Simple and Effective BDR Plan with Buffalo Windows Server IoT NAS

Why is BDR Essential for Businesses of All Sizes

Every business needs to have a Business and Disaster Recovery (BDR) plan. A data loss event can occur at any time, from sudden server hardware failure to natural disasters to human error. Cyberthreats are also prevalent, especially in the recent widespread shift to remote work. Threat actors are well aware that employees working from home are not surrounded with the same security infrastructure as in an office, and any business can be a target, regardless of its size.

With SMB already contending with a smaller IT budget, it is paramount that you have an effective BDR plan to protect your data from a growing number of cyberthreats.

BDR Solution Built for the ‘S’ in ‘SMB’

For businesses with tighter budgets, a complete BDR appliance can offer the perfect blend of functionality and affordability to prevent data loss. An effective BDR appliance should include powerful hardware with a myriad of flexible backup features to easily back up data quickly and securely and recovery features that make the recovery process fast and simple, enabling effortless BDR while on a budget.

The TeraStation WS5020 NAS is a versatile storage/backup solution that doubles as a standalone BDR appliance. While dedicated BDR appliances from competitors can be costly, such as requiring separate subscriptions for the device and other services, the Buffalo TeraStation with Windows Server IoT 2019 offers flexible data recovery options in the face of a disaster to enable effortless achievement of Recovery Time Objective (RTO) for small businesses during a data loss event while keeping costs to a minimum.

Benefits of the Buffalo TeraStation BDR Appliance

The TeraStation WS5020 offers many benefits both as a standalone BDR appliance solution and an effective storage/backup solution.

1. Low-Cost Deployment

The native Windows Server IoT 2019 on the TeraStation offers the full functionality of Windows Server 2019, and since the NAS is a Windows Server product, it can be integrated seamlessly into an existing Windows environment. The TeraStation supports any Windows-compatible cloud and software services to be used as part of your backup strategy, so you can continue to use the same platforms you are already using. The TeraStation doesn’t require Client Access Licenses (CALs), ensuring cost savings for both installation and integration.

2. Native Features to Optimize Storage and Reduce Data Errors

Windows Server IoT 2019 Standard Edition includes the Data Deduplication feature, which optimizes storage space and can help eliminate data errors. By identifying duplicate chunks in files, then storing one copy and replacing all others with pointers, this feature can maximize your storage, and reduce the occurrence of data errors that arise from writing duplicate data to a drive. With data needs growing quickly, this feature can help you minimize additional storage investment in the long run.

Note: When you migrate deduplicated data from one NAS to another, the data size will revert to its original size.

3. High Data Availability and Protection

With the DFS Replication feature, you can replicate data to multiple locations so data remains safe even if the original NAS becomes inaccessible. Windows Server provides services that protect the endpoint against web-based threats by blocking outbound processes on the NAS to untrusted IP addresses. Azure File Sync also allows you to cache several Azure file shares on a Windows server or virtual machine.

4. Quick, Hassle-free Data Backup and Recovery

Recovering deleted or corrupted data takes time. The Shadow Copy feature native on Windows Server IoT 2019 allows you to create snapshots of files and volumes, even when they are in use. In the event of a data disaster, you can quickly and easily revert to an earlier system state without having to jump through hoops or undergo tedious data restoration.

The IT Administrator can set up the snapshot schedule and allow end users to recover previous versions of files if necessary.

5. Virtualization Provides Robust Backup/Replication Options

Windows Server IoT 2019 also offers Hyper-V virtual machine (VM) backup and recovery for more streamlined, low-cost quick data recovery. By utilizing the NAS device as a VM archive, you can create entire VMs on any hardware that supports them. Restoring VMs eliminates the need to restore or duplicate individual hardware devices—and having to contend with failures due to hardware dependencies or software reinstalls. Instead, you can recover to any hardware or run workloads on standby hardware, allowing you to easily access backup data and to bypass downtime temporarily.

If another file server becomes inaccessible, the TeraStation WS5020 can be set up as an immediate temporary replacement, ensuring minimal operational disruptions while the original server gets repaired. With recent global events disrupting supply chains, a replacement server may not be immediately available, and having a temporary replica of the downed server can potentially save your business.

Buffalo WS IoT NAS for Effortless BDR

The TeraStation with Windows Server IoT 2019 is a Network-Attached Storage that serves as a complete BDR appliance to help you execute and maintain a BDR strategy without breaking your budget. The WS5020 features reliable hardware that meets strict industry compliance and regulations, as well as supporting any cloud service of the customer’s choice. This provides customers the flexibility to store and back up data from physical servers, virtual machines, and the cloud, enabling both onsite and offsite locations for secure data storage and backup.

If a server goes down and you are not able to immediately replace it, you are looking at costly downtime. By enabling flexible backup/restore options and being able to step in as a temporary backup server should another server go down, the WS5020 ensures minimal operational disruption while the original server is being serviced or replaced.

Besides enabling the flexibility of backing up multiple locations and offsite replication, the WS IoT TeraStation leverages a myriad of Windows Server IoT 2019 features to help you effect a cost-effective BDR strategy for your customer.