Reducing the cost of your SQL Server database backups

The situation

Your databases are getting larger by the day, and you need to develop a cost-effective procedure for backing up and restoring them.

Backing up databases can be an expensive process. Large databases require large tape drives, which can cost thousands of dollars. And, in the event of a server crash, time lost while the databases are being restored adds to the costs.

Key challenges

  • Reducing the storage costs for database backups.
  • Reducing the time taken to back up the databases.
  • Reducing downtime in the event of disaster recovery.
  • Minimizing the specialist expertise required to restore a database.
  • Reducing the physical security required to protect your backups.

How we can solve it

Use SQL Backup to back up your databases:

  1. Use the Backup wizard to specify your requirements, and create the backup.
    For example, you can:
    1. specify the compression level you require, to optimize storage savings versus speed of creating the backup.
    2. choose to encrypt the backup and set a password.
    3. choose to back up across a number of files.
    4. choose to make multiple copies of the backup simultaneously.
  2. If you need to restore a backup, use the Restore wizard.

Benefits of our solution

  • SQL Backup™ costs a fraction of the price of a new tape drive.
  • Backup file compression reduces storage costs – a 21 GB database can be compressed to between 2 GB and 10 GB (depending upon the data).
  • Smaller backups mean shorter transfer times.
  • Processing backups is 3–5 times faster than using native systems.
  • Restoring a backup is quick and easy using the Restore wizard, which means that expensive specialist personnel do not have to be kept on standby in case of failure.
  • 128-bit encryption makes your backups secure, which means you don't have to spend extra on security when you store or transfer the files.

Case studies

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