The need for data backup is not a topic open for debate in any organization today. However, determining the best backup strategy for an organization can be challenging. You may face a multitude of hardware and software options, along with many policies and procedures explaining their use, from which you need to find the most suitable one for you. One of the most popular data backup strategies was first implemented by a creative professional (a photographer who developed the rule with advice from IT experts). It may be surprising to some that this rule did not come from an IT company or standards organization.
The 3-2-1 rule, discovered by photographer Peter Krogh, has the following requirements:
- 3 Copies of Data: Create three copies of your data – the original data and at least two additional copies.
- 2 Different Media: Use two different types of storage media. This helps mitigate the effects of any specific storage medium. Deciding which storage media to use for the original data and its copies is entirely up to you.
- 1 Copy Offsite: To prevent data loss due to a failure at your company, keep one copy of the data offsite.
Krogh developed this rule nearly twenty years ago. At that time, his personal storage options were limited to 30-gigabyte hard drives and compact disk backups. As years have passed and technology has advanced, today’s data storage options include hard drives capable of storing up to 18 terabytes and multiple cloud-based solutions. Additionally, the source of today’s data storage issues is no longer disk capacity but how well a chosen solution addresses multiple security and failover concerns.
The 3-2-1 rule should be considered a basic guideline. However, many organizations may require more than three copies of managed data. Some businesses may divide data into one or more production environments, backups (potentially using alternative media), and disaster recovery (potentially offsite). Others may have specific requirements tailored to their needs. The 3-2-1 rule remains a good starting point.
An advantage of applying the 3-2-1 rule is that it allows for certain data analytics functions to be performed on data copies (stored in backup or disaster recovery infrastructure) rather than on original data. This rule is not complicated and can be adapted to specific needs.
3-2-1 Rule for Versatile Backup
In addition to adapting the number of backups, this rule allows organizations to accommodate a wide range of backup types based on intended media types and locations, among other considerations. Many factors can be taken into account when deciding on backup configurations (which is actually recommended).
Seagate’s operating systems support the following types of backup targets:
- SAN (iSCSI and Fibre Channel)
- Object Storage Backup Targets using Application Platform (AP)
Choosing multiple backup types can provide added value. For example, companies might prefer to create object-based backups from source data that was not originally object-based. Different companies have different storage target types, determined by required performance, capacity, and cost. Object storage is typically used for secondary backup storage (cloud or on-premises object) and fixed backup storage due to its lower performance requirements.
3-2-1 May Not Be Enough
Many organizations need to further customize their data backup policies based on the same 3-2-1 principles. Hence, rules such as 3-2-1-#-#-# might be considered. Other considerations might include deliberately keeping an additional copy offline (isolated) or the need for additional recovery verification.
At Seagate, we have identified the following key points to consider in both the 3-2-1 backup rule and enterprise-level backup solutions:
- Reliability
- Ease of Use
- Security
- Cost and Capacity
- Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO)
- On-Premises or Cloud Backup Targets
- Data Integrity Protection
For more information on these important points, check out the “Best 3-2-1 Backup Practices” article.
Why Choose Seagate for Backup and Recovery?
Seagate storage solutions are purpose-built to offer maximum data protection, fast deployment, and top-tier performance. Seagate’s backup storage solutions provide high value at cost-effective rates using scalable, user-friendly platforms. Seagate data protection offers flexibility and multi-protocol support for strategic backup and recovery.
Seagate allows IT to implement any desired backup strategy, including on-premises backup and cloud backup using Seagate Lyve Cloud. Additionally, Seagate collaborates with leading enterprise backup ISVs to test and evaluate enterprise storage systems and cloud storage.
The 3-2-1 backup strategy is a good starting point for companies to establish or revise their standard data backup policies. At Seagate, we can adapt to your company’s needs, whether it’s the number of backups (beyond the initial “3”), the target media (SAN or Application Platform object-based storage), or the location (on-premises or cloud).
SOURCE: Seagate Turkey
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