What Is Database Backup? How It Protects Business Data

It's time to look at a significant, yet often overlooked, system in organizations worldwide: the database.

The database is the brain of any organization. It's responsible for storing, securing, and retrieving data. Schools, hospitals, and even simple businesses use a database to store information about their employees, customers, and inventory.

Data loss is a looming threat for tech departments. Unfortunately, data loss and fraud happens to many organizations every day. Loss of data due to human error, natural calamities, and malicious black hat hackers destroy customer trust and company revenue.

Having a backup is the best way to ensure that all your data is available and recoverable in case of loss or corruption. Businesses can use a database backup to recover and move information between databases.

Enterprises can guarantee that their data is always accessible by using database backup software. As the cost of downtime rises, businesses must ensure they have safe data backups for quick recovery.

It's critical to maintain a database backup in case the original becomes corrupt or lost for any reason. Admins can use the backup to restore the database to its pre-failure state. Transaction log files are also kept in backups with database data since the data would be meaningless without them.

A database backup is a security solution for structured data in database workloads. A good database backup strategy is a vital part of any business. Without frequent backups, you risk losing all the organization's structured data housed in databases such as SAP HANA and Microsoft SQL Server.

Database backups ideally encompass hybrid settings, as businesses require backup and recovery of their data on-premises and in cloud environments. Organizations rely on structured information stored in corporate databases to keep valuable information in a relational fashion. This serves as the backbone for many business-critical applications, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and customer relationship management (CRM) software.

Database backups are created to guarantee that a business complies with corporate and government requirements. These backups also retain and ensure access to essential business data in the event of a disaster or technical failure.

Importance of database backup

Data is an integral part of business growth and continuity. The amount generated every day is mind-boggling, and all of it has to be saved and safeguarded from loss. The database is the lifeblood of a system and powers the decision-making process.

The need for database workloads has increased over time. Businesses rely on larger and quicker databases to hold their information, and if their data is destroyed, it's irreparable.

Data loss can hurt a business in every aspect. Physical destruction causes downtime, and in most cases, is inadvertent. Data corruption, however, is intentional and caused by poor maintenance.

The average data breach cost is estimated to be $4.24 million, with a cost of $180 per lost or stolen record. After a disruptive incident, the impact of data loss can continue for years. Info loss and application failure can also be due to scheduled and unexpected disruptions if there is no strong database backup.

Businesses often forget about database backup. The problems that arise from database corruption or accidental deletion of data can be expensive and even dangerous. Companies that don't safeguard their database workloads risk losing money and significant customer losses due to lengthy outages and recovery periods.

Database backup is crucial for data protection, even for the most profitable businesses. The more complex the business is, the more critical it is to develop an effective database backup strategy. Advantages of database backup are reduced downtime, data lifecycle management, business continuity, and database recoverability after a malicious attack.

Reasons for failure in a database

A database is the core of any enterprise or application. Therefore, it has to be rock solid and never fail. A database backup and recovery plan is essential because databases can fail for various reasons. 

Some causes of database failure are:

• Human error: Although most operations are automated, there are still several activities that users must complete manually. An employee can unknowingly remove or edit data and prevent the database management system (DBMS) from communicating with the database. In most cases, user error is the leading cause of information deletion or corruption. To correct the problem, database administrators (DBAs) must restore the system to a point before the issue arises.
• Power failure: Power outages can cause hardware failure. Cables, power supplies, or storage devices are affected during power outages. This can cause data loss or make it unavailable. Admins must isolate the affected area before determining whether the power outage affected the database. Physical devices such as cables, power supplies, and storage devices are often damaged during power failures and fluctuations.
• Hardware failure: Hardware failure can also result in information loss. Databases are spread over numerous disk drives in multiple locations, and these hard drives can occasionally fail, resulting in database corruption. Therefore, it's critical to change them regularly. Disk failure is one of the most prevalent reasons for data loss. While power outages can cause disc failure, discs can also fail due to physical damage or a logical failure.
• Transaction failure: A transaction failure occurs because of logical flaws in the code, affecting a few tables or processes. It usually occurs when there are system issues, such as a deadlock or lack of system resources to complete the transaction.
• Software corruption: Companies that employ traditional in-house IT architectures are more vulnerable to software corruption than those with cloud-based services. While cloud services offer resource flexibility and scalability, traditional IT infrastructures have fixed sets of physical resources that are manually upgraded. When the number of end-users increases, the apps that consume the same resources are distributed among the new users, causing difficulties such as freezing and crashing. Crashing is often highly damaging if the user is working on a database.
• Malicious actors: An organization cannot function safely without using a competent security solution. Cyber assaults, such as ransomware, are a danger that businesses currently confront.
• Catastrophic events: A catastrophic event can be a natural disaster, such as a flood, or an act of purposeful sabotage like database hacking. In either case, the database data is easily damaged and therefore needs a backup.

How does database backup work?

Database backup is a safety net. It allows you to restore your database in case of an emergency. Backup copies are also used for moving information to other equipment, like in the event of a server migration.

Backups are performed using various methods based on the needs of the business or the application in which they are used. Database backup plays a crucial role in any business because it stores information on a computer to be retrieved and used in the future when needed. 

Several software programs are available to perform this function, and each one is designed to provide various levels of protection and ease of use.

When data is lost, it's restored to its initial condition using a backup. These can be incremental or differential backups and happen as frequently as needed.

Database backups are a critical component of a disaster recovery strategy. Database backup software can save backups to local or cloud storage. It's crucial to think about storage strategies, especially for substantial data volumes, and consider cost and recovery point objectives (RPOs) and recovery time objectives (RTOs).

The 3-2-1 rule of backup stipulates that businesses keep three copies of their data in two locations, one of which is remote. Database backup solutions allow companies to keep the primary storage on-site for a speedy recovery of big on-premises workloads while transferring secondary copies to the cloud for remote storage.

Some businesses make backup copies of the database on an external storage device to avoid data loss. These copies allow them to restore the database from the original data backup.

Backups are done in two ways: online and offline. Online backups are prepared without the need to shut down the database. During the security procedure, the database stores the modifications made in a separate area and adds them to the relevant file at the conclusion.

An offline backup occurs if you shut the database down during the backup. Offline database backup strategy has the benefit of being reasonably simple to use, but it also means that programs and services will be unavailable throughout the backup process.

Types of database backups

Database backups help avoid any data loss and make sure you can always restore your database, tables, and rows. There are two types of database backups that you can use to ensure your database is always safe and available.

Physical database backup

Physical backups are copies of database files and directories. This includes files, data controls, and archived logs. Businesses should keep physical backups in a separate, secure location, such as a disk, tape, or cloud. Physical backups are handy when you have to restore the entire database in a short amount of time. 

Physical backups can either be a full or incremental backup. A full physical backup includes a complete collection of data files, archived files, and transaction files. A full physical backup is required if a business wants a comprehensive database restore with minimum application failures and information loss. It's advisable to perform a complete physical backup once a week or once a month. Full physical backups are executed during total downtime to avoid inconsistent data showing up during the data recovery.

An incremental physical backup is best suited for an organization that only needs to backup recent transactions. Incremental physical backups don't need any downtime for data backup. However, this form of backup can cause database processes to slow down.

Logical database backup

A logical database backup is a file that contains copies of database information. This includes information on tables, functions, schemas, views, and procedures and is often exported as a binary file. Logical backups are an excellent alternative if companies need to restore or relocate a copy of the database to another platform.

Full logical backups are performed regularly and widely employed as a fallback if a full physical backup is unavailable. Logical backups are not enough to defend against data loss as they only offer structural information. The logical data components in the backup are restored at the lowest level with all interdependency elements on a given database platform using an appropriate import tool.

Database backup methods

Effectively backing up your database begins with understanding your business capabilities and picking the appropriate form of backup for the situation. There are several ways to back up a database, but there is no universal solution. Depending on the project and budget, you'll have to choose the method that satisfies your needs most.

Full database backup

A full database backup includes all of the data in a database and enough log to enable recovery. It serves as the foundation for both differential backup and transaction log backup. 

Full or normal backups cover all of the data in a database. Full backups take a long time to complete due to the enormous volume of data they handle. However, they back up every bit of information they are entrusted with copying.

When a full backup is performed, it backs up all of the data on that drive. The information is subsequently transferred to the destination of choice, like backup tapes, a secondary drive, or the cloud, and all archive bits are reset.

Full backups are the quickest way to restore a database as all of the data is kept in one area. The disadvantage of full backups is that they take a very long time to complete, which can be detrimental for businesses in certain situations. Even if they run overnight, large-capacity drives may not be able to do a full backup. To save time in these circumstances, incremental and differential backups can be added to the backup schedule.

Incremental database backup

An incremental database backup saves the data that has changed since the last backup. Incremental backups run much faster than the other types of backups.

Running full backups only on weekends is a standard method to deal with the high operational duration they demand. Since incremental backups take significantly less time, many companies schedule them throughout the week. Only files that have been updated since the last full backup are included in an incremental backup. Once an incremental backup has been completed, admins won't back up the file again unless it is modified or the next full backup is completed.

Data recovery via incremental backups is slightly risky because it relies on the prior backups not being corrupted. If a typical backup runs on Saturday and a file is updated Monday morning, it's restored from the Monday night backup if something goes wrong with that file on Tuesday. However, if the entire drive is lost or corrupted, then admins would need to restore the full backup and every incremental backup done since the full backup.

Differential database backup

A differential database backup is an alternative to incremental backups and provides a more straightforward recovery process. Differential database backups only capture data that has been modified since the last full backup. Since they only backup what has been changed since the previous full backup, it can lower the time required to conduct a database backup.

However, differential backups don't clear the archive bit. As a result, files that have been modified after a full backup are archived every time a differential backup is conducted until the subsequent full backup runs and clears the archive bit. 

A full backup doesn't rely on earlier differential backups to recover data and provides a more comprehensive picture of what has changed. On the other hand, a differential backup reduces restoration time by backing up the most recent data update.

For example, say a full database backup starts on Saturday night and a table is updated on Monday. In that case, that data is backed up when the differential database backup begins on Monday night. Since the archive bit is not removed in a differential backup, that data will be copied on every differential backup until a full backup runs, capturing all of the database's files and resetting the archive bit.

In the case of a database failure, the last full backup and the most recent differential backup is needed to restore the database to its pre-failure state. This takes less time than an incremental backup restoration. However, each time a differential backup runs, the backup files become larger and the time it takes to complete the backup grows longer.

Mirror database backup

A mirror backup is similar to a full backup and generates an identical replica of the source database. Still, only the most recent data version is saved in the backup repository, with no record of previous versions of the files. The backup is a copy of the original data in the database.

With a mirror backup, all of the backed-up data is saved independently, just as it was in the source.  One advantage of a mirror backup is a quick data recovery time, where individually backed-up files are easily accessed. One disadvantage of mirror backups is the quantity of storage space required. Organizations should be aware of the cost increases and maintenance requirements that come with more storage.

Furthermore, if there is a problem in the source database, such as corruption or deletion, the mirror backup suffers the same fate. As a result, it's best not to solely rely on mirror backups.

Use cases for database backup

Database backups are the best way to ensure your information is always available. There are many instances where you'll want to back up your whole database. Organizations use database backup for the following reasons:

• Data security: Without adequate database workload security, data is still vulnerable to loss and damage. Database backup protects the integrity of business-critical structured data and delivers accessible viable backups of lost data - whether due to accidental loss, data overwriting, or cyberattack.
• Business continuity: Businesses use database backup solutions to safeguard their large datasets and necessary configurations to restore their services after unanticipated disruptions. Companies can be more confident in their disaster recovery preparations with active on-premises backup and cloud copies.
• Disaster recovery: Organizations and IT infrastructures regularly confront unanticipated incidents that result in data loss, corruption, or disruption of operations. Using database backup software assures preparedness and lowers the chances of accidental business disruptions.

Benefits of database backup

Database backup is a commonly used practice in the IT environment. It reduces the risk of data loss due to unforeseen circumstances.

Below are the main benefits of database backup:

• Transparency: Most database backup systems keep several copies of a backup simultaneously. This offers insight into data changes over time, allowing businesses to construct patterns from their data.
• Unrestricted data access: An online backup solution is ideal for businesses as it enables them to access their data at any time and from any location. These adaptable backup solutions are also cost-effective since they save money on IT resources, such as tapes required for data storage and preservation.
• Scaling databases: As data expands, database backups must continue without interruption or slowdown. Backup software allows businesses to scale seamlessly.

Challenges of database backup

Backups are a critical part of a database's lifecycle and are part of the foundations of modern data protection. Most database administrators don't treat a database backup as routine. This helps keep database management costs low, increases the downtime risk, and necessitates a longer recovery time.

Some of the challenges of database backup include:

• Log management: Oversized logs are frequently the result of a poor database backup strategy. Purchasing more hard disk space to handle database maintenance operations is just a temporary solution. Users can also add a temporary secondary log to address the log file's excessive growth, but this slows down the data recovery process.
• Database backup speed: Backup speed is affected by two significant factors: the volume of data and the bandwidth speed. The more data copied during the backup, the longer it'll take to complete the process. However, internet connection rates can compound this when backing up files from large databases. Even modest volumes of data take a substantial amount of time to backup if bandwidth is weak.

Best database backup software

Database backup solutions secure business-critical data by storing database copies on-premises or on the cloud. Backups are performed to ensure data integrity in case of database corruption, accidental deletion, or failure of the databases. Businesses can guarantee their data is always available in the backup – even if their primary database fails.

IT departments often configure backup applications for business teams that need data security and peace of mind for vital files.

A solution must meet the following criteria to be considered for inclusion in the database backup category:

• Enable automated and manual backups
• Connect with other IT infrastructure and support solutions
• Copy and backup information from one or more database systems

*Below are the five leading database backup software vendors from G2's Winter 2022 Grid® Report. Some reviews may be edited for clarity.

1. NAKIVO Backup & Replication

NAKIVO Backup & Replication is an all-in-one database protection and ransomware recovery solution for small and medium-sized businesses and enterprises. It's a cost-effective and reliable solution for SaaS, cloud, on-premises, and virtual environments.

What users like:

"The ability to convert a standalone server to VM, and the addition of tape and VTL support for backup, was the only thing pending. NAKIVO is straightforward to use and has a clean interface."

-  NAKIVO Backup & Replication Review, Jacob G.

What users dislike:

"When I configured NAKIVO Backup for VMware 6.7 U3, it didn't identify VMs on my VMware platform. So I had to get a patch. But after a week, the NAKIVO team was able to release their latest permanent build with VMware 6.7 U3 support."

-  NAKIVO Backup & Replication Review, Yasas Sri S.

2. Druva Phoenix

Druva Phoenix offers a distinct cloud-native solution that enables enterprises to expedite their cloud journey by lowering infrastructure administration and enhancing business resilience. Druva Phoenix provides superior performance, scalable all-in-one backup, disaster recovery, archival, and analytics to simplify data protection, lower costs, and improve visibility in today's complex information settings.

What users like:

"Among the best elements of Druva Phoenix is the customer service. The department is professional, responds efficiently, and delivers a solution in a short amount of time. The implementation of the service is also flawless. 

You can also create a backup copy for the entire virtual machine. This way, the customer doesn't have to worry about copies of each component separately, saving money on different services. The fact that the service is run in the cloud makes the whole process easier and eliminates the need to maintain expensive on-site infrastructure."

-  Druva Phoenix Review, Naveen V.

What users dislike:

"When something isn't backing up, we need to dive into a log file on the server to parse out what went wrong. I prefer to be able to go back to the console and try to backup just that one file again."

-  Druva Phoenix Review, Keith R.

3. dbForge Studio for MySQL

dbForge Studio for MySQL is a MySQL and MariaDB client for database management, administration, and development. Thanks to this intuitive MySQL client, working with data and code has become more accessible and pleasant for users. The GUI provides utilities to analyze, sync, and schedule backup for MySQL databases, as well as the ability to examine and report MySQL table data.

What users like:

"We use dbForge Studio for MySQL in our development process to quickly design and administer MariaDB deployments. This tool, especially compared to the command line management that we used in the past, meets all our needs with clear menus and panels to identify and work with multiple databases in any way imaginable.

Executing scripts has never been easier. There is no "perfect" tool, but this comes close. If you are looking for a tool that'll save you time while making you more productive, then dbForge Studio for MySQL is an excellent choice that we strongly recommend it."

-  dbForge Studio for MySQL Review, Kirk B.

What users dislike:

"There's not much I don't like about this tool. However, while using it, the app sometimes crashes I did report the issue almost every time it threw an error so they can improve it in future releases."

-  dbForge Studio for MySQL Review, Phi B.

4. Arcserve UDP

Arcserve Unified Data Protection (UDP) provides data protection and disaster recovery. It's the first of its type to integrate business-ready capabilities without the complexity of standard enterprise solutions, thanks to heterogeneous, image-based technology.

With global, source-side deduplication, businesses can back up their critical data to a local machine or a central recovery point server (RPS). Users can fully protect their workloads on a wide range of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Amazon EC2, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Exchange, MS SQL, Oracle Database, PostgreSQL, VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, and Nutanix AHV.

What users like:

"Arcserve UDP offers our customers complete protection with ransomware protection, backup and restore of Windows and Linux systems, SLA testing, and standby functions for VMs in conjunction with Arcserve CA HA functionality."

-  Arcserve UDP Review, Georg H. W.

What users dislike:

"Activation and licensing after or during the installation is bad. An upgrade from an old version to a newer version usually leads to activation problems. The activation is carried out several times offline or online. If none of this works, users need to reach out to customer support."

-  Arcserve UDP Review, Peter S.

5. Clumio

Clumio assists businesses in streamlining data protection on AWS. Its secure air-gapped SaaS platform protects against ransomware and allows businesses to meet strict compliance requirements, backup and recover data in minutes, and gain improved insight to manage cloud storage expenses.

Clumio automates the growth and contraction of resources as needed, removing the need for sophisticated capacity planning.

What users like:

"It's super simple. Many backup solutions fail all the time, but this one works. Their support is also excellent. I often call other companies for support and I end up knowing more about their product than they do. That's not the case with Clumio. They’re very professional and always get the job done."

-  Clumio Review, David G.

What users dislike:

"The permissions in the Clumio console are still a little too broad without much granularity for who has access to what specific portions."

-  Clumio Review, Joe A.

Backup your database now!

One of the most important things to keep your business up and running is to keep regular backups of your data. It's critical to have backup copies of the whole database.

Your backups should include a copy of both the metadata and the record data in primary and secondary storage locations, which are used to recover data if it gets lost or damaged. You never know when the worst may happen, so staying safe is always a good idea.

Are you looking to create a backup of all your data? Learn how online backup software can safeguard all kinds of business information.