Backing Up Large Data Sets

By Zetta Guest Blog

Some MSPs may be understandably worried about taking on the responsibility of backing up large data sets. After all, just about any analyst you talk to is projecting data growth of 30% or more per year. So is it a wise move to add to existing service responsibilities by taking on an additional service such as cloud backup? The answer is a resounding yes.

Here are the facts. First, a major potential headache when it comes to cloud backup is the initial backup of a large data set from a new customer. That’s the one that could take a while. But it doesn’t take that long when you use an enterprise-class cloud backup solution.

A recent independent test by Mediatronics revealed Zetta.net could back up half a TB of data in less than 3 hours with a 1Gbit connection. After that, an incremental backup–using a 5% change rate for a worst-case scenario–took only an hour. In reality, 5% is actually an aggressive change rate. Surveys show that the rate of change in any organization is typically only about 2% of the entire data set. This opens the door for a larger total dataset in the cloud.

Incremental Backups

Instead of trying to send all the data every night or every week, incremental backups send only the new or changed data each night. In other words, at an organization with a 2% daily change rate, only 2% of the data will actually be transferred each night. The determining factor for the maximum total dataset size that can be supported by cloud backups thus isn’t the time required for the big initial backup; it’s how much data can fit into the nightly 12-hour window most organizations use to run their backups

So, how big a data set can an MSP deal with? To address larger data sets, we’ll need to extrapolate from the test result. At the speed achieved in the test, it would be possible to transfer 250GB in 12 hours over a 50Mbit connection. Assuming the same 5% change rate, that means a total data set size of 5TB at a 50Mbit connection (250GB = 5% of 5TB).

For the customers that are fortunate to have a 1Gbit pipe and a 2% change rate, a 12-hour backup window can now handle 40 5TB servers making nightly incremental backups, for a total protected data set of 200TB.

WAN Optimization Technologies

This is made possible by a variety of patented WAN optimization technologies, which regulate the flow of data to the cloud in the most efficient way so the maximum amount of data flows through in the minimum time. That makes the difference between an incremental backup of a huge data set taking place between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. versus running into the next production day. If that happens, the likelihood is that users will log on to slow systems, IT will receive a flood of complaints, and the backup job may be canceled before it completes.

That scenario is one that won’t be tolerated in the enterprise market. Such organizations require dependable, secure and rapid backup they can count on. Otherwise, they run the risk of losing data in the event of a disaster.

But the good news is that enterprise-class cloud backup can and does deliver, and this opens up new doors for MSPs. Instead of offering cloud backup only to smaller organizations to avoid backup window issues, they can now confidently offer this service to companies with large data sets. Once the first data backup is done, a whole lot of data can be sent over the Internet each night without running out of time.

A faster backup solution lets you have the best of both worlds: nightly protection for the entire data set and a reasonable backup window. Since datasets are only going to get bigger, having a solution that can back up that data daily and on time becomes essential.

Feel free to book time with Art if you have any questions or would like to discuss further.

Art Ledbetter is director of channels at Zetta. Guest blogs such as this one are published monthly, and are part of MSPmentor’s annual platinum sponsorship.