Sun To Push Zmanda Backup for MySQL

The Emerging Value of Enterprise Cloud Backup

There is no question that data is king when it comes to what companies need to manage and how they can do so. In fact, there are many companies that put a lot of effort into keeping their data safe and secure at all times, and that is exactly what they should do. 

Their customers trust them to keep it safe, and the companies themselves understand that the data that they collect has real value. They have worked hard to obtain the data, and there is no point in letting it out into the wild unnecessarily. 

MySQL – and by extension Sun’s sales force – is going to start pedaling Zmanda’s open source backup and recovery software written especially for MySQL to the enterprise.

Starting April 1, MySQL Enterprise customers will be able to buy subscriptions to Zmanda’s Recovery Manager for MySQL and MySQL Cluster directly from Sun worldwide. The software is already available for download for free at http://www.mysql.com/zrm.

The agreement, coming only days after Sun closed on its billion-dollar acquisition of MySQL, is a boon for the start-up, which previously only had a loose marketing deal with MySQL under which little Zmanda and its two salesmen had to do all the selling and fulfillment.

CEO Chander Kant calls the arrangement a “game-changer” for Zmanda. Now all he’s got to do is persuade Sun to push Zmanda into a backup situation where it currently pushes Veritas. Zmanda is simpler than Veritas – with maybe 80% of the bells and whistles – and a lot cheaper. It’s also consistent with Sun’s current open source strategy.

Why Should Companies Use Cloud-Backup Processes? 

There comes a time when every company owner or manager asks themselves: "Why should I bother with cloud backup when my data is already stored in the cloud?". It feels redundant to them, and they may decide to skip out on getting the cloud backup plan that they are offered.

This is a dangerous mistake to make though. It turns out that cloud backup plans are highly effective and excellent ways to get a lot more peace of mind about the security of your data. 

Here are a few of the reasons why data backup in the cloud is a must: 

• Someone could inadvertently delete sensitive files - Human error is a big problem to deal with when talking about any kind of technology. Unfortunately, it is not possible to completely get rid of all human errors, but there are steps that one can take to reduce that problem to some extent. They can choose to get cloud backup as a way of keeping their files completely safe and secure no matter what kind of mistakes an individual may make. 

• Hackers - The cloud has become a big target for hackers. They look at all of the data that floats around on the cloud, and they smell opportunity. If you don't want your data to fall into the wrong hands, you need to make sure it is fully backed up on the cloud. 

• Theft or loss - Data can be stolen from people on the inside as well. A disgruntled employee can do a lot of damage to a company if they have their mind set on it. If you leave your systems completely vulnerable, then you might expect that someone who is upset with you and how you have run your organization may come along and steal the data that you have worked hard to collect. What they might do with that data is a nightmare scenario. You always need a backup and a plan. 

These are just a few of the reasons why cloud backup is a must. Do not allow yourself to get into the mindset that you are going to be safe and secure at all times no matter what. The truth is, the odds are high that you will end up with some security lapses that prevent you from keeping your materials as safe as you would like for them to be kept. If that happens to you, you will be sorry that you didn't get cloud backup. 

Zmanda for MySQL runs $300 a year per user with email support during working hours. It’s console-based and works on Solaris 10 and Linux.

It offers point-in-time recovery, local and remote configuration support, and a graphical MySQL log analyzer that pinpoints unwanted events and actions.

It has a plug-in architecture that supports Solaris ZFS snapshot, Linux LVM, Windows VSS snapshot, Network Appliance snapshot, and Veritas VxFS enabling DBAs to create quicker, more consistent backup images of a live MySQL database.

Zmanda Offers Backup Security for an Entire Organization

The cost of Zmanda is approximately $300 per year for each user that has a work email. That may sound like a lot, but that expense is relatively minor compared to what it would cost if you had a major data breach. 

There are stories that pop up in the news all the time about some of the largest and most successful companies in the world getting hacked. However, small businesses are the ones that are often hacked. 

Criminals see a small business as a more vulnerable target, and they are quick to attack what they see as easy prey. You do NOT want to leave yourself open to such attacks. 

Zmanda is already used to protect more than 1 million servers worldwide. That is how much it is trusted, and that is the kind of loyalty that many customers have to this particular brand. 

Department of Homeland Security Certified

There is a special certification that comes from the Department of Homeland Security that is awarded to companies that prove that they have the capabilities necessary to handle even the most aggressive attacks. 

This certification is a stamp of approval from the Department stating that they believe that the software is of the highest quality and is able to keep users' information and data safe and secure. Zmanda has received that certification, and they are proud to share this fact with their customers. 

What this means in a practical sense is that Zmanda can be used across government servers to keep their information secure as well. That is a very big deal because the government is not going to trust just any old security provider to come in to help. 

Rather, they rely on top-notch quality providers that they know for a fact have the qualifications necessary to create a system that will stand up to anything that is thrown at it. 

If Zmanda is good enough for the Department of Homeland Security, then it should be good enough for your business as well. There are many options that you have to choose from, but few will do everything that this one can. 

You deserve to have the very best working for your systems to keep them safe from outside attacks. If that is what you are going for, then Zmanda is the choice for you. Our world is moving towards using the cloud for everything, so it is nice to know that there are products like Zmanda that can help keep the data stored within the cloud safe from outside attacks.