Backups are an essential component of server management because, without backups, you risk downtime, complete loss of data, and hefty financial losses.
Whether you have servers on-premise or opted for colocation, it’s critical to have a backup of all the data on the server.
Over 94 percent of businesses that face a severe data loss never survive. This statistic alone proves the importance of backing up your data and protecting it from loss.
But backing up your server goes beyond preventing data loss. Ideally, everything on your server should be backed up, from applications to user data. Backups form the core of any sound disaster recovery strategy.
This article lists the different backup options for optimal server management and why you should consider them.
What Are Server Backups?
Server backups refer to duplicating data and system files on a server locally or in another location.
Backups ensure data preservation, recovery, and integrity in case of server failure, malicious attacks, or accidental data losses.
A server can be backed up on another server on-site or in a remote location. It can also be backed up on the cloud. Hybrid backups involve storing data on-site and on the cloud for added redundancy and ease of access.
Types of Server Backups
There are several types of server backups, with each serving its unique purpose:
- Full Backup: This type of backup duplicates all the data and system files of the server on the backup server or storage. The backup can be restored from any specific point in time.
- Incremental Backup: This type of backup copies changes to the data from the last time it was backed up. It’s space-efficient, but restoration is tedious, as data may not be organized.
- Differential Backup: This type of backup is similar to incremental backup as it copies changes to the data after the last full backup. However, restoration is much faster.
- Snapshot Backup: This type of backup is commonly used in virtual server environments and periodically creates a server snapshot. Configuration, system files, and data can be restored by selecting the appropriate time.
- Continuous Data Protection: This type of backup technology monitors changes in data in real time and backs it up as data is modified.
10 Reasons Why Server Backup Is So Important
The primary goals of server management are to minimize lags or downtime, ensure security, and meet business/performance requirements. Backups are intrinsically linked with all these goals.
Here are 10 reasons why backups are crucial.
Quick Data Recovery
A backup of all the data on your server ensures you recover it quickly in case of loss or corruption.
There could be several probable causes for primary server data loss, from accidental deletion to hardware failure.
However, with timely backups, you can ensure that critical data, including system files and configuration settings, are restored right away.
Minimal to Zero Downtime
Downtime is expensive, whether running a few servers or a full-fledged data center facility.
According to the Uptime Institute, more than two-thirds of outages cost $100,000 or more to businesses.
This cost typically arises from the loss of customers or productivity. Downtime can disrupt business operations and service delivery.
Even an hour of server downtime can result in significant revenue loss for large enterprises.
However, besides monetary loss, downtime can also inflict reputational damage.
Perfect uptime and availability of server resources are essential for reliability.
Data Protection
The primary benefit of server backups is data preservation.
Data is the key driver of success for businesses in the digital age. It’s an indispensable asset that can make or break a business.
Besides external threats, data must also be protected from internal threats, such as loss caused by human errors.
Similarly, system files and configuration data should be backed up so the settings can easily be restored should a human error cause misconfiguration.
Protection Against Ransomware
Ransomware attacks have been consistently rising over the past five years. The Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report noted a 13 percent increase in ransomware in 2022.
Ransomware attacks target data and try to block access to it to extort money from companies.
With all your data backed up in a secure location, you can protect yourself from being exploited by ransomware attacks.
Secure, isolated server backups make it hard for ransomware attackers to access data copies.
Data Integrity
Data is only valuable when it’s accurate, consistent, and reliable. Server backups play a significant role in ensuring data integrity.
By consistently backing up data as and when changes occur, server admins can ensure all the data is up-to-date and reliable.
Poorly executed backups can increase the chances of data corruption. Plus, organizing data may require additional resources and time.
Timely, automated backups can ensure server files are duplicated as it is and organized to make retrieval quick and easy.
Compliance and Legal Requirements
Organizations that collect and store customer data must comply with data protection regulations.
Backups are an important part of data protection compliance. With backups, you ensure that all customer data is secure and always available. It also shows commitment to protecting data.
With data protection and user privacy regulation becoming increasingly strict, non-compliance can result in legal actions and hefty fines.
Cost-Effective
Server backups are cost-effective in a variety of ways. From preventing heavy financial losses from downtime to eliminating the need for expensive data recovery services, backups help save money.
Of course, server backups have a cost associated with them, but they save much more money over time.
Cloud backups are even more cost-effective, as most providers use the pay-as-you-go model. So, you only pay for the resources you use for storing data.
Convenience with Automation
Automated backups are even more beneficial for server management, as they ensure data is duplicated regularly.
Server admins don’t have to copy server images manually. They can schedule backups at specific intervals, and the server management tool takes care of the rest.
Automated data backup doesn’t just help save time but also eliminates the risk of human errors intervening with timely backups.
Such backups can be configured to follow specific security policies, reinforcing data protection on all fronts.
Restoring data is also quick and easy, as restoring all the data and system files back on the server only takes a few clicks.
Data Versioning and Rollback
Server backups with version controlling add the convenience of rolling back to a previous state.
When files are backed up with versioning controls, multiple copies are saved from different points in time.
If you want the file to be restored to a specific version, you can simply select that version from the backup and restore it on the server.
The file versioning in server backups makes it highly convenient for admins and users to retrieve old versions of files without much effort.
This type of backup is also very convenient for testing purposes.
Customer Trust
Server backups also instill customer trust that their data is safe and accessible.
If you’re hosting the data of your customers on the server, providing backup guarantees can increase trust in your services.
This leads to a trustable brand image, which, in turn, increases brand loyalty in the long run.
FAQs
What is the role of a server manager?
A server manager is responsible for setting up and maintaining a server in a company’s network. They monitor the network to detect and resolve any issues.
They are also responsible for providing support to users connected to the server. Server managers typically have access to a variety of management and monitoring tools.
What is server performance management?
Server performance management refers to monitoring various metrics to measure and analyze the performance of a server.
These metrics usually include CPU, disk, memory usage, and input/output speeds. Uptime is another crucial metric for server performance as it indicates the percentage of time the server was up and running.