George Gaudi

The one server/one application model, which held sway pretty much from the dawn of client-server computing, began to erode in the mid-2000s as companies began to take advantage of the cost savings inherent in VMware virtualization technology

Prior to the rise of virtualization, typical IT infrastructures were simultaneously becoming more inflexible and more expensive to manage. About 70% of an average IT budget was required to maintain the status quo, negatively impacting productivity and reducing the amount of innovation a company could afford in terms of either money or time.

When it comes to Windows server data loss, there are two questions any company will ask. "Can I get it back?" The second question is, "When? " When it comes to Hyper-V server backups, the answer should invariably be "NOW!"

With more than 5X of growth in just over three years, virtualization adoption is exploding, according to Gartner. At the same time, adoption of cloud backup in both private and public clouds is growing at about the same brisk pace.

As you keep in mind that: • cloud usage among SMBs is predicted to rise at a twelve percent compound annual growth rate, and that • one in four U.S. – based SMBs were using cloud computing in one form or another at the end of 2011 (according to Techaisle, an IT research firm), here are some new – and tried and true – things to consider as you consider your own Windows Server cloud strategy.

"When we talk about Windows backup restoration in IT, we've traditionally spoken about the act of restoring a single file or other resource, says VMware virtualization expert and author Don Jones.

Disk imaging's advantage over tape in Windows Server backups cannot be underestimated when it comes to creating bullet-proof recoveries. For instance, taking disk image snapshots from a production server requires no break in productivity because the machine never has to be taken offline.

Data has always been an important asset, but right now, the need to access data 24x7 has evolved from a wish list item to a business-critical requirement. Gartner Group worries about it to, saying that in a Summer 2011 survey that 47% of respondents ranked data growth as one of the top three challenges and 62% indicating they'd be expanding hardware capacity or (for 30%) building new data centers.

Alright, we know, mousetraps are set to catch and get rid of mice, but we can't let such technicalities stand in the way of a catchy headline. And the point stands: if you don't have a disaster recovery plan, or you haven't updated it in the last two years, 2012 is the time to build one.

One of the most overused and abused statements used to scare small and medium-size businesses into buying a disaster recovery plan goes something like this: