With the increasing of data day by day, some actions need to be taken
to wall off data being lost. Yes, data should be backed up in case
unexpected disasters happen like fires, floods, earthquakes, virus
attack, accidental deletion, system failure, etc. But with so many
solutions, which one suits you best? Do you have a clear understanding
of them? Here, three types of backup will be analyzed for you.
Online Backup
Online backup, also known as Cloud backup,
is a strategy for backing up data which sends the copy of data to an
off-site server over a proprietary or public network. The server is
usually managed by a third party service supplier. The supplier charges
clients for a fee according to capacity, band width and number of users.
Enterprises can own an off-site server over a proprietary network, but
charge ways are similar.
A third-party online backup is well
received by small businesses and home users due to its convenience.
Convenience is reflected in two aspects: First, users don’t need to pay
additional cost for hard drive to back up data; second, cloud backup can
back up data automatically without manual intervention.
Many
positive sides as cloud backup owns, it also has some disadvantages.
Firstly, the initial data backup is relatively slow. Of course, the
speed relies on the size of your data and the speed of internet
connection. The first backup is full backup, so it costs much longer
than the later backups which only back up updated information. Second
negative side is that many online storage services only back up your
personal files -- those you create -- and not those that the system
requires to boot up, for example. That is to say, you're only partially
protected.
Offline Backup
Offline backup, also called Cold backup,
is a kind of database full backup processing when database is offline
and unable to update. Cold backup is the most secure way to back up
data, in that this approach avoids the risk of copying data during the
process of updating. Meanwhile, it’s the fastest way. It’s very easy to
back up (only files need copied) and archive as well as recover to a
specific point in time. However, the negative trait is that users can’t
use the database in the process of backup.
Near-line Backup
Near-line
backup is a concept proposed by the refinement of storage environment.
Near-line backup mainly locates between online backup and offline
backup. Near-line storage is the on-site storage of data on removable
media mainly referring to tape, disk and compact disc. It provides
inexpensive, reliable, and unlimited data backup and archiving with
somewhat less accessibility than with integrated online storage. The
storage medias are immune to infection by online viruses, Trojan horses
because of physically disconnection with networks, servers, computers
and the internet. Nevertheless, you’d better scan storage medias with
anti-virus application before use to avoid virus invasion from an
infected computer. But online backup is far superior to near-line backup
in some aspects: near-zero access delay, simultaneous availability to a
large number of users, and ease of centralized management.
Comparison of the Three Backup Types
You can choose a suitable method by weighing the pros and cons of each type.
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