Backup Direct - The business-backup company

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Online BackupFor Servers

With three different server backup technologies to choose from, we make sure you get the best solution suited to your company.

Our online server backup solutions are tailored for the specific needs of each business. We have a number of technologies available - each with different functionality and backup retention periods. Pricing a solution becomes difficult without knowing the specific requirements of each company. However, whatever the size, type or budget of your business, we have a solution to fit and our prices are some of the most competitive in the market - guaranteed. To receive a quote please call one of our solutions consultants now on 0800 0789 437 or use our Live Chat feature on the left hand side of this page.

What makes you different to other providers?

Backup Direct has a unique vision to allow every business access to the very best backup software and technology available. Using a subscription pricing model, users only pay for what they use. In return they get access to the world's most trusted online backup software as used by corporate companies like Google, Amazon, Cisco, Boeing, Checkpoint, Grant Thornton, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Time Warner and many more to protect business critical data. We believe that blue-chip technology should be made available to all.

We also understand that the needs of small to medium sized businesses are not the same as large corporates. We are passionate about maintaining close relationships with all our customers. We provide free remote, telephone and email support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No case too large or small, we're available around the clock with award-winning customer service and support - recently recognized in Cisco's annual 'Customer Kings' initiative.

What level of support do you provide?

We are a UK-based company with all our technicians working from our head offices in Bath. All our customers receive free 24/7 phone, email and remote log-in support as part of the service. Backup Direct see excellence in customer service as key to business growth which is why we implement service metrics like Net Promoter Score to ensure we're doing the right thing by our customers.

What software does your service use?

We know that every business is different. To account for this we offer a range of software that will suit most business backup needs. Popular technology that we supply and support includes Iron Mountain's award-winning LiveVault Server Backup, Attix5 Server Backup and enterprise-class Asigra Vaulting software.

Do you have certifications for best practices and security?

Backup Direct follow best practices as described by ITILv3 (Information Technology Infrastructure Library). This is a set of best practice guidelines for IT providers issued by the Office of Government Commerce. Some of the largest and most prestigious organisations around the word adhere to it, including Barclays, Boeing, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.

Can I try out the service before committing to it?

You can carry out a full evaluation completely free for 14 days. There is no obligation to buy and we require no account details from you. To start a free trial click on the ‘TRY IT’ tab, enter your contact details and server backup requirements and somebody from Backup Direct will be in touch with you.

Compatibility

Which Operating Systems do you support?

Whatever your server's OS we have solution that will work. Our software will reliably run on all Windows Server OS (inc. SBS), MAC OS, Novell OS and various UNIX operating systems including Linux, Fedora, and Solaris.

Which applications does your software support?

We have software that is compatible with many popular, and not so popular, applications and databases. Common applications include SQL, MS Exchange, Lotus, Oracle, Sage, Quickbooks, and Sharepoint.

Can I backup data from a NAS (Network Attached Storage)?

Yes we have a solution for that - although the way it is done depends on the Operating System that is running on the NAS device. For more information on NAS compatibility please contact our Sales Team.

Can I backup data over a Storage Area Network (SAN)?

Yes we have a software that will do that - although we do require that the SAN appears as a local file system and the normal file system functions work properly, such as VSS on Windows.

Do you support UNC (Uniform Naming Convention) paths?

Yes - any device using UNC paths will appear as a disk drive in our software interface.

Security

Where are your data centres based?

Our data centres are based in the UK and EU. For full redundancy, we have data centres in Milton Keynes, London and Brussels. Each site is managed and owned by world leading digital security companies - Iron Mountain Digital and Techgate/IBM. With your data stored securely within the EU, you can ensure compliance to regulation and laws on the safe harboring of data.

How secure is your software?

The software we use is the most robust and secure on the market. During the backup process data is compressed and coded using AES and Blowfish encryption technologies, we use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) security channels when we send data over the internet and when being stored, data resides in tier4 state-of-the-art manned and monitored dual-data vaults. Data is encrypted before it leaves your machine, whilst it is being transferred and when it's in storage. The same goes for when it is sent back to your machine, remaining in an encrypted form until it is decrypted on your machine. At no point can anyone outside of your organisation view your critical business data.

What encryption levels do you use?

Depending on the technology used, it will be either 256 bit AES or 448 bit encryption. Both types are the same adopted by banks and governments and are the most powerful forms of encryption available to the public. When your data is transferred over the internet to or from the data centre, it is done via SSL (Secure Socket Layer) standards, which again, is the standard for secure web communications and transfers.

Features

What is Continuous Data Protection (CDP)?

Continuous Data Protection (CDP) is a process of ongoing backup. This is where the backup system logs every change to the host system in systematic intervals. For our service this means complete backups every 15 minutes. This functionality is made efficient by saving byte/ block-level differences rather than file-level differences.

How long can I keep backup copies of my data for?

This is variable depending on your requirements. We have software that will store your data for as long as seven years if need be. If you are regulated by governing bodies like the Financial Services Authority (FSA) this service is ideal.

What is the maximum amount of data that I can backup?

You can backup as much data as your server or cluster can hold - there is no theoretical limit. What does need consideration, however, is the cost of storage and how much bandwidth your organisation owns.

How often will your software perform a backup?

This is dependent on the software you decide to use. With CDP, you can schedule a backup to happen every 15 minutes. The result is 96 different restore points available daily. However, if you want to ease the strain on bandwidth resources you can disable this feature and manually define your server/s individual backup points.

How many versions of my data are stored?

The number of file versions backed up and stored depends on the software being used. It can range from 30 to several hundreds depending upon the backup frequency and particular rules you have set. For example, the maximum number of point in time restores you can achieve with a 7-year history policy is 96 versions within the last 24-hours, one daily version for the last 30 days before that, then one monthly version for the last 12 months after that and then quarterly versions for the last 6 years after that. That’s a total of 160+ file version states.

How do I retrieve my data?

Data is commonly retrieved in one of two ways. If you have only lost a limited number of files you can simply log on to an online portal, select the file/s needed within the data vaults and download them back onto your machine over the internet. If you are recovering the entire machine it is often quicker to seed it back to the host hardware via an external device - that we provide to you on request.

Can I restore files to different machines?

Yes, however you will need to tell the software which machine you’d like the data to be sent to. There may also be some configuration needed for security reasons. The Backup Direct Service Team will help you with this if needed.

Can I perform a full Disaster Recovery?

Certain software will support a DR scenario. If you have backed up all of your systems, applications, and data, you can perform a full 'Bare Metal Restore' as long as your hardware is still functional. If your hardware has also been lost in a disaster you will have to recover to replacement hardware - which, while possible, will take a little longer.

What bandwidth is required with this service?

This question is relative. The amount of bandwidth that you have, combined with the amount of data you want to backup, will of course directly affect how long it takes to complete a full backup. However, file compression and intelligent data reduction technology means that the size of data sent is minimized.

Rules can also be set to schedule when you want your backups to take place, meaning you can schedule backups for quieter times of the day. However, there are several other factors that affect the speed of the transfer. For example, if your data is compressible, then the actual size of the files will be greatly reduced, allowing quicker transfer. If the majority of your data is static (it is not frequently being changed), then you will not need as much bandwidth because few files will be being transferred. The latency of your connection will also affect transfer speeds. For more information contact our Sales Team on 0800 0789 437.

What is latency and how does it affect me?

Latency is a measurement of the total time taken for data to be encoded and transferred between communicating devices. Poor latency causes lag, and is often responsible for transfer speeds that seem to fall short of advertised bandwidth figures.

Can I backup data across a network?

Yes our Network Backup solution will backup data across a network efficiently and securely. It is ideally suited for backing up servers that run network-wide applications. Simply install the software on a single server within the network and you can monitor and control everything centrally from that point.

Can you upload my data initially on a device?

Yes we can 'seed' your initial data load directly to our vaults. This avoids the initial lengthy backup of all of your files and folders. All incremental backups are then sent securely over the internet.

Can I access my data remotely?

Yes you can - although the way this is done varies on the software used. The functions available to you will depend on the solution best suited to your needs.

Can I back up open files?

Yes all of our server backup solutions support open file backup, either via Microsoft’s VSS Framework or through built in support.

Can I backup my emails using your software?

Yes. Certain software will even provide individual mail box recovery.

Online BackupFor Servers

General FAQs

Compatibility

Security

Features

General FAQs

Compatibility

Security

Features

Contact Backup Direct