The Hidden Costs of Data Protection Problems:
Understanding the Full Value of a DPM Solution

Data protection operations are usually considered an operating expense. While it is easy to think of any addition to the data protection infrastructure as added overhead, most data protection operations have identifiable problems, such as lost data and missed Recovery Time Objectives (RTO). With those problems come costs. Enterprises that choose to ignore those problems, by not investing in their data protection management systems, continue to rack up the costs of not solving them.

In Bocada's experience, installing a data protection management (DPM) solution is typically driven by broad business needs rather than reducing costs. Commonly stated goals include:

• "We need to be able to clearly report on recoverability to meet audit requirements."
• "We need to prove successful backups to each business unit."
• "We need to reduce troubleshooting times by quickly pinpointing chronic and severe failures."

But after testing and deploying a DPM solution, many IT departments come to fully realize the costs they have been bearing. These hidden costs can include:

• Over-protected data. Data that is protected far out of proportion to its value
• Underutilized media. Expensive tape libraries used to only a fraction of their capacity
• Time wasted on translation. Time spent sifting through extensive log files to find and evaluate individual backup errors, many of which turn out to be trivial
• Time spent on manual labor. Manual generation of reports to satisfy internal data owners, or audit requirements
• Reactive rather than proactive troubleshooting. Time spent on repetitive, reactive troubleshooting that could be better spent strategically improving the overall protection environment

In this issue, we summarize the most common, hidden and costly problems found in data protection environments. It is designed to aid you and your data protection team in taking an informed and critical look at your operations.

If after reading this newsletter you would like to investigate these issues further, download our Guide to Valuing DPM Solutions. It includes examples of specific calculations that can guide you in objectively determining your hidden costs. Armed with this information, you can prepare a business case for supporting positive ROI from implementing a DPM solution in your enterprise.

Workflow Costs
The cost of rote, repetitive or manual processes that could be automated. Eliminating them frees up skilled staff to focus on strategic activities and system improvements.

System/Hardware Costs
The cost of storage media, new tape libraries, servers and other additions to the backup infrastructure.

Systemic Costs
Costs of both labor and hardware related to data management and recovery that can have a major impact on cost of operations.

How does a DPM solution solve these problems? A solid DPM solution automatically gathers data from leading backup applications from major vendors, and consolidates the information into an open, relational database. It delivers a complete, multi-level view of backup systems and data protection operations enterprise-wide, automatically generates reports, and provides the insight you need to drive operational improvements.

Our Guide to Valuing DPM Solutions details how a DPM solution solves these specific problems, and includes examples of calculations you can use to evaluate the problem’s hidden costs to your company. Download your copy now.