Securing data at remote locations can be a continual headache for IT managers. Have you ever pondered the following?

• Is an onsite back up of the data enough to ensure security?
• Is a copy of the data at HQ sufficient?
• OR do I need both to ensure reliable availability and speedy recovery?
• Also, do all remote branches have enough bandwidth for the amount of data to be backed up?

So if any of the above – or all four – are keeping you awake at night then Purple Rage Software has the ideal remedy.

NovaStor’s tried and trusted solutions for data protection in a shared data centre meet the needs of an IT environment with centralised network backup and the backups of multiple locations.

All of this is possible due to a winning combination of a simple centralised management process, unlimited scalability and reliable backup and, above all, recovery performance.

Whether the data is located centrally, locally or in the cloud, swift access is always guaranteed.

Ideal for remote offices is NovaBACKUP Remote Workforce, which delivers a solution that can be managed centrally but is optimised for data transfer over small bandwidths. Check out the other benefits:

• Simple to use;
• Desktops and laptops in home offices or for colleagues on the road can be backed up with the same solution from one installation;
• Individual access rights for centralised and local IT managers enable flexible task sharing;
• Backup rules can be created the same way as groups at the central administration.

To find out how NovaStor products can help your business or organisation run more effectively, call Purple Rage sales director Jan Gregson on 01684 576343 or email enquiries@purplerage.com

NovaStor can also be bought online at http://store.purplerage.com/

Here at Purple Rage we’re happy to announce that NovaBackup 14.1 is available today.

This new version builds on the award winning features of previous versions:

• Its faster than ever;
• It is certified for Windows 8 and Windows 2012;
• More flexible with remote management of backup disaster recovery and product licencing;
• More powerful than ever with fully integrated cloud backup functionality with free 2 GB storage included;
• Easier than ever with a new wizard to protect all critical data in simple 5 steps.

We’ve got special pricing for you so you can upgrade immediately. Get your order in for an upgrade or new licences before the end of the year and get even better prices.

Want to know more? A fully functional evaluation is available at www.purplerage.com/download or if you prefer, contact sales@purplerage.com or call 01684 576343 to request an evaluation to be sent to you.

NovaBACKUP can be ordered online at http://store.purplerage.com

We look forward to hearing from you.

Midland-based specialists Purple Rage Software do solutions to help you do business – and  keep your company’s data safe.

It’s easy to dismiss the data backup process as expensive and complicated but prevention is far better than cure.

The ideal solution is NovaBackup, the highly rated backup software and data protection solution from NovaStor.

Whatever the size of your business, it’s fast, reliable and easy to use – and there are plenty of options including:

• NovaBackup Business Essentials – the ONLY data protection software solution for small and medium businesses serious about protecting their critical information. An all-in-one package at a competitive price;
• NovaBackup Business Protection – backs up and protects important files on all of your computers from one control panel;
• NovaBackup Remote Workforce – protects data securely in your head office, independent of your employees’ location.

Look out for version 14.1 which gets released on the 5th December. More details to come.

Want to know more? A fully functional evaluation is available at www.purplerage.com/download or if you prefer, contact sales@purplerage.com or call 01684 576343 to request an evaluation to be sent to you.

NovaBACKUP can also be ordered online at http://store.purplerage.com/

We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Jan Gregson

ONE of the leading products in the Purple Rage Software portfolio – NovaBACKUP – has been treated to a fresh look for spring 2012.

Launched on Friday, April 13 – now that’s got to be a good omen! – version 13 offers the following brand new benefits:

• Full, incremental and differential image for speedy and efficient imaging;
• Universal restore for the recovery of entire systems to dissimilar hardware;
• Access to individual files and folders of images;
• Backup and restore of encrypted hard drives;
• Windows PE support – which guarantees a consistently updated boot environment for complete system recovery;
• Optimised for new markets with language support for Brazilian, traditional Chinese, Portuguese and Turkish.

Nova BACKUP version 13 is available in three variations – Professional protects single workstations, Server works happily with single file servers and Business Essentials guarantees advanced server protection. Simply call Purple Rage Software to find out which one suits your business, organisation or personal requirements best. 

If the above list isn’t crammed with enough temptations, all three formats also include the following:

• Critically acclaimed 2-step wizard for ease of use;
• Plug and play support for all popular storage devices;
• Full cloud backup capabilities;
• Data encryption to ensure privacy;
• Point-in-time and bare metal restore;
• Open file backup;
• Virus scans and disaster recovery.

Contact Rob or Jan at Purple Rage Software on 01684 576343 or email enquiries@purplerage.com for more details about NovaBACKUP 13.

LOSING data could be a disaster for your company – and it’s the last thing you want to think about while you’re enjoying a hard earned summer holiday.

It’s all too easy to wave away the data backup process as expensive and complicated. And, of course, in-house horrors always happen to someone else – don’t they?

Adopting a devil-may-care attitude to backing up is the IT equivalent of leaving home in the morning without locking the front door.

And don’t think you can copy your files to an external hard drive. This inefficient method means those all-important files won’t be protected from viruses and most importantly, your entire operating system is left completely exposed.

Before you jet off, contact Purple Rage Software and we’ll find an affordable and reliable backup solution that’s a perfect fit for your company.

Recently named ‘Best Buy’ by Consumers Digest and given the Gold Award by TopTenReviews.com, NovaBACKUP 12 is a hit with critics, consumers and IT managers alike.

This champagne super NOVA provides:

• Local back up – Ideal if you want to access Word and Excel files, photos and videos even after your computer battery has died;

• Online backup – Ensures that critical data is safe even in the event of a disaster such as fire or when your computer and local storage device(s) have been destroyed;

• Virus protection – Keeps backup files safe from harmful viruses;

• Disk imaging – If the operating system or hard drive crashes, you can be up and running again in the space of just half an hour, saving you both time and money.

For more information about how NovaBACKUP can help your business run more effectively, contact Purple Rage Software on 01684 576343 or email enquiries@purplerage.com

We do solutions, you do business.

A first class software solution never rests on its laurels and the latest version of NovaBACKUP is surely destined for more awards and critical acclaim.

Available through Purple Rage Software, NovaBACKUP V12.1 makes it easy for businesses to follow data protection procedures.

This cost effective and super reliable package protects vital information round the clock thanks to straightforward operating processes and automated schedules.

So even if you’ve got one eye on the shopping or a night out and forget about backing up, it won’t.

In previous blogs, we’ve investigated how NovaBACKUP can help companies with a large number of office-based employees or delivery drivers who are constantly on the road.

But 12.1 appeals to anyone who wants to save money and have a system that gives IT staff more time to focus on everyday tasks. Training on the system is no nonsense and speedy too.

So what’s new about NovaBACKUP V12.1?

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 support;
• Flexible Application Restore;
• FastBIT 3, which dramatically reduces file backup times;
• Cloud Restore;
• Wizard for Restore on portable storage device;
• Multiple user logins for central management console (CMC) – different logins can be set up for different departments or levels of permission;
• A single CMC with multiple logins – allows managed service providers to give access to customers, employees and resellers.

Purple Rage Software would love to tell you how version 12.1 can take the worry out of backup and help your business run more efficiently and cost effectively. Call Jan Gregson or Rob Dixon on 01684 576343 or email enquiries@purplerage.com

Back in April we announced the release of Peer Software’s latest product, Peer DRS, which allows you to replicate up to the minute changes in SQL Server databases to cold or warm standby systems. There are so many scenarios where DRS can work for you if you’ve got SQL Server 2000, 2005 or version 7. Well they’ve just released a new version and a new entry-level edition.

Peer DRS now has a new independant management console to configure and control the service which is at the heart of the product. European as well as US date formats are now supported. Small Business Edition has been created which runs on all the SQL Server versions as the Standard edition, but with a few limitations:

• Maximum of 2 systems acting as source and target machines
• Maximum of 4 databases per source server
• Maximum of 1 warm standby target servers
• Transfers via SSH and SFTP are disabled

The good news is the price. Only £382 for the SBE, as opposed to £573 for the Standard. It’s hard to know how companies can do without Peer DRS. You get up to the minute protection, the ability to bring a warm standby on line within minutes, and be totally up to date. What more could an IT person need, apart from the resulting undisturbed nights’ sleep. More information can be found here.

Since Peer Software released their latest product, Peer DRS, in mid-April we’ve had numerous questions asking what DRS is all about and what it can do to help protect a company’s SQL Servers. After all, SQL Server has its own replication so why would you want Peer DRS. In this respect the answer is very simple; if you want SQL Server replication you need enterprise licenses and these don’t come cheap. If you’re a large firm then the extra cost may not be a issue, but for smaller firms the higher initial and on-going costs hurt budgets, and year on year.

We’re asked almost every week; I need a solution so I can have two databases at two locations. From the remote site users only need to read their local copy of the database, no updates. Prior to Peer DRS the only solution was get yourself some enterprise licenses. Not now. One way of running Peer DRS allows you to distribute your data and make it available read only. How up to date would you like that other copy? Up to the last minute be OK? Now you can run your reports against the copy and save network bandwidth.

The number of different ways that you can use Peer DRS is quite stunning:

• One-to-One Standby Replication
• Many-to-One Standby Replication
• One-to-Many Standby Replication
• One-to-One File Copy
• One-to-One File Copy Multiple Location
• Clone to same server

More information is available from +44-(0)871-2500058, at purplerage.com/peer-drs, or via email.

Purple Rage, a UK distributor of software solutions for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX, announces the release of Peer Software’s Peer DRS. Peer DRS delivers centralised database backup and replication, with changes being transmitted to one or more remote locations. The initial release supports Microsoft SQL Server; future releases will support other database platforms (Microsoft® Exchange®, MSDE, MySQL, etc.).

Peer DRS is an application which provides a framework for automating the replication of databases and incremental changes from primary servers. Replicated data is then restored onto one or more target standby servers. Transaction logs are automatically backed up throughout the day which are then automatically restored on standby servers located anywhere in the world. Through continuous data protection Peer DRS is able to deliver the resilience companies need for their database applications, even in the most diverse environments. Peer DRS is highly configurable to meet the needs of almost any backup scenario.

Paul Marsala, CEO of Peer Software said, “Peer DRS was developed to meet an unaddressed need: centralising and simplifying the replication of an organisation’s databases, wherever they may reside. Peer DRS has a plug-in architecture allowing it to support different types of database backups from a single application. As with all our backup and synchronization tools, Peer DRS combines enterprise-grade functionality with ease-of-use. Once configured, it will manage all database replication routines with nominal administration.”

Key Features

• Support for MS SQL Server 7.0 (limited support), MS SQL Server 2000 and MS SQL Server 2005.
• Perform up to the minute incremental backups and replicate them to one or more warm standby databases.
• Configure and manage all database backups and replication remotely from a central, client-based GUI.
• Replicate across a WAN via FTP, SFTP, SSH or a password protected Network Shared drive.
• Cross platform Java based application that can run on various operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.
• Able to use the standby server as a live read-only database.
• Send alert emails if connection to primary database cannot be established or if a backup or restore has not occurred within a configurable period of time threshold.
• Report on all replication activity in real-time from a single control panel allowing for easy identification of current errors or for peace of mind by knowing everything is operating smoothly

A free 15 day trial copy is available for downloading at http://www.purplerage.com/downloads. Pricing is £573 per SQL Server, and is available for purchase from the Purple Rage online store.

About Purple Rage Limited
Purple Rage was founded in 2005 by Rob Dixon and Jan Gregson. Purple Rage is a UK & European Distributor, formed to create a platform for a focused set of solutions to meet the requirements of company’s evermore demanding, diverse and heterogeneous environments. By working with strategic partners that promote and enhance multiple operating systems we are able to serve diverse business sectors. For further information: http://www.purplerage.com

About Peer Software Inc
Founded in 1993 by Paul Marsala, “Peer Software, Inc.’s mission is to offer utilities that centralize management of critical computer processes across your entire business enterprise”. Their goal is to promote data consistency, ensure against data loss, and facilitate software distribution, desktop monitoring, knowledge transfer, and a host of activities designed to sustain seamless business communications and improve operating efficiencies.

In part one of this article I outlined the need for a proper solution to protect SQL Server. In this part I’ll cover some of the main ways in which you can go about achieving different measures of protection and as a consequence, increased availability.

Which option works best for you is very much dependant on what version/edition of SQL Server you’re running. The level of protection and availability you attain is then largely governed by the needs of your company, and especially by the size of your budget. The bottom line is this; the more you spend, the greater the degree of availability.

- SQL Server in Microsoft Cluster
- Replication and fail-over software
- Replication software
- Backup software

The ultimate method of providing availability with the minimum of impact on users and client applications has to be by using at least two copies of SQL Server Standard or Enterprise running in a Microsoft Cluster. A RAID array shared between the nodes gives both access to the data stores irrespective of which machine is hosting the resources groups. “Virtual servers” are created that all SQL Server instances are accessed through by users and applications. Now it doesn’t matter which physical SQL Server is alive, the user or application only ever sees the virtual server. If one server is down all transactions are automatically processed by the other server, completely transparently. This method does though involve a lot of expenditure, and server node location is limited by the available network link speed to the attached 2+ nodes and the shared storage. So this option may not be ideal or even possible in a very distributed environment.

If budgets really cannot run to total availability, third-party software is a very viable alternative. The end result from their use is varying degrees of availability from minutes to hours. The choice as to which is the most appropriate is likely to be driven be how much you are prepared to compromise availability in the environment in which the protected systems must run. However, the one element that should never be compromised is the quality of storage used; RAID-5 or RAID-10 should always be used to give the best balance of redundancy and speed.

A product like EMC’s RepliStor doesn’t give you perfect 100% availability of all servers, transactions and data stores, but with its ability to replicate all data in real-time, across WAN or LAN networks, interact with the Virtual Shadow Service (VSS) and self validate the replicated data, it manages to come very close. A product like RepliStor doesn’t have any of the limitations of distance that you’d get in a cluster. By using aliases it is able to provide not just replication over local and wide area networks but also fail-over. The result is a backup server could be operational within a a very short period of time, and with just about the latest transactions.

Alternatively you could use a product like PeerSync to take scheduled “snapshots” of SQL Server every 30 minutes, hour, whatever you want. With its utilisation of St Bernard’s Open File Manager built into the product it’s able to take fully functional copies of logs and data stores, with little likelihood of any repairs being needed prior to them being put live from another system. By adding the “ByteReplicator” module to the standard offering, only the changes in a snapshot are replicated not the whole thing all over again. This saves time, network resources, and permits the target of the replication to be just about anywhere in the country/world. The down side; on failure you’d lose all transactions since the last snapshot.

Lastly there’s good old backup software. Traditionally not really an availability application, but like PeerSync can be made to provide a very workable solution. By running a backup periodically during the day to online media like a NAS box you get the equivalent of PeerSync “snapshots”, but all the data at that point in time rather than a consolidation of just the differences. The draw back with a lot of backup solutions is having to go back to the most recent full, restore the incrementals, then you’re back in business. By using EMC Retrospect though every backup is an incremental. The result, upon restore you choose the date and time of the restore point and Retrospect builds the image ready for restore. Much faster and efficient. The downside is the time to recover and the loss of all transactions after the last backup was taken.

In conclusion, a company needs to evaluate its business needs and the degree to which it is prepared to compromise its own data stores and inputs. Whatever the result, there is more often than not a solution to meet requirements. Purple Rage is well placed to supply those solutions through its network of partners and consultants in the UK and Europe. For more information we can be reached on +44-(0)871-2500058, or via email at enquiries@purplerage.com.