When it comes to backing up your server there are numerous companies offering backup software that will store your data in the cloud for some fixed fee or variable fee based on storage. This might sound like a great idea and a replacement for your hardware backup process, but there are several key issues to consider. 

Firstly, where is your data at? 

Whilst these online backup vendors may claim to have high security and all that jazz, where is your data actually stored? Who is storing it and more importantly how secure is it? If all you need to access your backup is a username and password then that's all anyone would need to access your entire backup! Some may claim to store it in an encrypted state, but yet again, how is that encryption implemented? Where is the key stored? more than likely on the same server which defeats the whole purpose and reduces 'encryption' to just another misleading selling point. Speaking of selling points, if you browse enough websites your'll see wording like 'multiple data centres in multiple continents' which means... we're not going to tell you where your data is stored. If its stored in the EU then certain legislation comes into force, but that's rarely the case and you still have very limited recourse against a company overseas. 

Secondly, How does it work? 

Does the 'special software' that you have to install backup everything or just some things? Does it keep multiple versions and do you even need that? What protocol is used to send that data, and how is that secured? If you actually can find answers to this then your doing really well, but these are key questions surely. Let's assume that you have 1TB of data that you want to backup and let's also assume that you have a generic business broadband service operating at the maximum speed of 80:20, then technically it would take 179 hours even without taking account of encryption & protocol overheads. That's 7 days with your internet service flat out saturated to backup that data, and that's great and nicely brings me on to the next issue...

Disaster? No problems, its backed up online!

So your server catches fire or gets stolen and you've got a new one maybe next day and then spend a day to set it up which takes us to two full days without any server, and now you need to install the special software and then wait another 7 days for your data to return. That's 9 full days without file services and who needs that? This is by far the biggest issue with online backup, but it doesn't have to be for you with GEN. 

The GEN solution

We know online backup is the new way to do it, but we also know that the number one priority is how easy it is to get it all back urgently. With this in mind we have developed a series of services that fit perfectly into this marketplace and eliminate all those issues. Here's how it works: 

We have a local backup option which incrementally back's up your server on a timeline basis. This provides near instant access to multigenerational backup's of your key files, but this on-site backup is just as vulnerable to fire, flood and theft so we complement this with an online backup solution using industry standard secure protocols that runs transparently in the background overnight (so it won't slow down your internet connection in the day) and that is stored in the UK by US.

We have, as an option two additional services that complete the disaster recover picture:

Same Day Data Return: We will take all your data from the backup, transfer that to portable media and ship it back to you SAME DAY. That's your data, in your hands, same day instead of 7 days later.

Same Day  Cold Swap: Completing the disaster recovery circle is our Cold Swap service where we won't ship your data back same day, instead we'll ship a fully configured and restored replacement server to you SAME DAY. 

Both the above services are available as next day options at a reduced cost, and we're are more than willing to quote for a bespoke service that doesn't fit within the options below. 

Its important to highlight that this isn't a DIY backup service, this is fully managed and monitoring service by us. We'll help setup your backup's, monitor them hourly, daily, weekly and take actions if there are any problems ensuring your backup is always in place and stable. We even throw in our own Enterprise Class Antivirus solution to ensure your data is virus free before and during the backup process to protect you from infections, corruption and ransomware.  

So, if your looking for an off-site backup option that doesn't rely on someone taking tapes home and gives you the maximum flexibility and response then contact us today for a formal quotation.