Automatic backup and recovery refers to the data protection systems that automate the processes of regularly backing up computer data to a remote server, and then restoring it when needed. Automatic backup and recovery protects an organization against data loss in the event of system failure, human error, espionage, regional disasters, etc. Data loss can have a catastrophic impact on a business, so most organizations choose to automate this process rather than relying on users to protect data manually. A well-designed automatic backup system will be able to withstand emergencies that arise where the data originates, so they are typically housed in remote locations, and the retrieval processes are also designed to take place off site.
There are cloud backup solutions available that let organizations backup data to a remote, cloud-based server using a cloud storage provider. They typically provide web-based admin consoles that let the clients monitor the backups, which are encrypted in the provider’s remote data centers. The amount of data backed up, the frequency of the backups, and the recovery needs will determine the costs of these different service plans.
Organizations typically design a comprehensive business continuity plan that includes disaster recovery planning, where they choose the right combination of tools and technologies, including automatic backup and recovery, to safeguard their mission-critical data against downtime and data loss. For example, SUSE Linux Enterprise High Availability Extension provides continuous data replication across cluster servers to minimize data loss.