IBM Unveils Local Storage Option for Cloud-Based Backup Service

February 8, 2011 Alex Woodie

IBM‘s Business Continuity and Resiliency Services (BCRS) is now providing local data recovery services with its cloud-based backup and recovery solution. The offering, which bears the unwieldy (yet IBM-esque) name “Information Protection Services – managed backup cloud – onsite data protection,” promises to keep customers’ data safe in a cloud infrastructure, while simplifying management and recovery tasks.

According to the IBM United States Services Announcement 611-017 of January 25, the new Information Protection Services – managed backup cloud – onsite data protection service offering is a service that includes “disk and/or tape.” Customers have the option of utilizing shared cloud resources to store their backups offsite, or to get dedicated resources from BCRS.

Regardless of whether their backups reside on dedicated or shared servers, customers are guaranteed that they will have access to 24×7 monitoring of their backups. They will also be provided a Web-based interface where they can add or delete the servers that are being backed up, and also run reports. IBM promises that no IBM intervention is required to initiate recoveries.

Optional services available with Information Protection Services–managed backup cloud–onsite data protection service include: encryption; replication of data to a secondary site; recovery of replicated data at a secondary site; and shipping and recovering tape cartridges with third-party vaulting services.

BCRS says it utilizes the Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) backup and recovery software to power backups of server operating systems, databases, applications, and file systems with this offering. Because the IBM i operating system is one of the OSes supported by TSM (as a client, but not as a controlling server, of course), one could draw the conclusion that IBM i infrastructures are supported by this offering.

However, attempts to confirm this with IBM were not successful. The IBM product literature says it supports “most major formats” with this offering, which includes Oracle, SAP, Informix, DB2, Sybase, SQL Server, MS Exchange, and Lotus Notes formats. (The information on the website about this offering is, to say the least, a little “cloudy.”)

IBM offers two other services within its Information Protection Services – managed backup cloud offering, including Fastprotect online, which is designed for protecting laptops and desktops; and “remote data protection,” which is designed for protecting geographically dispersed IT environments. For more information on this topic, check out IBM BCRS’ “managed backup cloud” web page at www-935.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/offerfamily/bcrs/v935221a73552t93.

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Do the Math When Looking at IBM i Hosting for Cost Savings

COVID-19 has accelerated certain business trends that were already gaining strength prior to the start of the pandemic. E-commerce, telehealth, and video conferencing are some of the most obvious examples. One example that may not be as obvious to the general public but has a profound impact on business is the shift in strategy of IBM i infrastructure from traditional, on-premises environments to some form of remote configuration. These remote configurations and all of their variations are broadly referred to in the community as IBM i hosting.

“Hosting” in this context can mean different things to different people, and in general, hosting refers to one of two scenarios. In the first scenario, hosting can refer to a client owned machine that is housed in a co-location facility (commonly called a co-lo for short) where the data center provides traditional system administrator services, relieving the client of administrative and operational responsibilities. In the second scenario, hosting can refer to an MSP owned machine in which partition resources are provided to the client in an on-demand capacity. This scenario allows the client to completely outsource all aspects of Power Systems hardware and the IBM i operating system and database.

The scenario that is best for each business depends on a number of factors and is largely up for debate. In most cases, pursuing hosting purely as a cost saving strategy is a dead end. Furthermore, when you consider all of the costs associated with maintaining and IBM i environment, it is typically not a cost-effective option for the small to midsize market. The most cost-effective approach for these organizations is often a combination of a client owned and maintained system (either on-prem or in a co-lo) with cloud backup and disaster-recovery-as-a-service. Only in some cases of larger enterprise companies can a hosting strategy start to become a potentially cost-effective option.

However, cost savings is just one part of the story. As IBM i expertise becomes scarce and IT resources run tight, the only option for some firms may be to pursue hosting in some capacity. Whatever the driving force for pursing hosting may be, the key point is that it is not just simply an option for running your workload in a different location. There are many details to consider and it is to the best interest of the client to work with an experienced MSP in weighing the benefits and drawbacks of each option. As COVID-19 rolls on, time will tell if IBM i hosting strategies will follow the other strong business trends of the pandemic.

When we say do the math in the title above, it literally means that you need to do the math for your particular scenario. It is not about us doing the math for you, making a case for either staying on premises or for moving to the cloud. There is not one answer, but just different levels of cost to be reckoned which yield different answers. Most IBM i shops have fairly static workloads, at least measured against the larger mix of stuff on the public clouds of the world. How do you measure the value of controlling your own IT fate? That will only be fully recognized at the moment when it is sorely missed the most.

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