Off-site data protection

In computing, off-site data protection, or vaulting, is the strategy of sending critical data off the main site. The place where the data is stored is often called the data vault.

In many organisations, there is some data which is so important that it must be protected. Protection against hacking can be done by means of software, but protection against physical damage is a different problem. The solution is to put the data in more than one place, so a major disaster, (such as fire or explosions) does not prevent the recovery of the computer system with all its most important data.

Data is usually taken off-site using media such as magnetic tape or optical storage. Data can also be sent electronically to a remote backup service, which is called electronic vaulting or e-vaulting.

Sending backups off-site makes sure systems and servers can be reloaded with the latest data in the event of a disaster, accidental error, or system crash. Sending backups off-site also ensures there is a copy of data that is not stored on-site. Off-site backup services are convenient for companies that backup data on a daily basis (classified and unclassified).

Although some organizations manage and store their own off-site backups, many choose to have their backups managed and stored by others who specialize in the protection of off-site data.

References

• Nicol, Gerard 2006. Protecting data off-site. ISBN 0-9802859-0-9