Backup as a Service
Thanks to our new backup infrastructure, we can offer you a reliable data backup service that is resource-efficient and cost-effective.
The core software used here is SEP Sesam. SEP Sesam specialises in hybrid backup and disaster recovery and describes itself as ‘the global solution Made in Germany’. Thanks to the power of this software, we are able to centrally manage or monitor all your backups. Another major advantage is the German support team, whom we can contact directly should any problems arise.
Data is stored exclusively in the centron data centres in Germany and is designed to comply with the GDPR. The specific data protection arrangements in each case – such as the data processing agreement – are based on the agreements made with you.
The following options are available to you with regard to data backup:
- Backup to a different fire compartment (configured by default)
- Dedicated target for your server environment
- Geographically redundant backups at different locations
If you would like a solution tailored specifically to your needs, we would be happy to develop one based on your specifications.
To ensure 100 per cent data integrity, we offer the following services:
- Verification of the data read using a checksum (included)
- Automated read tests carried out quarterly
- Full restoration of a backup and verification
It is also possible to easily recover deleted, corrupted or lost files, as well as to restore an entire server.
How is data backed up?
With centron, system backups are stored according to the generational principle, also known as the ‘grandfather-father-son’ principle. This means a monthly full backup of your system, on top of which weekly and daily backups are built. This backup chain is retained until your end-of-life (EOL) date is reached.
Should an error in a file only be detected at a later date, it is possible to restore a version other than the most recent one. However, this is not a version control system.
Where is the data backed up?
To minimise the risk of physical damage, centron stores backup data in at least one other fire compartment within the data centre.
Should your system suffer hardware failure, your backup can be restored on replacement hardware. It is also possible to store your backup in a second data centre (geographically separate).
What is backed up?
Backups are taken of the operating system’s storage media (HDD, SSD, etc.), all other storage media and partitions, as well as entire Exchange databases. Daily dumps are generated for other databases, which – depending on their size – remain stored locally on the system for up to seven days. This ensures an even faster recovery. These dumps are also retained as part of the daily backup.
Temporary data is excluded, as this is generated automatically by the system during operation and is not relevant for recovery.
Any agreements deviating from this will be set out in a joint discussion.
When and for how long are backups taken?
centron carries out backups for systems according to the following schedule:
Data backups are carried out daily in accordance with the grandfather-father-son (G-F-S) principle. Backups are retained for either seven or twenty-eight days.
Monitoring and review
Thanks to the communication between our backup software and our monitoring system, we are always kept up to date on the current status of all backups.
Our monitoring system reports failed or partially successful backups directly to our internal ticketing system. This ensures that our backup team can step in at any time to resolve any issues.
In addition, it is possible to receive a fully automated report of a test restore at regular intervals. This not only shows that a backup has been successfully carried out, but also that the restoration of various files works without any errors.