to	get	a	“new	release”	that	
was	freshly	recorded	on	a	new	tape	you	had	to	suffer	through	bad	sound	quality,	poor	pictures	and	
sometimes	miss	whole	sections	of	the	movie	if	the	tape	was	slightly	damaged.	
	
Today,	movie	watchers	can	rent	or	download	digital	content	instead	of	relying	on	tape.	That	same	digital	
technology	has	revolutionized	the	backup	industry,	and	just	like	in	the	video	stores,	tapes	are	being	
relegated	to	the	background	as	digital	media	and	the	internet	are	taking	over	the	critical	functions	of	
backing	up	a	company’s	data.	
	
So	why	are	there	still	so	many	tape	backup	solutions	out	there?	The	hard	truth	is	that	the	companies	that	
are	specifying	and	selling	you	tape	backup	solutions	don’t	know	any	better.	They’ve	always	sold	tape	
backup,	and	just	add	it	to	a	project	without	giving	it	much	thought.	Don’t	forget	that	they’re	trying	to	sell	
you	hardware,	software	and	services,	and	tape	backup	solutions	are	a	relatively	cheap	way	of	putting	one	
more	mark	in	the	checkbox	that	says	“backup	solution	included”.				
	
Here	are	the	top	reasons	why	tape	backups	are	a	bad	idea:	
	
     It’s	very	common	for	a	tape	drive	to	malfunction	without	giving	any	warning	signs	whatsoever.		In	
        fact,	many	tapes	will	contain	data,	but	won’t	allow	you	to	retrieve	that	data.	
        	
     Tapes	are	highly	susceptible	to	heat,	moisture	and	dust;	since	most	people	transport	tapes	offsite	
        in	a	purse	or	car,	these	elements	eventually	destroy	the	tapes	and	the	data	on	them.	
       	
       Side	Note:	Storing	tapes	in	a	fire‐proof	safe	or	filing	cabinet	won’t	keep	them	safe.	Those	storage	
       devices	are	designed	to	protect	paper,	which	has	a	very	high	heat	tolerance	and	won’t	catch	fire	
       unless	directly	in	contact	with	a	flame.	The	heat	from	a	fire	will	destroy	the	tapes	and	melt	the	
       plastic,	which	causes	a	double	disaster	since	the	tapes	will	melt	all	over	the	papers	in	the	safe.	
       	
      Tapes	are	very	susceptible	to	human	error:	What	if	someone	in	your	office	accidentally	formats	a	
       tape	and	erases	everything	on	it,	forgets	to	swap	a	tape,	forgets	to	take	one	home,	goes	on	vacation	
       or	leaves	permanently?	
       	
      Tapes	are	not	secure.	If	any	data	is	leaving	your	office,	it	needs	to	be	secure	and	encrypted.		
       Clients	are	very	sensitive	to	their	personal	information	being	stolen,	even	if	it’s	only	e‐mail	
       addresses	and	purchase	history.	If	you’re	storing	financial	information,	credit	card	numbers,	
       medical	records	or	other	highly	sensitive	information,	you’re	actually	breaking	the	law	by	using	
       unsecured	tape	to	copy	and	transport	your	data.		
       	
      Tapes	are	fragile.	One	of	the	worst	tape	recovery	incidents	I	can	recall	is	when	a	tape	snapped	
       during	a	major	file	restoration	project	and	hundreds	of	feet	of	shiny	tape	(containing	critical	
       business	files)	spooled	out	into	a	tangled	mess	on	the	server	room	floor.	Never	trust	your	data	to	a	
       single	tape.	At	some	point	it’s	going	to	fail,	likely	when	you	need	it	most.	
       	
                      “Online	backup”	‐	what	it	means	and	why	
                        every	business	should	have	it	in	place	
One	of	the	best	ways	to	protect	your	data	is	to	maintain	an	up‐to‐date	copy	in	a	high‐security	data	centre	
in	another	city	a	long	distance	away	from	your	office.	The	terms	used	to	describe	this	type	of	backup	are	
“backing	up	to	the	cloud”,	“cloud	backup”,	or	“online	backup”	which	simply	mean	that	your	data	is	hosted	
in	a	remote	data	centre	and	accessed	via	the	internet.		

This	type	of	backup	is	set	to	run	automatically	after	hours,	when	most	people	are	not	using	their	computer	
systems,	or	continuously	throughout	the	day	whenever	a	file	is	changed	or	added.	The	data	on	a	particular	
machine	is	copied,	compressed	and	encrypted	then	sent	over	the	internet	to	a	high‐security	facility	where	
it	is	stored.	Because	backups	are	automated,	you	don’t	have	to	worry	about	someone	forgetting	to	run	the	
backup,	and	you	don’t	have	to	worry	about	changing	physical	media	or	transporting	tapes	or	disks	
manually.	

Certainly,	there	are	some	key	quality	differences	in	the	type	of	backup	service	you	choose.		Pick	the	wrong	
one	and	you	could	end	up	paying	a	lot	of	money	only	to	discover	that	recovering	your	data	–	the	very	
reason	why	you	set	up	remote	backups	in	the	first	place	–	is	not	an	easy,	fast,	or	reliable	process.	
	
                         12	critical	characteristics	to	demand	
                      from	your	backup	service	and	IT	company	
So	what	should	you	look	for	when	choosing	a	company	or	service	to	backup	and	secure	your	data	offsite?	
Who	can	you	trust	to	not	only	keep	your	data	safe,	but	also	to	be	there	when	you	need	to	recover	it?	

Unfortunately,	this	is	not	an	easy	choice.	There	are	hundreds	of	companies	offering	backup	devices,	
software	and	services	because	they	see	it	as	an	easy	way	to	make	money.	As	you	would	expect,	not	all	
service	providers	are	created	equally,	and	you	want	to	make	sure	you	choose	a	good,	reliable	vendor	or	
you	could	get	burned	by	hidden	fees,	unexpected	“gotchas,”	difficult	and	slow	recovery	of	your	data	or	by	
the	horrible	discovery	that	your	data	wasn’t	even	being	backed	up	properly,	leaving	you	high	and	dry	
when	you	need	it	most.	Here	are	12	things	I	recommend	that	you	look	for:	
	

   1. Production‐grade,	SAS	70	Type	II	data	centre	
      One	of	the	first	things	you	need	to	ask	your	IT	company	is:	“Where	will	my	data	be	stored?”	After	
      all,	we	are	talking	about	your	financial	information,	client	data,	and	other	sensitive	information	
      about	your	company!	What	you	don’t	want	is	for	them	to	keep	your	data	on	a	device	in	their	office,	
      as	that	would	likely	be	no	more	secure	than	keeping	the	data	in	your	own	house.		
      	
      A	true	data	centre	will	be	100%	dedicated	to	hosting	data	and	should	have:	
      	
                     Redundant	power	sources	and	generators	
                     High‐level,	on‐site	building	security	
                     Redundant	internet	access	
                     SAS	70	Type	II	certification	
                      	
                     The	term	“SAS	70″	(Statement	on	Auditing	Standards	No.	70)	refers	to	an	official	certificate	issued	to	
                     show	that	the	data	centre	is	doing	what	they	are	promising	in	the	areas	of	security	and	availability.	A	
                     Type	II	audit	means	that	systems	and	controls	have	been	tested	and	verified	at	the	facility	for	at	least	
                     6	months	by	an	independent	auditor.	
                       	
   2. Bare‐metal	imaging	and	recovery	
      Imagine	the	scenario:	You	have	a	server	with	a	next‐business‐day	replacement	warranty	and	
      you’re	backing	up	critical	files	and	folders	every	night.		Still,	it’s	highly	unlikely	that	if	the	server	
      fails	it	will	be	back	online	the	next	business	day.	
      	
      Of	course	–	you’ll	receive	a	shiny	new	server	the	next	day	under	your	warranty	agreement	with	the	
      manufacturer,	but	your	IT	support	people	are	still	going	to	have	to:		
      	
                      Locate	all	your	software	disks	and	license	keys	
                      Re‐install	the	server	operating	system	
                      Re‐install	all	applications	
                      Re‐install	the	data	from	your	backup	copy	
                      Re‐configure	the	settings	and	file	permissions	
       	
       This	process	typically	takes	2	or	3	days,	depending	upon	the	number	of	applications	and	
       complexity	of	the	system	–	even	longer	if	you	don’t	actually	have	your	software	disks	and	keys.	
       	
       A	bare‐metal	image	allows	you	to	be	back	online	within	a	few	hours	of	receiving	new	hardware,	
       rather	than	a	few	days.	
       	
       A	“bare‐metal”	image	is	a	complete	backup	copy	of	your	server	configuration	and	all	the	
       applications	and	data	on	it.	Periodically,	special	software	takes	a	“snapshot”	of	the	server,	
       capturing	the	setup	and	data	files	as	they	exist	at	that	particular	time.	In	the	event	of	a	server	
       failure,	the	snapshot	image	can	simply	be	copied	to	new	server	hardware	–	even	if	the	new	server	
       is	a	different	model.	(Note	that	this	is	a	very	common	scenario	when	your	server	is	more	than	a	
       couple	of	years	old.	Often	the	manufacturer	will	ship	a	newer	version	of	the	machine	under	
       warranty).		
	
    3. Demand	a	local	backup	appliance	
       Most	server	crashes	are	due	to	hardware	failure,	not	natural	disasters.	Therefore,	you	should	have	
       an	onsite,	local	backup	appliance	as	a	failover	device	if	your	main	server	dies.		
       	
       If	you’re	using	bare‐metal	imaging	(See	#2),	the	backup	appliance	will	always	contain	an	up‐to‐
       date	copy	of	your	server	files.	If	your	physical	server	fails,	you	can	simply	power‐up	the	image	of	
       your	production	server	on	the	backup	appliance,	and	the	appliance	takes	over	all	the	critical	roles	
       of	your	server.	In	just	a	few	clicks	your	server	can	be	back	online.		As	far	as	your	network	users	are	
       concerned,	everything	is	running	as	usual	(even	though	your	original	server	is	unplugged	and	
       waiting	to	be	replaced!)	
       	
       You	can	continue	to	run	your	servers	on	the	backup	appliance	until	the	new	hardware	arrives.	At	
       that	time,	the	server	image	(including	the	updated	files	that	have	been	changed	since	the	server	
       crashed)	can	be	copied	back	to	the	new	hardware.	
       	
    4. The	ability	to	recover	data	quickly	
       If	your	server	crashes	beyond	repair,	how	quickly	can	you	get	your	data	back?	You	don’t	want	
       internet	download	to	be	your	only	option	for	recovering	data	from	the	cloud	because	it	could	take	
       days	or	weeks	to	download	server	images	and	data	after	a	major	incident.	Ideally	you	should	have	
       instant	access	to	a	local	copy	of	your	data	so	that	a	new	or	temporary	server	can	be	set	up	within	
       minutes,	allowing	you	to	keep	working.	
       	
    5. Continuous	backup	
       Another	feature	to	look	for	is	ongoing	or	continuous	backup	versus	a	nightly	backup.	Some	backup	
       solutions	allow	you	to	back	up	critical	files	as	frequently	as	every	few	minutes,	or	even	as	soon	as	
       the	file	is	modified.	
       	
       Earlier	in	this	report	I	posed	the	question:	“If	your	server	fails	at	4pm	and	you	have	to	recover	from	
       last	night’s	backup…	can	you	replicate	everything	your	staff	has	done	today?”	If	you	need	to	backup	
       files	more	than	once	per	day,	then	this	feature	should	be	close	to	the	top	of	your	list.	
       	
    6. Multiple	data	locations	that	are	geographically	dispersed	
       Anyone	versed	in	data	security	knows	the	best	way	to	avoid	loss	is	to	build	redundancy	into	your	
       operations.	So,	your	remote	backup	service	should	store	copies	of	your	data	in	more	than	one	
       location.	That	way,	if	a	terrorist	attack,	city‐wide	power	outage	or	natural	disaster	destroys	one	of	
       the	data	locations,	you	have	backups	of	your	backup.	
	
    7. The	initial	backup	should	be	to	a	local,	physical	device	
       Online	(cloud)	backups	are	extremely	efficient	in	terms	of	the	amount	of	internet	and	network	
       bandwidth	they	use.	That’s	because	after	the	initial	backup	to	the	internet	vault,	only	changes	to	
       files	are	transmitted	over	the	network.	Notice	I	wrote	“changes	to	files”	rather	than	“changed	files”.	
       If	you	make	a	small	change	to	a	Word	document,	for	example,	only	the	few	characters	that	you	
       changed	have	to	be	transmitted	to	the	cloud;	not	the	whole	file.	
       	
       The	initial	backup	of	a	server	can	be	more	of	an	issue.	You	obviously	need	to	get	copies	of	all	the	
       files	and	bare‐metal	images	to	the	internet	vault	before	the	system	can	start	recording	changes,	so	
       the	first	backup	can	be	very	large.	
       	
       Trying	to	transfer	all	the	data	from	a	large	server	over	the	internet	could	take	days	(or	even	weeks)	
       and	cause	your	internet	connection	and	systems	to	drag.	If	you	have	a	large	amount	of	data	to	
       backup,	ask	your	provider	how	the	initial	backup	(also	called	a	“seed	backup”)	is	created.	A	good	
       solution	is	to	ship	a	physical	device	(like	an	external	hard	disk)	to	the	internet	vault	to	complete	
       the	initial	backup.	If	this	is	the	solution	that	your	provider	proposes,	make	sure	you	confirm	that	
       the	data	on	the	disk	is	encrypted	and	secure	during	transit	to	the	vault.	
       	
    8. Make	sure	your	data	can	be	restored	to	a	different	computer	than	the	one	it	was	backed	up	
       from	
       Amazingly,	some	backups	can	only	be	restored	to	the	same	computer	they	came	from.	If	the	
       original	computer	was	damaged	in	a	fire,	stolen,	or	destroyed	in	a	flood,	you’re	left	without	a	
       backup.	Be	sure	to	check	that	you	can	restore	data	to	a	different	machine	easily.	
       	
    9. The	ability	to	“virtualize”	your	server	in	the	cloud	
       I	explained	in	point	#3	how	bare‐metal	images	can	be	powered	up	on	a	local	backup	appliance	to	
       protect	your	network	against	the	loss	of	a	server.	
       	
       However	–	if	your	building	is	destroyed	in	a	fire,	flood	or	other	natural	disaster,	the	backup	
       appliance	will	most	likely	be	destroyed	along	with	the	original	server.	That’s	where	the	power	of	
       online	cloud	backups	becomes	apparent.	As	your	backup	appliance	has	been	taking	regular	images	
       of	your	server	and	transmitting	them	to	the	internet	vault,	you	can	power‐up	the	image	of	your	
       server	right	there	in	the	cloud.	You	can	then	connect	to	the	“virtual”	server	in	the	cloud	and	
       continue	working	from	a	remote	location	like	your	home,	hotel	or	internet	café.	All	you	need	is	a	
       laptop	computer	and	an	internet	connection	and	you’re	back	in	business!	
    	
   10. Demand	daily	status	reports	of	your	backup		
       All	backup	services	should	send	you	a	daily	e‐mail	to	verify	if	your	backup	actually	ran	and	to	
       report	failures	or	problems.	The	best	providers	should	also	allow	you	to	notify	more	than	one	
       person	(like	a	technician	or	your	IT	person)	in	addition	to	operations	staff.	
       	
   11. Demand	monitoring	by	a	qualified	technician	
       Many	online	backup	services	are	“self‐serve,”	which	allows	them	to	provide	a	cheaper	service	to	
       you.	But	backups	are	not	“set	it	and	forget	it”	processes,	so	don’t	settle	for	an	automated	
       monitoring	service.	All	too	often	problems	happen	with	backups	that	require	someone	who	knows	
       what	they’re	doing	to	investigate	the	problem	and	resolve	it.	Otherwise,	you	simply	have	an	alarm	
       system	that	no	one	responds	to.	
       	
       Plus,	if	you	need	to	recover	your	data,	you	want	to	be	able	to	call	and	talk	to	someone	who	can	help	
       you,	especially	if	it’s	a	major	disaster.	If	you’re	using	a	cheap	online	backup	service	or	a	company	
       that	doesn’t	offer	qualified	support,	you’ll	be	stuck	trying	to	recover	your	data	on	your	own,	
       wasting	lots	of	time	and	running	the	risk	of	being	offline	for	days.	
       	
   12. Demand	a	written	IT	disaster	recovery	plan		
       This	shows	you	that	your	backup	provider	has	a	plan	in	place	for	restoring	your	data	and	that	they	
       won’t	be	scrambling	to	figure	it	out	when	disaster	strikes.	As	the	saying	goes,	“by	failing	to	plan	
       you’re	planning	to	fail.”	A	written	report	shows	you	that	they	have	thought	the	process	through	and	
       know	what	to	do	in	the	event	of	a	disaster.	
       	
                      The	most	important	thing	to	look	for	
                 when	choosing	a	remote	backup	service	provider	
                                                           	
While	the	above	checks	are	important,	one	of	the	most	critical	characteristics	–	and	one	that	is	often	
overlooked	–	is	finding	a	company	that	will	do	regular	tests	to	check	your	backup	and	make	sure	the	data	
is	recoverable.	You	don’t	want	to	wait	until	your	data	has	been	wiped	out	to	test	your	backup,	yet	that	is	
exactly	what	many	people	do,	and	they	pay	for	it	dearly.	
	
If	your	data	is	very	sensitive	and	you	can’t	afford	to	lose	it,	then	weekly	test	restores	should	be	performed.		
If	your	situation	is	a	little	less	critical,	then	monthly	or	quarterly	test	restores	are	sufficient.	Any	number	
of	things	can	cause	your	backup	to	become	corrupt.	By	running	a	test	restore,	you’ll	sleep	easier	knowing	
you	have	a	good,	solid	copy	of	your	data	available	in	the	event	of	an	unforeseen	disaster	or	emergency.	
	
If	you’re	taking	advantage	of	some	of	the	advanced	features	of	modern	backup	systems	like	bare‐metal	
imaging	and	virtualization,	then	your	provider	should	offer	ways	to	test	those	critical	systems.	Insist	on	
regular	tests	or	even	full‐blown	“fire	drills”	where	production	servers	are	shut	down	and	the	backup	
systems	are	started.	You	will	want	to	include	these	tests	as	part	of	a	more	comprehensive	business	
continuity	plan.		
	
                           Our	free	data	backup	and	recovery	audit	
                                   will	reveal	the	truth	
                                                       	
If	you’re	worried	about	whether	or	not	your	current	backup	and	security	processes	are	up	to	par,	I’d	like	
to	give	you	a	free	data	backup	&	recovery	audit	($475	value).	Why	would	I	do	this?	Because	I	know	how	
confusing	and	difficult	it	can	be	to	find	a	good	IT	support	company	that	is	responsive,	easy	to	work	with	
and	actually	knows	what	they’re	doing.		
	
Since	most	business	owners	won’t	have	the	experience	to	evaluate	whether	or	not	their	current	backup	
solution	or	service	is	effective,	this	free	audit	offers	you	an	independent	evaluation	of	your	current	
backup,	which	is	extremely	valuable	even	if	you	don’t	choose	to	hire	us.	
	
We	know	everyone	has	a	different	level	of	risk	tolerance.	We	want	to	make	sure	all	the	risks	you’re	taking	
with	your	data	are	by	choice	and	not	because	of	miscommunication	or	accident.	
        	
At	no	charge,	one	of	our	backup	specialists	will:	
	
     Audit	your	current	data	security	and	protection,	including	backup	and	restore	procedures,	tape	
        drives	or	other	onsite	backup	devices	to	validate	that	all	of	your	data	is	being	backed	up	in	a	format	
        that	could	quickly	be	restored	
        	
     Discuss	how	long	it	would	take	you	to	be	back	up	and	running	in	the	event	of	an	emergency	or	
        server	crash	
        	
     Answer	any	questions	you	have	about	backing	up	and	securing	your	data	
        	
     Put	together	two	or	three	options	for	backup	and	business	continuity	based	on	your	specific	needs	
        and	budget	
    	
Depending	on	what	we	discover,	we’ll	either	give	you	a	clean	bill	of	health	or	reveal	gaps	in	your	data	
recovery	plan.	If	it’s	appropriate,	we’ll	provide	you	with	an	action	plan	for	further	securing	your	data	with	
our	own	business	continuity	solutions.		
	
Naturally,	I	don’t	expect	everyone	to	become	a	client;	you	won’t	be	pressured	into	buying	anything	by	a	
pushy,	desperate	salesperson.	While	we’d	love	to	have	you	as	a	client,	our	primary	goals	are	to	provide	
value	in	advance,	to	educate	you	about	business	continuity	and	to	provide	smart,	affordable	options	for	
making	sure	your	business	doesn’t	lose	critical	data.		
                                             Why	trust	us?	
	
There	are	a	lot	of	companies	offering	remote	backup	services,	so	what	makes	us	so	special?	Why	choose	us	
over	the	dozens	of	other	companies	offering	what	appear	to	be	the	same	services?	I’m	proud	to	tell	you	
there	are	many	reasons	to	trust	us	with	your	data	security:	
	
    High‐availability,	high	security	data	centres		
       Our	internet	data	centres	are	located	in	Toronto	and	California.	Both	sites	are	SAS	70	Type	II	
       certified	facilities	with	24/7	on‐site	security	and	strictly	enforced	security	procedures.	
       This	means	your	data	is	locked	down	tight,	protected	from	even	the	worst	natural	disasters.	
       	
    Highly	secured	internet	communications	
       All	information	sent	to	our	data	centre	is	transmitted	and	encrypted	with	a	unique	AES	256‐bit	
       encryption	key,	the	government	standard	for	top‐secret	documents.	
       	
    365	days	a	year	monitoring	
       We	believe	data	backups	need	to	be	monitored	and	checked	by	a	qualified	technician	–	not	an	
       automated	machine.		When	you	trust	your	backups	and	security	to	us,	we	make	sure	your	systems	
       are	well	maintained	and	monitored.	
       	
    Fast	restore	of	critical	systems	
       Our	solutions	perform	more	than	just	backup	and	recovery.	With	a	local	appliance	for	fast	file	
       restores,	bare‐metal	imaging	and	virtualization	built	in,	a	failed	server	can	be	back	online	within	
       minutes	instead	of	days.	For	highly	critical	systems,	we	can	even	maintain	copies	of	your	servers	in	
       our	data	centre	and	bring	them	online	quickly	to	protect	you	from	downtime	after	a	serious	
       incident	such	as	a	fire	or	flood.	
       	
    Free	help	desk	for	file	restores	
       If		you	need	help	in	restoring	a	file	you	accidentally	deleted	or	overwrote,	call	us	and	we’ll	restore	it	
       for	you	at	no	extra	cost.		
       	
    Regular	test	restores	and	daily	reporting	
       We	insist	that	all	clients	receive	weekly	or	monthly	test	restores	of	their	backups	to	ensure	they	
       are	working.	We	also	send	all	of	our	clients	a	daily	e‐mail	that	verifies	that	their	backups	ran	
       without	errors.	Of	course	if	they	don’t	run	flawlessly,	we’re	on	it	immediately.	
       	
    Nothing	to	buy.	No	upfront	payments.	
       All	our	backup,	business	continuity	and	disaster	recovery	solutions	are	available	for	a	low	monthly	
       subscription.	You	won’t	have	to	buy	new	hardware	or	software.	We	even	provide	the	local	
       appliance	(an	HP	enterprise‐class	server)	for	no	charge.	The	monthly	payments	are	just	like	buying	
       insurance	for	your	business.		
       	
    We’re	local!		
       We’ve	been	serving	small	and	medium	businesses	in	this	area	for	over	10	years.	We’ll	come	on	site,	
       shake	your	hand,	and	buy	you	a	cup	of	coffee.	Wouldn’t	you	rather	deal	with	a	local	company	that	
       can	meet	with	you	face	to	face	rather	than	an	unknown	entity	in	a	different	province	–	or	different	
       country?	
       	
    Here’s	what	our	clients	&	industry	partners	have	to	say…	
	

           “Computer	downtime	in	our	business	is	simply	not	an	option.”	
           “As	an	energy	portfolio	manager	with	risk	management	responsibilities,	I	must	have	
           accurate	and	timely	information	at	my	fingertips.	So	computer	downtime	in	our	
           business	is	simply	not	an	option.	With	Richard	looking	after	our	systems	I	had	
           complete	confidence	that	our	data,	processes,	and	critical	business	systems	were	
           secure	and	available	at	all	times.”	
           Dr.	Bob	Webb,	Portfolio	&	Risk	Manager,	Ag	Energy	Co‐operative	

           “We	love	the	appliance	and	the	offsite	replication.”	
           “We	needed	something	that	would	protect	our	data	and	allow	us	to	get	things	up	and	
           running	quickly	in	case	of	a	failure.	After	extensive	research,	we	found	that	this	
           solution	was	the	best	offering	available,	and	after	subscribing	we	immediately	
           experienced	significant	reduction	in	time	required	for	backups.	We	love	the	
           appliance	and	the	offsite	replication.	It	is	great	to	know	that	the	solution	and	service	
           are	always	there	and	we	never	have	to	worry	about	it.”	
           Micah	Minarik,	CTO,	Concerto	Asset	Management	

           “I	totally	trust	that	my	company	and	clients	are	in	good	hands.”	
           “When	we	needed	a	company	to	help	support	our	clients	I	had	no	hesitation	in	
           working	with	Network	Partners.	I	totally	trust	that	my	own	reputation	is	in	safe	
           hands	and	that	my	customers	are	being	cared	for	completely.		As	a	conscientious	IT	
           consultant	myself,	it	is	genuinely	a	pleasure	to	work	alongside	Richard;	his	
           professional	skills,	approach	and	overall	care	for	the	customer’s	wellbeing	is	a	breath	
           of	fresh	air.	
           	
           Richard's	professional	attitude	and	comprehensive	product	knowledge	mean	that	my	
           customers	know	exactly	what	they	need	to	solve	and	improve	their	IT	issues,	and	feel	
           comfortable	that	this	is	in	keeping	with	their	requirements.”	
           Chris	Picknell,	CEO,	ePic	Net	

           “I	would	have	no	hesitation	in	recommending	Richard’s	services.”	
           “Richard	helped	our	organization	transition	smoothly	as	our	IT	requirements	grew,	
           and	is	great	to	work	with	on	both	a	personal	and	professional	level.		Professionally,	
           we	found	him	knowledgeable,	quietly	competent	and	very	respectful	of	our	
           workplace	needs.		I	would	have	no	hesitation	in	recommending	his	services	to	any	
           company	–	large	or	small.”	
           Gail	Bartlett,	Finance	Office,	Elmira	District	Community	Living	
                             How	to	request	your	data	backup	
                                   and	recovery	audit	
        	
To	request	a	free	backup	and	recovery	audit,	simply	do	one	of	the	following:	
        	
                Go	online	to	www.networkpartners.ca/audit.html		and	fill	in	the	form		
                Send	an	e‐mail	to	me	at		rmash@networkpartners.ca	
                Call	me	directly	at	226‐989‐4222		
                   	
As	soon	as	I	receive	your	request,	I’ll	call	to	schedule	a	convenient	time	for	us	to	meet	with	you	and	to	
conduct	the	audit	of	your	backup	system.	Again,	you’re	under	no	obligation	to	do	or	buy	anything	and	
you’ll	receive	a	free,	3rd	party	evaluation	of	your	company’s	data	backup	and	security.	
        	
So	please,	take	a	moment	now	to	contact	me.	I	think	you’ll	be	very	glad	you	did.	
	
	
Sincerely,	
	
	
	
	
	
Richard	Mash	
Network	Partners	
	
Email:			      rmash@networkpartners.ca	
Web:		 	       www.networkpartners.ca	
Phone:		       226	989	4222	(Direct)