Stuart Weitzman outsourced this task with an Internet-based data backup and recovery service. In addition to reducing the challenges associated with data backup and recovery, outsourcing the service also meant Stuart Weitzman benefited from not having to add more resources, infrastructure, or incur greater costs. The new service reduces the costs associated with purchasing more networked storage by providing a solution that reduces the amount of PC data that is automatically backed up to ensure that the data is always stored at a fraction of its original size.
With this new outsourced service, Stuart Weitzman can now effectively manage data-loss disasters, including disk crashes, application failure, viruses, and human error by automatically backing up all the data and system information stored on users’ PCs. Vital information including e-mail files and sales data can be easily recovered almost instantaneously from any PC with Internet access.
For an added measure of digital security, the company data is heavily encrypted prior to transmission and also stored in an encrypted format. Critical data is now always backed up and can be quickly restored, if necessary, through a simple browser-like user interface. The element of human error is significantly reduced from backup and recovery operations, and backup policies are followed consistently, without manual intervention.
Stuart Weitzman now automatically backs up its stores’ data every night over the Internet and stores that data off-line in a secure vault on tape without the risk and burden of manual backup processes.
“Now I can quickly look at the logs for our stores via the Internet to make sure our critical data was backed up,” Hernandez said. “It used to take a lot of manual intervention and time to ensure everything was backed up. Now it only takes 10 to 15 minutes. Without the data, there is no recovery. Using a Web-based data back-up solution, I know we have all our critical data backed up and secure.”
Stuart Weitzman plans to open more stores this year and will be deploying the same Web-based electronic vaulting service to ensure the highest level of business continuity across the organization.
Harold E. Ebbighausen joined Iron Mountain is 1996 as vice president of data security services and was appointed president of Iron Mountain Off-Site Data Protection in 1998. Previously, Ebbighausen was vice president of document management services with INSCI Corporation. Ebbighausen is an active member and past chapter president of the New England Chapter of the Association of Information and Image Management (AIIM). Ebbighausen attended Iona College.
