Know the Difference Between Backups, Archives, by Karl Paulsen.

To understand the differences in backup versus archive, one must first realize that the two are not synonymous.

Backing up data is a protective action. Backups are usually a temporary copy of a file, record or data set, which is intended for disaster recovery (DR) or data protection.

Archiving involves the long-term preservation of data. An archive is a permanent copy of the file for the purpose of satisfying data records management or for future, long-term library functions intended for the repurposing or reuse of information at a later date.

Backing up and archiving involve two distinct processes with succinctly different purposes. Today, these terminologies and practices are often used interchangeably. Until recently, some enterprises used their backup copies for both DR and archive purpose, a practice that is risky at best and costly at worst.

How does an organization address these differences? What steps should it take to mitigate risk and reduce cost, while at the same time develop a strategy for file-management that is usable, reliable, and extensible?

Continues @ http://tvtechnology.com/article/107114