If you are a business owner yourself, you would agree that the most significant threat in the digital world is data security. Once the data is lost, stolen, or somehow deleted, or the damage cannot be reversed, you are in big trouble.
One of my clients was switching their Internet service to Spectrum Internet Only plan. While this transition, their data centers had to be unavailable for 10 hours. The unavailability of data meant we couldn’t perform data analysis. If only we had duplicate files available, the work wouldn’t have stopped.
Where there is a will, there is away. With threat comes opportunity. For businesses, this solution is known as “file replication.” It is a process that helps you protect data from internal as well as external threats interfering with your business. It works by duplicating or creating a mirror image of your data file from a primary storage device to a secondary storage device. These files are a replica of the primary source.
Why is File Replication Important?
File replication makes business data available on multiple hosts but that’s not the only benefit. Here are other perks:
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If the workstation in the office premises goes out of order because of malware issues or hardware problems, all employees will continue to access data from another site. This will not interrupt the workflow.
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File replication means maintaining a multi-accessible location for data. This way, you will be able to access data from the nearest side to execute the necessary transactions.
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Data analytics will be able to perform their job well. Data replication would support data warehouse hence empowering the analytic team.
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Replication, distribution, and synchronization of data would ensure that data accessibility becomes faster and your overall organizational performance is not hampered.
How is Backup Different from Replication?
Often, the terms backup and replication are used interchangeably. There is a difference between these technologies. For a business owner, this is critical stuff. Backup means making a copy or copies of data and store them somewhere offsite in case the original data is damaged or lost.
Replication, on the other hand, also involves making copies of data but for the purpose of moving it between the company’s sites such as data centers, private and public clouds or colocation facilities.
Why Your Business Need File Replication in Your Business Strategy
If file replication is not a part of your business strategy, these reasons will change your mind:
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Improved systems availability
Those running a data-driven business would agree that downtime is unacceptable. With data replication technologies, you can create a duplicate environment for emergency situations. This would ensure that your systems are available even when the data center is down.
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Reduced Recovery Time
Let’s suppose some data center is down. Your business operations will be unaffected during the recovery. How great is that?
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Simplified Backup
When you have used the right solutions, the files are synchronized in real-time. During the event of a disaster, everything is backed up. An ideal data recovery solution should let you manage interdependencies between systems offering a seamless implementation experience.
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Accurate Copies of Data
Since files are copied in real-time, all inaccuracies and deficiencies that were once a part of taking backups are eliminated. These copies didn’t have recent updates and that meant taking another backup. But this is not a problem when you are using a file replication software. Synchronization keeps on happening in real-time.
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Ransomware Protection
For businesses, this is one of the biggest cybersecurity threat. File replication can help you protect your data from such infection. In case ransomware spreads across your network, you can trigger the failover to replicate the data on your site. This will put a pause on the spread of the malware. Your IT team will have time to restore the clean copies of the files.
Choose a File Replication Software
There are tons of file replication to choose from. Before you pick one, these tips will help you pick the right one:
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It must support different modes of operation. Pick one that supports scheduled and automatic replication.
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It supports one-to-one and one-to-many replications.
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It must have filters for excluding and including files and features like checking the specifications of the file or a folder.
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The software must be compatible with different devices such as network disks, removable devices, virtual machines, and hard drives.
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There shouldn’t be any limit on file size and usage.
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It must sync the files automatically whenever they are in use.
If the software offers a free trial, nothing is better than that. Test it before purchasing to see if it aligns with your disaster recovery strategy.
Summing Up
File replication will help you protect business data and ensure the smooth running of your business operations. It will be as smooth as the Spectrum pay bill by phone feature. A single click will bring important files in front of you. You will achieve the goals you have set for your business. Start looking for reliable file replication software for your business. This will save you and your team a lot of trouble.
