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The Cyber Cyte

Network Security Interests

Worth Repeating -

What’s Really On Your Tapes

 

Your tape drive is arguably the most important device within your network infrastructure. It serves not only to protect you during a disaster recovery situation,  but also when someone inadvertently deletes a file. Knowing the significance of the tape drive, you diligently – OR SHOULD BE – insure that the tape is replaced every day and that the job log is perused for any errors. Once these tasks are completed, you go about your busy schedule never thinking about the most important step of tape backups –

Testing.

This leads to the issue of What’s Really On Your Tapes. There are well documented cases of companies attempting to restore data only to find that there was nothing on the tapes. Whether caused by user error or the backup program reporting erroneous information about the success of the backup, you don’t want to be the victim of an empty tape cartridge. A University of Texas study found only 6% of companies that suffer a catastrophic data loss survive*. Even though you spend your day putting out fires, it is imperative that you schedule at least monthly a test restore from a tape. It doesn’t have to be a complete restore, but simply a few files to insure that your tape drive is operating properly.

EVERYONE’S DATA DESERVES

PROTECTION!!!

 

* Fortune/c|net

 

Note: As an added protection talk to your MTBW representative about automated off site data storage.

      

“IT” Will FAIL According To Murphy’s Law

 

This part of the MTBW Newsletter is usually dedicated to highlighting a client’s adroit deployment of IT based solutions. Though MTBW would enjoy claiming the highlighted party as one of its own, it is not. Also, this isn’t an attempt to degrade or besmirch a firm that has excelled in its industry and some would argue areas outside its initial reach. The firm is being highlighted in this newsletter to emphasize an imperative business strategy. At times the personnel at MTBW can sound like the “boy crying wolf” in regards to planning for the inevitable IT failure. It will occur and the following will illuminate why we stress business continuity planning.

 

      Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported combined sales of over $320 billion in 2006. That equates to approximately $877 million a day in aggregate sales for the firm. As a fellow small business employee, those numbers are simply staggering. From the perspective of a small business, it would appear that Wal-Mart has virtually unlimited resources to apply to its various business departments.

 

      As it has become known, the Friday after Thanksgiving is “Black Friday.” It’s called Black Friday, because that is the day historically retail stores and outlets go from being in the “Red,” to the “Black” for the year. This past year stores were starting to open in the early morning hours and entities with Internet based store fronts were inviting their customers to buy online. When the final tally was calculated nearly $9 billion of retail sales were transacted on Black Friday. That’s a tally even a $320 billion behemoth would notice.             

 

 

 

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