Replica

2006 Consensus Software Awards

Product Description

Operating system vendors have for years acknowledged the benefits flowing from integration and eventual convergence of computer file systems and databases. QMSoftware is the first software developer, to our knowledge, to deliver a product providing breakthrough user benefits based on this concept.

Replica Backup uses the “backup to database” concept, providing continuous incremental backup, replication, and restore of entire Windows file systems to and from an embedded post-relational database called Cache.

Applications for Replica Backup include automated backup for entire networks and a unique laptop solution which secures sensitive data even if the laptop is stolen. Replica is designed to make backup so easy and reliable that data are protected without the need for any user interaction.

Replica backs up data from laptops, workstations and servers. The data is securely encrypted using the 256-bit US Advanced Encryption Standard, and then automatically transferred to an offsite backup server, either over the Internet or over your WAN. Backups can be scheduled as often as every 15 minutes, and backed up data is sent offsite every 15 minutes. Users are unlikely to notice that a backup is running as Replica yields to other user activity.

Replica stores the backed up data in the Caché database, which has full object technology support. This has many advantages, including unparalleled restore capabilities. Users can restore any version of a file in minutes without calling the help desk. Alternatively they can choose to restore their entire system as at the time of any backup, and Replica will combine the data from various incremental backups to create a full restore of the system as at that point in time.

Replica includes many features for reducing network traffic and storage requirements:

• NTFS Change Journal Processing – allows Replica to go directly to the new and changed files

• Single Instance Storage – allows Replica to store a single copy of a file that exists on multiple computers

• Patching

• Incremental backups

• Compression

After the initial backup, subsequent backups usually have an effective compression rate of more than 99%.

Replica’s laptop offering provides both backup and protection of confidential files. Replica can keep a first level backup database on the laptop itself. This means that first level backups can be done while the laptop is not connected to the Internet. Then, when a connection is available, the backups of new files and patches to old files are sent offsite. Replica effectively provides full backups, while sending only a tiny amount of data over the Internet.

Sensitive files are given extra protection. Replica allows you to “check in” confidential files. This encrypts the files, stores the encrypted files in the local database, and then deletes the files from the hard drive to US Department of Defense standards (DOD 5220). If your laptop is stolen the thief can’t access your checked in files, even if they use a program designed to retrieve deleted files.

Replica also provides a collaboration feature that shares files between users around the world. Files are securely encrypted and stored on a Web enabled server. Authorized users can “check out” a file. This retrieves the file from the Web server and decrypts it. Users with read write permissions can change the file and “check it in”. This patches and encrypts the file and places it back on the web server. The next time anyone checks out the file, they will receive the changed version, ensuring that users always receive the most up to date information. Replica Collaboration also maintains an audit trail of user activity.

Innovation

Replica will change the way networks are designed, replacing the file server with a backup/collaboration server and giving users what they have always wanted - their own data kept safely on their own PC. (A Texas University study shows that 60% of corporate data resides unprotected on workstations).

In a traditional network, when the file server goes down, no-one can do any work till it is up again. In a Replica network, if the backup/collaboration server goes down, everyone can keep working - both on their own files that are kept on their own PCs, and on shared files that are immediately accessible from the secondary backup/collaboration server.

Conversely, if a workstation goes down, the user can go to a spare workstation, retrieve their most important files from the backup server and be working again immediately.

Operating system vendors have for years acknowledged the benefits flowing from integration and eventual convergence of computer file systems and databases, but achieving this has proved elusive.

Replica’s use of a post-relational database with its full object support as its backup media has enabled this breakthrough and has provided the following advantages:

• All file versions and backup instances are immediately accessible from a single storage volume. Replica uses bit map indexing to generate incredible performance. For example, you can search terabytes of data for a file or file type and get a result in seconds. Effectively you are searching the entire enterprise data, which is not viable in any other system.

• Viruses cannot be executed within the backup database (a problem in the directory-based storage used by most tape-free backups).

• Replica streams data directly to the Caché DBMS on the backup server. This means the backup doesn’t have to wait for System I/O to complete writing data to the drive. It simply throws data at Caché and moves on. The Caché engine then decides the right time to commit to disk. This delivers a significant performance advantage over directory based, I/O intensive backup systems.

• Additional functionality such as collaboration and securing of confidential files becomes a logical extension of the backup system.

Performance

QMSoftware’s vision was for a product that would run in the background on workstations and servers, continuously backing up all data to a local database, and then use database replication technology to send the data to an offsite server.

Using a database makes it possible to store and manage huge numbers of encrypted data patches and new files, and to restore specified versions of files and entire file systems when required.

The database also makes it faster to process incoming data. Most tape-free backup software uses a directory to hold data, which becomes a bottleneck between incoming data and a disk. With a database you get faster operation because it takes over the chore of writing the file to disk. The client simply delivers data to the database and moves on immediately without having to wait for the server to write the data.

The speed of the data processing and transport has surprised everyone who has trialled or purchased Replica Backup.

Replica is a new-to-market offering, launched in 2005. It has been successfully beta tested and a release version has been successfully trialled by both NSW Parliament and AAM Hatch (a division of BHP) among others.

NSW Parliament need to back up computers in their widely distributed electoral offices. They tested two products, Veritas (the market leader) and Replica and they have selected Replica.

AAM Hatch need to back up many very large image files and did not have a large enough backup window to back up all of their data to tape. Replica addresses this problem through incremental backups and its ability to run backups during the day while the computer is in use. AAM Hatch have successfully tested Replica and used it to back up data they have not been able to back up before.

Through word of mouth alone, Replica have already been approached by several overseas military and police departments who are proactively seeking the type of capability that only Replica seems able to provide.

Potential

There is strong market potential for Replica Backup, evidenced by our achievements below to date. But the general nature of the underlying “backup to database” concept, combined with the proven power and robustness of the InterSystems Caché post-relational database, mean there is considerable potential for extending the scope of the product and devising new applications. One application that will be finished shortly is a secure memory stick. This will allow files to be securely encrypted into a database on a memory stick, from where they can also be backed up over the Internet. 

Initial efforts have been focused on getting some blue chip reference sites in Australia and we are about to deploy into NSW Parliament and a subsidiary of BHP following successful trials of the software. The NSW Parliament has told us that the system is very marketable to any parliament where the Westminster system is used.

Ongoing mail out and telemarketing promoting the secure laptop system has generated a 30% response. This is indicative of the importance the market places on the securing of mobile data and the unmet market need for a solution like Replica Backup. Recent studies have shown that the loss of a corporate laptop incurs an average cost in excess of $20,000.

We are currently in discussions with numerous potential business partners both here and in Europe. We are in discussions with one of the large mobile phone manufacturers who sees the potential for embedding our technology.

The product concept fulfils a very real need particularly when dealing with sensitive data. A security specialist working with local agencies has recently reviewed replica Backup and agreement for specialist resellers in this segment is in discussion.

Several major consulting firms and ISPs in Europe have trialled the software and we are working with them to provide Replica for this segment. Internet backup is already established in Europe and ISPs are all looking for a product that will provide more efficient collection and management of data. The Replica database solution has a lot of advantages over directory-based storage for data centres.

There is huge potential for the product in defence and police forces internationally, particularly in regions where security is critically important. The lack of this security has cost lives and Replica is a welcome entrant into this market.

The memory stick is also a mass-market product. Since people commonly have more than one computer, the memory stick version can be used to aggregate and secure important data to one convenient location which can travel anywhere in the world and still access data securely.

Other information the judges should know

Website: www.replicabackup.com

Attachments: News Release

See also attached article from International Developer magazine. Page 1, page 2

ContentCopyright©Replica Data Security
FormatCopyright©Consensus Pty Ltd

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