Most of us have some form of data backup in place. Unfortunately, this tends to lull us into a false sense of security and that keeps us from addressing how well it is doing the job or from upgrading or changing to better, more reliable, automated systems such as TrueVault the “state of the art” solution from the company I work for Toggle Networks Inc.

(This is not a sales pitch, however I do want you to understand that I am totally committed to the belief that TrueVault is the best data protection system in the world and that bias affects the degree of passion that I bring to this subject.)

Here is the problem:

Any data backup system that relies on human action is automatically less reliable and more expensive than a 100% automated “set it and forget it” solution such as TrueVault.

What happens if one of the dozens of possible disasters occur that causes the loss your data and:

• You attempt to reinstall from tape and the data isn’t there?
• Only part of your data is there?
• You find out that the data recovery will take days or perhaps weeks to accomplish?

These are the hidden dangers. What can they do to you?

What are the hidden costs?

 
 Labour is expensive and the typical tape backup systems that is currently the most common method of backup is way too labour intensive. “Someone” (usually a fairly expensive “someone”) has to change the tape and check the logs daily. They usually then have to transport the tape to an offsite location, swap it for the next rotation and bring the next tape back. Occasionally they should test that the data is there and that the  reinstall does work. In the typical installation the total labour involved averages 23 minutes a day. At today’s cost of labour for “someone” , including fringe benefits labor costs $39 per hour so that amounts to $14.82 a day or over $315 a month plus tapes and depreciation of the tape backup system. We are talking over $4,000 dollars a year in hidden costs!     

Maybe it is time to reconsider how you are backing up your data.

Roberts G. Keeling

I have just recently bought my first HDTV, it is cool!  Although I would like something a little bigger, the Sony Bravia 40 inch LCD with 1080p S series is good for a first flat panel television set, it was cheap (was on sale), and our living room is not very big for a home theatre.  Another reason for a new TV set is because the old 37 inch Tube TV is too heavy to move to the new house, and someone was willing to take it for a few hundred dollars.  I was a little critical of the new flat panel televisions, but came to like my new TV.  I feel like I have made a good choice.

The two new technologies out there for HDTV are 1080p (full high definition screen resolution) and 120 Hz (to eliminate motion blurring) — not a very technical explanation, but a layman’s definition.  I am happy that I have at lease one of the two, since the 120 Hz feature the newest, therefore, the same 40 inch LCD with 120 Hz is doubled in price of my LCD TV.  I read a few discussions online and heard from everyday conversation about Plasma versus LCD technologies that are common nowadays; Japanese brand of electronics like Panasonic and Sony versus the recently popular South Korean electronic brands like Samsung and LG.  I’ve based my decision solely on these bias opinions and what my wallet permits — trying to search for the “best bang for the buck” as Lee would say — I ended up with the Japanese branded and the LCD technology.

Don’t take me wrong, the Samsung and LG LCD televisions look very modern, sleek, and very pretty, but their lifespan is very short.  Most online reviews and my father’s friend who owns an electronic repair shop indicates so. Furthermore, I’ve once saw a YouTube video clip that compared the different flat panel technologies for televisions, and they indicated that Plasmas technology TV’s are very clear, but still images left on the screen for a long time (hours), the image (like a logo of a TV channel)  will burn right into the screen permanently.  Moreover, Plasma TV’s has shorter lifespan than LCD’s as well.

Finally, my cable subscription starts August 10th, so I use the TV as a monitor for my laptop, and watched streamed online TV, DVD’s, and anime on it.  The picture looks great, I still have to try high definition cable; I know basic cable doesn’t look good on my new TV, but as Bill Gate says, in the future, everyone will be using their PC’s and internet for programs, no one will use regular cables anymore.  Looks like the future is here!  LOL