What is remote data protection?

Remote Data Protection usually refers to data that is protected through a remote backup – either secondary or tertiary storage. However, protecting the data on remote storage devices can also mean securing a network that may connect two or more geographically separate datacenters. The objective of system administrators is to prevent data breaches by securing the remote datacenter’s connecting network, and to prevent the total loss of data by placing a backup storage arrays in an alternate location. This prevents natural disasters, such as storms and fires from destroying all of an organization’s data.

Any organization with computing devices that is serious about their business must have some form of data backup. Backing up data means that digital information is being preserved by creating a copy that is separated in some way from the original data source, which is currently in use. This backup can be referenced or used to create another copy of the data when the original data is corrupted or lost. Because there are constant risks to data integrity, small business computer systems and even personal computing devices should have at least one iteration of data backup, which is also called “secondary storage”. Medium-to-Large enterprises should have both secondary and tertiary storage so that there are three iterations of data that are separated and safe from the infection of one of the storage systems. The three main types of data backup include tape, disk, and sometimes solid-state memory.

Remote backups can written to devices consisting of various storage media, but to be considered ‘remote’, they must be moved to an isolated location. With the increase in broadband speed, datacenters can now quickly upload storage via the internet or other networks so that data can be transferred on a regular basis from between distant locations. Data mirrors are the most common form of remote data replication for backup purposes.

However, a network connection will always put your data at risk to malware and cyber attackers. Implementation of a network security solution is recommended to protect your data. The objective of network security is to detect and prevent unauthorized access of the network and any potentially damaging activities. Network attacks could include denial of service (DoS), port scans, or attempts to crack computers. Networks can be made increasingly secure when more layers of various security utilities are added to a system. Layers of security might include, basic to advanced authentication, firewalls, anti-virus software, and a Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS).