vBlog: Every Data Protection Architecture should be "Hybrid"

Maybe not “every” – but certainly more than “most” – data protection architecture should be “hybrid,” meaning that it should include disk-, cloud-, and yes tape-based recovery components. Why? Because each has a legitimate set of use-case scenarios and attributes that lend each medium type to different data protection goals.

I previously blogged that every Data Protection Spectrum (strategy) should include a full range of colors (Backup, Snapshots, Archive, Replication, etc.), because each individual “color” has different and complementary recovery/retention characteristics.

This month, the nice folks in the ESG Video team helped me produce this short (7m) video:

As with all IT strategy conversations, there are exceptions to every rule or direction:

  • Some folks adamantly won’t use tape — because they don’t need (as long as) long-term retention (technical) or due to animosity to tape in principle (cultural), among other reasons.
  • Some folks absolutely won’t use cloud – because of Internet connection limitations or recovery SLAs (technical) or due to concerns over their lack of control where the data will reside (compliance), etc.
  • Some folks assuredly won’t use disk – because they just want to be rid of backup tasks and believe that they can “cut a check” to make the problem go away. Some can (see earlier blog).

But for the vast majority of us:

Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) is not the ultimate killer of on-premises backup solutions

Snapshots are not universally better than backups (see debate blog)

– Disk is not the undeniable replacement for tapes (see article)

Consolidated data protection silos are not the same as copy-data management

Archives are not the same as long-term backups (future blog post)

Consider each spectrum color, as well as each protection-medium type, for what each is good for – and it is very likely that you too will discover that the right answer for you is “hybrid.”

As always, thanks for reading.

[originally posted on ESG’s Technical Optimist.com]

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