What is the difference between failover mechanisms and backup systems?

What is the difference between failover mechanisms and backup systems?

Failover mechanisms are designed to automatically switch to a standby system when the primary system fails, ensuring continuous operation. Backup systems, on the other hand, involve creating copies of data to restore in case of data loss or corruption.

Can you give me examples of each?

Sure! An example of a failover mechanism is a redundant server that takes over if the main server goes down. A backup system example is regularly scheduled backups of a database to an external storage.

Which one is more important for a business?

Both are crucial, but it depends on the business's needs. Failover mechanisms ensure uptime, while backups protect against data loss. A combination of both is often the best approach.

How often should backups be performed?

Backups should be performed regularly, depending on how often data changes. For critical data, daily backups are recommended, while less critical data might be backed up weekly.