In Data Protection, the Real Risk Isn't 'No Backup' - It's 'Backup That Can't Be Recovered'
When it comes to data protection, what’s the worst nightmare for an enterprise?
Not “no backup”, but rather:
Thinking you have a backup only to find it can’t be restored.
In recent years, many organizations have been drawn to a buzzword in the disaster recovery space:
CDP - Continuous Data Protection.
Vendors often market CDP with slogans like:
- Microsecond-level protection!
- Rollback anytime! Instantly recover from accidental deletions!
- Restore to any point in time!
Sounds foolproof, right?
But here’s the real question: Have you ever considered whether the data recovered from those points is actually usable and complete?
CDP Is Like “Live Recording” - But Not Necessarily a “Clear & Usable Playback”
CDP works by capturing every change at the disk level - like a high-speed camera continuously filming your system in real time.
Yes, it records extremely frequently - catching every data write.
But here’s the catch:
- It doesn’t know if you’ve completed a database transaction.
- It doesn’t know if the system was mid-process.
- It doesn’t know if a file was saved or not.
So while CDP can help you roll back to a specific second, it has no idea whether that second’s state is actually stable or usable.
Analogy:
Imagine taking 1,000 snapshots, but they all catch someone mid-yawn, blinking, or blurry.
Now try choosing one for your ID photo - none are usable.
Common Real-World Recovery Failures with CDP
- Database won’t start after restore - due to corruption or incomplete transactions
- File system restored but shows gibberish or missing data
- Windows OS rollback leads to BSOD (Blue Screen of Death)
- Trial-and-error recovery - testing one timestamp after another
This type of recovery is based on guesswork and luck, which simply doesn’t work for businesses that rely on system continuity.
Even worse: The more critical the system, the less room there is for error-based recovery.
What Customers Really Need: Guaranteed Recovery
That’s why Aurreum’s CLRP (Continuous Log Replay Protection) technology was born - to solve CDP’s fundamental flaw.
Instead of monitoring “whether the disk changed,” CLRP listens directly to database-level transaction logs:
- Oracle Redo Logs
- SQL Server Transaction Logs
- MySQL Binlogs
These logs contain precise information about what has been committed, when it was complete, and which points are guaranteed safe for recovery.
Analogy:
- CDP is like watching someone through a glass wall to see if they’re typing.
- CLRP is like receiving their final signed report, stamped and submitted.
Who Is CLRP Ideal For?
- Organizations with strict RTO (Recovery Time Objective) requirements (e.g., banks, e-commerce, government systems)
- Enterprises using Oracle, SQL Server, or MySQL as core data platforms
- IT teams aiming for instant rollback or rapid recovery from outages
- Customers in regulated industries seeking compliance-ready, China-localized solutions
True Disaster Recovery Is About Usability - Not Just Volume
Yes, CDP can record a lot - but it:
- Cannot judge which recovery point is usable
- Cannot guarantee a database will boot cleanly
- Cannot restore a system to a state ready for production use
CLRP, on the other hand:
- Protects in real time
- Recovers with precision
- Ensures the system and database are restored to a stable, usable state
- Offers high recovery success rate without trial and error