Stuff, as they say, happens. An operator corrupts production data by accidentally loading the wrong dataset. An important file is inadvertently deleted. A query that was supposed to be read-only is mistakenly run in read/write mode, erroneously altering data. A developer modifies a program, unintentionally introducing a bug after the old, correct version of the software was mistakenly overwritten or otherwise destroyed. The list goes on, and those are just problems that happen by accident. When you add to that the possibility of malicious attacks that corrupt data and objects, the result is myriad threats to the organization's critical information and systems.
Tape backups are a common first line of defense against data loss due to disasters. And high availability (HA) solutions, which maintain hot-backup servers in remote locations, allow for continuous operations during planned maintenance, while also reducing recovery points and times almost to zero after disasters. But neither tape backups nor HA offer a practical way to solve the class of problems described in the opening paragraph. Recovering a chunk of data from a backup tape takes far too long because of the serial nature of tape and the need to retrieve it from its offsite location. What's more, as is described below, some intra-day data—possibly the data you'll need to solve a problem—doesn't exist on any backup tape.
HA doesn't offer a solution for this type of data and object corruption problem either because the HA replicator that maintains backup redundancy will copy any corrupted data to the backup server as soon as the error is applied to the production system. That is, after all, precisely what the software is supposed to do—ensure that the backup is a perfect replica of the primary server so it can immediately take over operations whenever necessary.
One option that does provide the means to correct the "stuff" that happens is a data vaulting solution with continuous data protection (CDP) functionality, such as iTera Vault from Vision Solutions.
CDP, also called continuous backup, is a generic term that refers to the automatic saving of all changes made to data and objects. In effect, because every change is captured, CDP keeps a copy of every version of all data and objects. This contrasts with tape backups that, nightly and/or weekly, save data as it was at that point in time. That's another reason backup tapes can't resolve individual data corruption problems: Because the granularity of saves is rarely finer than one day, you can't recover data to a point after the last save, nor can you re-create data as of some point that occurred in the middle of a day.
iTera Vault provides a solution. It uses the i5/OS or OS/400 journaling processes to capture data changes continually. These changes are then compressed and transported, at an interval defined by the administrator, to a separate backup storage platform that can be either local or remote to the primary system. iTera Vault also monitors changes to non-journaled objects and offloads each change immediately to the independent storage platform, appending them to the last backup containing the old version of the object. This is referred to as "snapshot-based" protection.
The backup storage platform does not have to be System i. It can also be a lower-cost, TCP/IP-accessible standalone PC, server, or SAN running under Linux, Windows, or UNIX.
Through a single System i–based interface, iTera Vault provides a high level of management for both the source System i and the alternate storage platform. iTera Vault's automated, rule-based intelligence manages data compression, transport, rotation cycles, capacity, and retention values to minimize operator intervention. Utilizing the timestamps that the journaling processes automatically apply to all changes, iTera Vault can also guide an operator through the process of recovering specific data to its status as of a particular point in time, thereby resolving the type of data problems portrayed at the beginning of this TechTip—problems that, given enough time, are unavoidable.
Because of the high degree of automation built into iTera Vault, it's possible to resolve data problems easily without the need for additional expertise, but, should an exceptionally complex issue arise, Vision's support group stands ready to walk an operator through the necessary recovery process.
See the MC Showcase Buyer's Guide for more information about iTera and Vision Solutions.
Joel Klebanoff is a consultant, a writer, and president of Klebanoff Associates, Inc., a Toronto, Canada-based marketing communications firm, and author of BYTE-ing Satire. Joel has 25 years experience working in IT, first as a programmer/analyst and then as a marketer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in computer science and an MBA, both from the University of Toronto. Contact Joel at
Joel Klebanoff is a consultant, writer, and formerly president of Klebanoff Associates, Inc., a Toronto-based marketing communications firm. He has 30 years' experience in various IT capacities and now specializes in writing articles, white papers, and case studies for IT vendors and publications across North America. Joel is also the author of BYTE-ing Satire, a compilation of a year's worth of his columns. He holds a BS in computer science and an MBA, both from the University of Toronto.
MC Press books written by Joel Klebanoff available now on the MC Press Bookstore.
 |
||
 |
|
BYTE-ing Satire Find out the hilarious answer to the eternal question: "Is technology more hindrance than help?" List Price $14.95 Now On Sale
|
More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.
TRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now! Request Now.
Forms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.
Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:
Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.
IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn:
LATEST COMMENTS
MC Press Online