Highlighed Technologies: Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery

Introduction

In early 2009, Westfield Bank consulted with IBS on the possible replacement of their current backup solution. The bank was looking to move away from a tape-based solution and wanted other alternatives and information about emerging technologies with regards to data backup and recovery.

Assessment

Tape has been the predominant backup media for businesses of all size for many years due to the amount of data that can be copied to tape as well as their portability. Unfortunately, many tape solutions can prove problematic - failed backups and restore issues have not been uncommon. Additionally, tape based backup solutions typically only backup file and folder level data, increasing time required for both backup and recovery windows. However, backing up to tape has traditionally been a cost effective way to safeguard data, and network administrators and engineers are often only experienced with this technology.

Solution

IBS proposed that Westfield Bank purchase Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery as the backup software. BESR allows for full and incremental server imaging, granular restore (using the Granular Restore Option) of both files and folders and Microsoft Exchange data, and bare-metal restore to both dissimilar hardware and virtual infrastructure.

The new backup infrastructure included backing up complete servers nightly to Network Attached Storage with a daily archival routine. The infrastructure would include two Network Attached Storage devices running Windows XP Embedded that would be located at the main Westfield datacenter and Agawam DR site. Once integrated into the network, the servers would be configured to image to the NAS devices daily. Master images would be created monthly with incremental images created daily. All images would be archived to a USB archive drive that can be taken off-site at the end of each day. IBS also configured all server images to be encrypted before transmission using AES 256 bit encryption.