Most enterprises implement some type of data backup and recovery to prevent major data losses. Backups occur periodically to prevent catastrophic losses of data. Often, the files that individuals lose have a life cycle shorter than the major backup cycles. Until now, these data losses have been an unfortunate cost of doing business.
Recovery of a single file is not usually a simple process. Only the administrator can access the backup media to retrieve and recover the file. The user must know exactly when the file existed so that the administrator can find the right version of the file. Even after the file is recovered, the user must update the file with changes made between the time it was backed up until the time it was modified, deleted, or lost.
Individual losses of key data impact business. However, most enterprises leave prevention and recovery to the best practices and personal habits of users. In a typical network environment, users employ different techniques to ensure that they do not lose critical files. For example, some users manually save multiple versions of a file under different names. Others save the same version of a file in different locations. Some do both.
Despite precautions, almost every user has accidentally modified, lost, or deleted a key file. When problems occur, the user is left with two choices:
Wait for the administrator to recover the file from backup media, if the file was backed up at all
Painstakingly rebuild the file from a backup version or from scratch
Either solution negatively impacts business:
It’s inefficient. The user cannot access backup files without administrator action.
It’s inconvenient. The user must waste time re-creating materials.
It can affect the enterprise’s ability to meet business commitments. Time lost can impact the user’s ability to meet milestones, thereby impacting delivery to other processes down the line.