Computer systems are essential to the proper functioning of companies today. New technologies make it possible to automate certain processes and efficiently manage a large number of tasks within a company, whatever the field of activity. The preservation of computer data and its security is therefore essential for the competitiveness and survival of companies. To protect and preserve the integrity of its data, the redundancy of computer systems is an interesting solution. Properly applied, it offers various advantages and in particular reduces the risk of damage linked to the irrecoverable loss of information. Learn more about using redundancy in IT.
WHAT IS COMPUTER SYSTEM REDUNDANCY?
In general, redundancy designates the repetition of information in different forms or not, without this really is necessary.
In the IT field, redundancy is used to qualify the duplication of components or essential data of a system, with the aim of improving its reliability. It can be equipment, data, software, link elements, etc. With duplicates, a company can guarantee the functionality of its data center in the event that a component should malfunction. When it comes to data, duplication is done for backup or restore purposes.
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF IT REDUNDANCIES
IT system redundancy can be performed at various levels depending on your business needs. You should first assess the importance of keeping your data or duplicating material . This must be done taking into account the importance of the IT element (its criticality) and the damage that its loss or malfunction could cause. This preliminary analysis allows you to choose the most suitable redundancy system between:
- The redundancy of hard disks ;
- Redundancy of servers ;
- Multisite redundancy .
Hard drives provide the space needed to back up your computer data. However, it is an unreliable technology, as one is never safe from malfunction after shock, virus infection, wear and tear, etc. It is therefore necessary to duplicate your disks and their data to prevent the risk of loss of information useful to your business. Thanks to Raid technology (Redundant Array of Independent Disks), you will be able to distribute your data on a set of hard disks which are organized in clusters . In this way, it is always possible to access it even in the event of a breakage.
There are also times when servers are subject to outages or disasters. To prevent this kind of situation from limiting your activities, it is recommended to set up two servers in parallel . We will then perform real-time data replication between the two servers. Thus, if one of them breaks down, you just have to rely on the second, by simply moving the IP address there, to immediately resume your activities.
When it comes to multisite redundancy, this is the best way to protect your computer data. Indeed, the types of redundancy mentioned above make it possible to physically duplicate components present in the same place. When your entire data center is facing a disaster, the additional backups cannot be used. To easily get out of this situation, you have to think about the multisite redundancy which consists of the duplication of the infrastructure, but also of the hosting of your data in two different centers. This is the highest level of security in terms of redundancy.
SOME PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE FOR THE REDUNDANCY OF THE COMPUTER SYSTEM
For optimal security of your data, you can combine the different types of IT redundancy. You will then have an effective solution, whatever the situation that arises.
Redundancy can also be used to avoid restores. In the event of an incident, a company that has not performed any redundancy will have to restore its data from an existing backup. When this is not up to date, there may be significant data loss between the time of the last backup and the restore. In this case, the redundancy of the hard disks, for example, will allow you to avoid restoration and to find all of your data without worry.
In addition, for the installation of redundant servers, you should opt for a primary server and a secondary server. In other words, your servers do not have to operate simultaneously and independently. Otherwise, you may face consistency issues. The ideal way to set up this redundancy system is to have a primary backup server and another secondary one which will only be used in the event of failure of the first.
Also, make it a habit to regularly test your backups. You should not wait to be faced with an incident to test the operation of the solutions put in place. Frequent checking is necessary to ensure that you can recover your data, no matter what the problem.
THE CLOUD, A RELIABLE STORAGE MEDIUM FOR BUSINESSES
In fact, redundant IT systems can be very tedious for businesses, in addition to the significant costs it can generate. Today, the cloud is a simpler and more efficient way to protect your data . It is a web-based storage system , which allows you to access your saved information no matter where you are, as long as you have internet access. It will no longer be necessary to invest in multiple hard drives, SD card, USB stick or other storage equipment.
THE MAIN ADVANTAGES OF THE CLOUD
One of the first benefits of using the cloud is reducing your IT expenses. You no longer need to equip yourself with very expensive storage equipment such as servers that often have to be bought out after a while. Maintenance, repair or update costs are also eliminated.
On the other hand, your business data will be more secure with the cloud . In addition to backing up your information, cloud providers such as NetExplorer take care of restoring it and installing security patches. Following an incident, they offer you a well-proven recovery plan to regain possession of your data. Thanks to the cloud, you also significantly reduce the risk of data loss after losing your computer, or data theft by an employee who leaves your company.
