Backup and disaster recovery in Pittsburgh and Cleveland

Proxmox Backup Server for virtual machines

We run Proxmox and Ceph for our own infrastructure, and Proxmox Backup Server is part of that. It backs up virtual machines and LXC containers from a Proxmox VE cluster, and it lets us restore either a whole machine or a single file.

If you are moving off VMware or Hyper-V, backup should be designed alongside the migration. Our Proxmox consulting covers the cluster, and this service covers how it is protected.

Microsoft 365 backup

Microsoft keeps the service running. Deleted items sit in a recycle bin or retention area for a limited time and are then gone for good, and Microsoft keeps no separate long-term copy for you. A dedicated Microsoft 365 backup does. It is a routine part of our Microsoft 365 support, and it matters most for businesses that keep contracts, drawings or compliance records in SharePoint and Exchange.

• Mailbox recovery: restore a deleted message, folder or whole mailbox.
• File recovery: bring back a SharePoint library or OneDrive after an accidental delete or an overwrite.
• Departed staff: keep their mailbox and files available after the account is removed.

Disaster recovery planning

A backup means the data still exists. A recovery plan says how the business gets running again after a loss: which systems come back first and what hardware they run on. For some clients the answer is a rebuilt server on site. For others it is a recovery environment in Microsoft Azure and hybrid cloud. We write that plan down and agree it with you before there is a problem.

Backups also fail quietly when the system they protect is changed. When we run your environment under managed IT, new servers and new data are added to the backup plan as part of the change.

Encrypted offsite storage we host ourselves

We host our own S3-compatible object storage. Offsite backup copies can be written to encrypted buckets on infrastructure we operate, instead of being handed to a third-party cloud we do not control. Each client gets separate, encrypted buckets and its own credentials, and the storage sits on the same Ceph platform we run for our own systems.

Because the buckets speak the standard S3 interface, the backup tools you already use can usually write to them without changes. If you prefer a public cloud or a second site of your own for the offsite copy, we set that up instead.

How an engagement works

1. Inventory. We list your servers, virtual machines, Microsoft 365 data and the applications that matter most.
2. Written scope. We agree what is backed up, how often, where the copies live and who can reach them.
3. Implement. We deploy the backup software, set up offsite copies and connect monitoring.
4. Test and document. We run a restore, record what happened and hand over the recovery steps.

Serving Pittsburgh and Cleveland businesses

Our Pennsylvania offices are in Coraopolis and Beaver Falls. We support businesses around Pittsburgh and across the Cleveland area and Northeast Ohio. Backup work is mostly remote, and on-site visits are by appointment in Pennsylvania and arranged around the project in Ohio. Licensed cannabis producers and retailers keep records that auditors expect to be intact, so recovery planning for them carries extra weight.

Questions about backup and recovery

Do we need a Microsoft 365 backup if we already use Microsoft 365?

Usually, yes. Microsoft 365 keeps your data available, but it is not a separate copy of it. A backup lets you recover from a deletion or overwrite that is noticed after the recycle bin has emptied, and from a damaged or removed account.

How do you know the backups work?

We restore real data on a schedule and keep a record of each test, so you can see when a restore last worked.

Can you take over backups from another IT provider?

Yes. We audit what is in place, review the documentation, take over the credentials, and run the old and new arrangements in parallel for a week before switching.