There’s No Place for File in BDR

The image-based backup vs. file-based backup debate is over, as far as effective backup and disaster recovery is concerned.  The clear winner is image, and here are five reasons why.

Let’s first define each, so we know where we stand.  With image-based backup, a block refers to a specific physical area on the hard drive.  In file-based system, a block refers to a defined portion of data within a file.  In other words, if you only have a couple independent files that run your business, then file-based backup may be fine.  However, if your business runs on a system, then image-based backup is your only option.
Here are five key features that MSPs should look at in evaluating image vs. file.

1. Ease of Installation
   With image-based backup, there is a one-time agent installation and single click protection of all files and systems.  With file-based, files must be hand-picked and permissions for files in folders need to be addressed as well as whenever a new folder or file needs to be backed up, that must be done manually.  Do you have time for manual?
2. Reliability
   Datto’s image-based solution automatically tests backups using Screenshot Backup Verification, which trumps an MD5 or Checksum because it actually boots a virtual version of the target machine in a disaster scenario.  On the other hand, file-based backups will continue to backup corrupt and invalid data without informing the user.  What good is backup, if it’s corrupted data?  In addition, restoring multiple files can be a long process.  And that’s not business continuity.
3. Backup and Restoration Speed
   With Datto, our snapshots are instantaneous and can be taken every five minutes. Backups are stored in a universal VMDK format, which can be virtualized or exported instantly.  With file, while backups can be quick, file-based systems must restore individual files back to their original locations one-by-one. The requisite boot and file system information is not automatically restored. Instead, a “system state backup” is used to fill-in the missing information, which requires an extra step in a restore.  This can make the process extremely slow.
4. Ease of Use
   To make BDR most effective, it’s important to backup entire machines so you are able to restore files at any time. No need to virtualize for file restores. With an image-based backup solution, you can virtualize any incremental backup without conversion and BMR right over the network.  With a file-based solution, it may be easy to do a file restore, but it’s difficult to do a full system restore and you are not able to virtualize.
5. Price
   The price per gig is usually lower with image-based backup because the amount of data is larger, but with deduplication and an inverse backup chain, the data will be almost entirely unique data.  Have a full system is critical with disaster recovery scenarios.  File-based backup can be cheaper; but it’s crucial to take into account the downtime the user will have when a server dies or is attacked by a virus.  Downtime costs businesses in the ability to capture reoccurring revenue as well as new revenue. This fact must be taken into account when considering the price of a backup solution.

For Datto, the debate over image vs. file is over.  We know what delivers the complete business continuity solution for our Partner and their clients.  It’s important not to focus on a single issue like price alone; but to keep the big picture in mind and the reason you’re implementing a backup, disaster recovery and business continuity solution in the first place.

Ian McChord is product manager at backup and disaster recovery and intelligent disaster recovery company Datto.