SysArc Offers Industry Leading Backup and Disaster Recovery Service
For Immediate Release
August 14th, 2008
Rockville, MD-SysArc, a leading provider of network support services is pleased to announce the availability of their latest Data Vaulting Service for online back and disaster recovery.
This comprehensive offering is provided by two AT&T Data Centers located in the Washington D.C. area and in the Southeast. Built with the very latest software and hardware technology currently available, SysArc’s Service offers the reliability and security that customers demand for their critical data protection needs.
Since each Data Center possesses redundant dual uplinks that are connected directly to AT&T’s Global IP Backbone, as well as a minimum N+1 redundancy factor on all critical infrastructure systems, customers can be assured that there will be no downtime. In addition, these Data Centers are located within hardened facilities protected by multiple security measures including continuous closed circuit video surveillance, security breach alarms, electronic card key access, biometric palm scan and individual personal access codes.
The SysArc Data Vaulting Service has been designed with best-of-breed hardware and software to meet the demanding needs of enterprise backup and disaster recovery. Multiple servers and storage devices from industry leaders EMC and Dell have been deployed to mange even the largest volumes of data protection. The backup and recovery software is provided by Asigra, and does not require Agents to complete a backup and recovery. This software was specifically developed as a multi-site backup and recovery solution for both enterprises and service providers.
Tim Brennan, Managing Partner of SysArc stated “We took a lot of time to fully understand the needs of our customers and quickly realized that we would have to offer the most robust solution possible. The Asigra application has advanced compression and de-duplication features that significantly reduces the amount of data to be sent across the wire, which reduces bandwidth degradation and saves our customers money on the storage costs. The application also works on multiple operating systems and configurations so that we can backup and restore almost any server and desktop that our customers have deployed in their environment, no matter where they are in the world. We believe our customers will appreciate and see tremendous benefits to this solution for the storage of their critical information.”
Additional benefits of SysArc’s Service include;
• Regulatory Compliance Adherence – Guaranteed off-site backups help companies comply with applicable regulatory requirements, including Sarbanes Oxley, HIPAA, SEC/NASD and other industry specific regulations.
• Reduced Risk - The vulnerability of your organization having incomplete or corrupted tape backups is virtually eliminated.
• Reduced IT Support Costs – Since there are not any Agents used, no software has to be loaded on target servers. This will reduce computer systems interruptions. In addition, the error prone handling of tapes is completely eliminated. Finally, IT professional’s weekly effort to perform and manage backups is reduced by at least 60%.
• Improved Disaster Contingency - The service has inherent disaster recovery capabilities, which enhances your ability to recover more quickly and efficiently.
• Enhanced End-User Productivity - Individual files which were accidentally deleted or become corrupted can be restored in minutes.
• Cost-Effective - The SysArc Data Vaulting service is offered at price points that are competitive with hardware/software offerings that try to address the same issues.
• Minimal Capital Outlay - The SysArc Data Vaulting Service is charged on a flat monthly 'usage' basis with a minimal one-time installation charge.
• Reduced Back Up Interval - Advanced software functionality dramatically reduces the actual amounts of data transmitted to SysArc.
• Improved Security - Your data is encrypted using the AES encryption standard (256 bit) and stored off-site at the AT&T Data center.
• Future Proof Design - The SysArc Data Vaulting Service can inherently scale as the amount of data increases.
“We believe that this sizable investment in hardware, software, technology and processes clearly demonstrates a strong commitment to the marketplace to provide the most robust online backup and recovery solution possible. Furthermore, since the amount of data organizations create and need to maintain is growing exponentially each year, a solution that is dependable, easy-to-use and implement, and competitively priced, will be very favorably received” stated James M. Eglin, Jr., Partner.
About SysArc, Inc.
SysArc offers dependable and affordable infrastructure network and technical support services to commercial organizations throughout the United States. Their service offerings include; network support, helpdesk support, network design, network installation, server support, server monitoring and maintenance, managed co-location, and data center relocation services. For additional information, please visit us at http://www.sysarc.com or call us at 1800-699-0925.
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8/15/2008
8/07/2008
Data Vaulting From SysArc
The need for reliable data backup has never been greater. Recent studies have shown that 50% of companies that experience total data loss are out of business within one year and 90% within two years. Data backup is an insurance policy that no business can afford to be without.
Tape backup systems have been the predominant method of data backup for 40 years. Like most 40-year-old technologies, tape is outmoded for data backup and restore. According to the research firm The Yankee Group, 40% of tape backups fail while industry analyst Baroudi Bloor reports that 50% of tape restores fail. Thus, disk-based backup systems, especially off-site, online backup system such as the SysArc Data Vaulting offering, is increasing. According to the Gartner Group, by 2008, expenditures on disk-based backup will be greater than expenditures on tape backup.
The SysArc Data Vaulting service performs world class unattended online backup and restore functionality. The offering is differentiated from traditional backup and restore software in the marketplace because the backup/restore functionality was built for service provisioning from the ground up and incorporates a variety of tools, functions, and architecture specifically for that purpose.
The service extends the traditional client/server architecture of most data protection and management products available on the market by adopting an “agentless” architecture. This makes the service unique because there is no need to install an “agent” or “client” on every target machine that needs to be protected. It fully integrates with existing Windows NT/2000/2003 domains, Trusts and Novell NDS trees, and otherwise adopts the LAN’s existing security settings. The only exception to this “agentless” architecture is for MS-Exchange Message Level Restore (MLR), which requires a small agent on the Exchange server due to Microsoft-imposed restrictions.
Architecture
While SysArc recognizes that each client’s architecture is unique, a generalized architecture is shown in Figure 1. Everything to the left of the IP WAN Internet “cloud” represents the customer environment while everything to the right represents the SysArc infrastructure.
SysArc Data Vaulting is comprised of the SysArc Gateway and the SysArc DataVault. The SysArc Gateway (installed within the customer infrastructure) runs on a Windows 2003 Server platform and collects data to be protected. The SysArc Gateway sends the data in compressed and encrypted format to the SysArc DataVault (installed in our data center) which runs on a Windows 2003 Server platform.
The SysArc Gateway hosts two software applications. DS-Client is a Windows NT type service that is always operating to check schedule times, implement file and data block transfers, and perform backups/restores. DS-User is a graphical user interface (GUI) that is used to configure, control and monitor the DS-Client application. DS-User may also be installed on any PC to monitor the activity on the DS-Client application on the Gateway (so long as there is IP connectivity between the PC hosting DS-User and the Gateway).
From the diagram above, you can see that only one instance of the SysArc Gateway software can protect data residing in numerous servers and workstations across the network. For remote offices, another SysArc Gateway is installed at each location.
A smaller footprint software suite (also consisting of DS-User and DS-Client) exists on each laptop PC to be backed up. This software handles backing up files on the individual laptop PC by communicating directly with the data center, bypassing the SysArc Gateway. This architecture allows the laptop or desktop to be backed up anywhere in the world, as long as an Internet connection exists.
Data Backup
SysArc Data Vaulting stores customers’ data in encrypted and compressed format to ensure privacy. Moreover, SysArc Data Vaulting optimizes the amount of data stored on the SysArc DataVault by using delta blocking and common file elimination technologies. Delta blocking ensures that after an initial data backup, no updated file will ever be backed up in its entirety. Rather, we segment the file into 1K and 2K blocks and then back up only those blocks that have changed. This typically provides significant storage size savings over traditional back up techniques where a single change in a file entails the entire file having to be backed up. Common file elimination ensures that the same data is never transmitted offsite more than twice, thereby saving the bandwidth to transmit only new, unique data. Due to the way this technique is applied, it does not matter if the files are on different servers, or even have different filenames, the SysArc Gateway will still never transmit more than two copies.
These two processes, along with compression, reduce the amount of data that is stored on the SysArc DataVault, which is typically a much lower figure than the amount of data that is protected. Since we charge you based on the amount of data stored, we pass these savings onto you.
At all times in the process, your data is encrypted (up to 256 bit AES) so that no one, not even SysArc personnel, can access your data. You set the encryption key and thus you control access.
The SysArc Gateway retains the latest copy of all backed up data. All previous generations of data (a generation is defined as a backed up version of a file) are stored on the SysArc DataVault.
Data Restore
The SysArc Gateway console allows the authorized customer network administrator to quickly and easily select and restore data. Data can be restored to the original server or to a remote system. Multiple restore operations to separate servers can be performed from a single DS-User Administrator console, making this particularly suitable for a help desk role.
Any restore of the latest version of the backed up data (e.g. the current MS Exchange email information store) can be accomplished by restoring from the SysArc Gateway. Alternatively, restores of past versions of data involve accessing the data on the SysArc DataVault.
There are three methods in which data can be restored, each of which represents a unique scale of data restore. The first is online, where data is restored across the network. The second is where the restore data is delivered via a portable SysArc disk or media. The third is for major disaster recovery and uses a portable SysArc DataVault that is delivered to the customer’s site or alternative disaster recovery location.
Data Restore – Online
The primary method of data restoration is online. Using a wizard driven GUI, your administrator or help desk personnel can easily search for and select the proper data, its proper generation and the target destination server to enable restores in minutes. There is no need to retrieve tapes, mount them, and then hope that the media was not physically damaged during transfer. Depending on the version of the data, the SysArc system automatically searches its archives on the SysArc Gateway and the SysArc DataVault to find the optimal location from which to implement the restore. Typical data size on this type of restore is 1 MB to 10 GB.
Data Restore – Portable Disk
The second method of data restoration is via a SysArc portable disk. Using another wizard driven GUI, your administrator or help desk personnel will request that a copy of the backed up data is copied to a portable SysArc disk/media. Once our data center staff accomplishes the restore to the disk/media, the disk/media will be transported to your site. Another on-screen wizard will guide your administrator or help desk personnel through the process of restoring the information from the disk/media to a target destination server. This level of restore is used in instances of major data loss, like a major database server or multiple servers. Typical data size on this type of restore is 10 GB to 100 GB.
Data Restore – Portable DataVault
The third restore option is to request a portable SysArc DataVault. This could be used as an alternative to the portable SysArc disk or in a major disaster situation where complete backup data is required. SysArc will deliver the portable SysArc DataVault to either the customer’s site or an alternate disaster recovery location. The portable SysArc DataVault is then connected to the customer’s SysArc Gateway via a private LAN connection. In the event of a complete loss of the customer’s Gateway, an alternative Gateway will be designated. Data can then be restored in the same way as for an online restore but with the performance benefit of the portable SysArc DataVault being on an internal SysArc Gateway LAN. Typical data size on this type of restore is hundreds of GB to multiple TB.
Benefits
SysArc Data Vaulting can protect a range of network platforms and applications such as Windows, NetWare, UNIX, and Linux based data. NetWare 3 capability includes support for bindery, and NetWare 4 and 5 include support for NDS. Windows environments are fully supported including permissions and streams on NTFS volumes, registry, active directory, and so on.
SysArc extends its backup and restore capability by adding its SysArc Data Vaulting for Laptops and Desktops product, which provides the ability to backup laptop users while they are on travel, working at home, or working at a customer site. A scaled down version of the Gateway software (DS-Client and DS-User) is installed locally on the laptop that periodically (during a specific time schedule) checks for an Internet connection to the SysArc DataVault. Once a connection is detected, the agent sends the changed data in compressed and encrypted format to the SysArc DataVault.
The agent runs in the background and can be customized to use very little CPU power on the laptop (as low as 5%). The user is notified when two scheduled backups have been missed. Restores can be performed either online, or via a portable SysArc disk/media.
MS-SQL and MS-Exchange are fully supported without a need to stop the service or install any agent on the host machine. This is accomplished because Microsof developed SQL and Exchange with the backup requirement in mind. Both products can respond to API calls requesting the services to dump their data, while online, to an external destination. The SysArc Gateway simply asks the specified MS SQL or Exchange server to stream the data to the SysArc Gateway where it is compressed, encrypted and transmitted to the SysArc DataVault. This process is a supported Microsoft function and guarantees compatibility with your existing Microsoft systems. Online (also known as “hot”) backups for Oracle 8 are supported as well.
For MS-Exchange Message Level Restore (known more generically as “Brick Level Restore”), an agent is installed on the MS Exchange server to adhere to Microsoft requirements. This allows for backup and restore of individual MS-Exchange and MS-Outlook mailboxes and folders (such as contacts or calendar), as well as individual items within the mailbox or folder. The Message Level Restore (MLR) feature allows for restore of mail messages, calendar items, etc while the MS Exchange system remains online and fully functional for all users.
Tape backup systems have been the predominant method of data backup for 40 years. Like most 40-year-old technologies, tape is outmoded for data backup and restore. According to the research firm The Yankee Group, 40% of tape backups fail while industry analyst Baroudi Bloor reports that 50% of tape restores fail. Thus, disk-based backup systems, especially off-site, online backup system such as the SysArc Data Vaulting offering, is increasing. According to the Gartner Group, by 2008, expenditures on disk-based backup will be greater than expenditures on tape backup.
The SysArc Data Vaulting service performs world class unattended online backup and restore functionality. The offering is differentiated from traditional backup and restore software in the marketplace because the backup/restore functionality was built for service provisioning from the ground up and incorporates a variety of tools, functions, and architecture specifically for that purpose.
The service extends the traditional client/server architecture of most data protection and management products available on the market by adopting an “agentless” architecture. This makes the service unique because there is no need to install an “agent” or “client” on every target machine that needs to be protected. It fully integrates with existing Windows NT/2000/2003 domains, Trusts and Novell NDS trees, and otherwise adopts the LAN’s existing security settings. The only exception to this “agentless” architecture is for MS-Exchange Message Level Restore (MLR), which requires a small agent on the Exchange server due to Microsoft-imposed restrictions.
Architecture
While SysArc recognizes that each client’s architecture is unique, a generalized architecture is shown in Figure 1. Everything to the left of the IP WAN Internet “cloud” represents the customer environment while everything to the right represents the SysArc infrastructure.
SysArc Data Vaulting is comprised of the SysArc Gateway and the SysArc DataVault. The SysArc Gateway (installed within the customer infrastructure) runs on a Windows 2003 Server platform and collects data to be protected. The SysArc Gateway sends the data in compressed and encrypted format to the SysArc DataVault (installed in our data center) which runs on a Windows 2003 Server platform.
The SysArc Gateway hosts two software applications. DS-Client is a Windows NT type service that is always operating to check schedule times, implement file and data block transfers, and perform backups/restores. DS-User is a graphical user interface (GUI) that is used to configure, control and monitor the DS-Client application. DS-User may also be installed on any PC to monitor the activity on the DS-Client application on the Gateway (so long as there is IP connectivity between the PC hosting DS-User and the Gateway).
From the diagram above, you can see that only one instance of the SysArc Gateway software can protect data residing in numerous servers and workstations across the network. For remote offices, another SysArc Gateway is installed at each location.
A smaller footprint software suite (also consisting of DS-User and DS-Client) exists on each laptop PC to be backed up. This software handles backing up files on the individual laptop PC by communicating directly with the data center, bypassing the SysArc Gateway. This architecture allows the laptop or desktop to be backed up anywhere in the world, as long as an Internet connection exists.
Data Backup
SysArc Data Vaulting stores customers’ data in encrypted and compressed format to ensure privacy. Moreover, SysArc Data Vaulting optimizes the amount of data stored on the SysArc DataVault by using delta blocking and common file elimination technologies. Delta blocking ensures that after an initial data backup, no updated file will ever be backed up in its entirety. Rather, we segment the file into 1K and 2K blocks and then back up only those blocks that have changed. This typically provides significant storage size savings over traditional back up techniques where a single change in a file entails the entire file having to be backed up. Common file elimination ensures that the same data is never transmitted offsite more than twice, thereby saving the bandwidth to transmit only new, unique data. Due to the way this technique is applied, it does not matter if the files are on different servers, or even have different filenames, the SysArc Gateway will still never transmit more than two copies.
These two processes, along with compression, reduce the amount of data that is stored on the SysArc DataVault, which is typically a much lower figure than the amount of data that is protected. Since we charge you based on the amount of data stored, we pass these savings onto you.
At all times in the process, your data is encrypted (up to 256 bit AES) so that no one, not even SysArc personnel, can access your data. You set the encryption key and thus you control access.
The SysArc Gateway retains the latest copy of all backed up data. All previous generations of data (a generation is defined as a backed up version of a file) are stored on the SysArc DataVault.
Data Restore
The SysArc Gateway console allows the authorized customer network administrator to quickly and easily select and restore data. Data can be restored to the original server or to a remote system. Multiple restore operations to separate servers can be performed from a single DS-User Administrator console, making this particularly suitable for a help desk role.
Any restore of the latest version of the backed up data (e.g. the current MS Exchange email information store) can be accomplished by restoring from the SysArc Gateway. Alternatively, restores of past versions of data involve accessing the data on the SysArc DataVault.
There are three methods in which data can be restored, each of which represents a unique scale of data restore. The first is online, where data is restored across the network. The second is where the restore data is delivered via a portable SysArc disk or media. The third is for major disaster recovery and uses a portable SysArc DataVault that is delivered to the customer’s site or alternative disaster recovery location.
Data Restore – Online
The primary method of data restoration is online. Using a wizard driven GUI, your administrator or help desk personnel can easily search for and select the proper data, its proper generation and the target destination server to enable restores in minutes. There is no need to retrieve tapes, mount them, and then hope that the media was not physically damaged during transfer. Depending on the version of the data, the SysArc system automatically searches its archives on the SysArc Gateway and the SysArc DataVault to find the optimal location from which to implement the restore. Typical data size on this type of restore is 1 MB to 10 GB.
Data Restore – Portable Disk
The second method of data restoration is via a SysArc portable disk. Using another wizard driven GUI, your administrator or help desk personnel will request that a copy of the backed up data is copied to a portable SysArc disk/media. Once our data center staff accomplishes the restore to the disk/media, the disk/media will be transported to your site. Another on-screen wizard will guide your administrator or help desk personnel through the process of restoring the information from the disk/media to a target destination server. This level of restore is used in instances of major data loss, like a major database server or multiple servers. Typical data size on this type of restore is 10 GB to 100 GB.
Data Restore – Portable DataVault
The third restore option is to request a portable SysArc DataVault. This could be used as an alternative to the portable SysArc disk or in a major disaster situation where complete backup data is required. SysArc will deliver the portable SysArc DataVault to either the customer’s site or an alternate disaster recovery location. The portable SysArc DataVault is then connected to the customer’s SysArc Gateway via a private LAN connection. In the event of a complete loss of the customer’s Gateway, an alternative Gateway will be designated. Data can then be restored in the same way as for an online restore but with the performance benefit of the portable SysArc DataVault being on an internal SysArc Gateway LAN. Typical data size on this type of restore is hundreds of GB to multiple TB.
Benefits
SysArc Data Vaulting can protect a range of network platforms and applications such as Windows, NetWare, UNIX, and Linux based data. NetWare 3 capability includes support for bindery, and NetWare 4 and 5 include support for NDS. Windows environments are fully supported including permissions and streams on NTFS volumes, registry, active directory, and so on.
SysArc extends its backup and restore capability by adding its SysArc Data Vaulting for Laptops and Desktops product, which provides the ability to backup laptop users while they are on travel, working at home, or working at a customer site. A scaled down version of the Gateway software (DS-Client and DS-User) is installed locally on the laptop that periodically (during a specific time schedule) checks for an Internet connection to the SysArc DataVault. Once a connection is detected, the agent sends the changed data in compressed and encrypted format to the SysArc DataVault.
The agent runs in the background and can be customized to use very little CPU power on the laptop (as low as 5%). The user is notified when two scheduled backups have been missed. Restores can be performed either online, or via a portable SysArc disk/media.
MS-SQL and MS-Exchange are fully supported without a need to stop the service or install any agent on the host machine. This is accomplished because Microsof developed SQL and Exchange with the backup requirement in mind. Both products can respond to API calls requesting the services to dump their data, while online, to an external destination. The SysArc Gateway simply asks the specified MS SQL or Exchange server to stream the data to the SysArc Gateway where it is compressed, encrypted and transmitted to the SysArc DataVault. This process is a supported Microsoft function and guarantees compatibility with your existing Microsoft systems. Online (also known as “hot”) backups for Oracle 8 are supported as well.
For MS-Exchange Message Level Restore (known more generically as “Brick Level Restore”), an agent is installed on the MS Exchange server to adhere to Microsoft requirements. This allows for backup and restore of individual MS-Exchange and MS-Outlook mailboxes and folders (such as contacts or calendar), as well as individual items within the mailbox or folder. The Message Level Restore (MLR) feature allows for restore of mail messages, calendar items, etc while the MS Exchange system remains online and fully functional for all users.
8/06/2008
SysArc Expands Our Network Support Team
Sysarc is pleased to announce that the following individuals are now part of our quickly expanding team of technical support professionals.
Brian Heise – Sr. Network Engineer
Brian has 8 years of field experience as a Network Engineer with a concentration on network design, implementation and support with solutions from Cisco, Dell, Sonicwall, Microsoft, HP and EMC. Brian’s specialty is solving complex networking issues that require in-depth knowledge of both hardware and software. Brian recently joined and has been the lead technical representative for several assigned Managed Services customers where he handles the daily proactive maintenance and troubleshooting of technical issues that arise on a daily basis. Prior to joining SysArc, Brian was with Vie de France as a Network Engineer and with LANDoctor as a Field Engineer/Technician. Brian has obtained his CCNA and MCSE certifications from Cisco and Microsoft respectively.
Sam Abouissa – Sr. Network Engineer
Sam has 12 years of field experience as a Network Engineer with a concentration on desktop and server support in the Microsoft and Novell environments. Sam’s specialty is working with customers to resolve their technical issues quickly and to proactively recommend solutions that deliver business value to his customers. Sam also recently joined SysArc and is the lead technical representative for several assigned Managed Services customers where he handles the daily proactive maintenance and troubleshooting of technical issues that arise on a daily basis. Prior to joining SysArc, Sam was with Lockheed Martin for 7 years as a Sr. Network Engineer. Sam has obtained his MCSE certifications from Microsoft.
Brian Heise – Sr. Network Engineer
Brian has 8 years of field experience as a Network Engineer with a concentration on network design, implementation and support with solutions from Cisco, Dell, Sonicwall, Microsoft, HP and EMC. Brian’s specialty is solving complex networking issues that require in-depth knowledge of both hardware and software. Brian recently joined and has been the lead technical representative for several assigned Managed Services customers where he handles the daily proactive maintenance and troubleshooting of technical issues that arise on a daily basis. Prior to joining SysArc, Brian was with Vie de France as a Network Engineer and with LANDoctor as a Field Engineer/Technician. Brian has obtained his CCNA and MCSE certifications from Cisco and Microsoft respectively.
Sam Abouissa – Sr. Network Engineer
Sam has 12 years of field experience as a Network Engineer with a concentration on desktop and server support in the Microsoft and Novell environments. Sam’s specialty is working with customers to resolve their technical issues quickly and to proactively recommend solutions that deliver business value to his customers. Sam also recently joined SysArc and is the lead technical representative for several assigned Managed Services customers where he handles the daily proactive maintenance and troubleshooting of technical issues that arise on a daily basis. Prior to joining SysArc, Sam was with Lockheed Martin for 7 years as a Sr. Network Engineer. Sam has obtained his MCSE certifications from Microsoft.
8/05/2008
Our Network Support and Technical Services
Please check back shortly for the latest information about our multi-million dollar operations center.
In the interim, please visit the Network Support leader online.
In the interim, please visit the Network Support leader online.
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