Top 10 Things You Want In Your Backup Contract (Part 2)
In our previous guest blog, we covered what gets backed up. Here, we are covering the various clauses or aspects you should have in your backup contract about getting the data off site.
In our previous guest blog, we covered what gets backed up. Here, we are covering the various clauses or aspects you should have in your backup contract about getting the data off site. You will see some basic "legal" jargon in here; however, take these as basic starting templates and have your own attorney craft the final version, as local jurisdictions may require specific changes.
Getting the data off site. If any part of your backup solution offers restoration from data that is taken off site, you will want to make sure to include or deal with all of the following aspects.
Is it a manual process? If you are relying on humans to get the data off site (such as data pickup and vaulting services like Iron Mountain), you need to cover things like "Force Majeure" (uncontrollable events; this will be covered in depth later) and ANY scheduling issue that might impact the ability to get this data off site. Example: Your schedule as published states that you will always pick up the data carrier (USB drive, SATA drive, tape, etc.) on Monday mornings. However, if the driver comes and the building is closed due to illness or local holiday, or the person they are supposed to pick it up from just isn't there, then you need to protect yourself by adding in clauses like: "The client is responsible for any loss of data in the event that the data carrier to be picked up is not available at the prescribed pick-up date and time." You also need to make sure you have a clause that excludes holidays, special events and anything else that could impact your ability to get the data off site.
Is it automatic? Almost all current systems come designed with the ability to push the data off site either through a dedicated pipe or a shared Internet access. You need to protect yourself in the event that the access is either:
- not available as required to get the data off site during the transport window.
- not sufficient to transport the data off site during the transport window.
Unless you are the ISP or circuit provider (and I would still recommend you add this section even then), be sure to include, "A properly configured Telecommunications Service as required for transport of the backed up data must be available 100% of the time during the required transmission period and must be of sufficient size and capacity to get the data off site. Telecommunications Service is defined as any networking service or component that is required and that will allow the Backup Solution to properly get the backed up data off site. The Telecommunication Service includes but is not limited to: Modem, Router, Firewall, Cabling, Switches and Power. Failure to have this service available as described may result in loss of backed up data on behalf of the Client."
Bottom Line: If you are taking data off site, be sure to cover anything that could impact your ability to restore the data. Next week we will talk about how the starting space and rate of change can stop you dead in your tracks.
If you are interested in learning more about Zenith's BDR-G12 business continuity solution, email us HERE.
Rich Reiffer is VP of Cloud Practice at Zenith Infotech. Rich has been in the business of technology since the dark ages starting with Burroughs Corp., spending time with Steve Jobs (NeXT) and Ray Noorda (Novell). Rich has been in the VAR channel since the mid 80's with companies like Inacomp and Businessland finally forming his own company, Trivalent, in 1991. After 20 years of building data centers, etc. Rich has come on board with Zenith to head up the Cloud group. Monthly guest blogs such as this one are part of Talkin' Cloud's annual platinum sponsorship.