Multiple Risk Managers, Inc.

Avoiding Risky Business

Customer Challenge:
Protecting sensitive insurance policy data and meeting the backup and recovery requirements of Alaska state law.

Managing the Weight of Business Data
What weighs 38 pounds, is two feet tall, and needs constant supervision?

For Frank Thomas-Mears, it’s his data. As president of Multiple Risk Managers, Inc. (MRM), a commercial insurance producer, Thomas-Mears needs to make sure his company’s data is safe at all times. So he used to carry it with him…even on vacation.

As an insurance agency, MRM handles large amounts of sensitive customer information that it cannot afford to lose. Data backup has always been a priority for Thomas-Mears, but the Alaska state law left little wriggle room for error. The law requires that MRM, as a record and money fiduciary, document each action related to insurance transactions. According to The Alaska Division of Insurance, MRM must maintain every record—including client notes, policy changes and accounting documents—for a minimum of five years after each transaction. Data can be stored offsite, provided that the records are accessible within two business days after a request from the government.

The Hassle of Tape Backup
“Striving to maintain the best backup for my company’s data, each day I used to conduct a full backup using 80-gigabyte tapes,” said Thomas-Mears. “Then, I’d store all the tapes in an industrial suitcase next to the door of my office. I kept the suitcase under constant supervision, taking it with me whenever I left the office and leaving it in the hands of a friend during extended absences.”

However, having experimented with various backup solutions, Thomas-Mears knew his backup was still susceptible to risks beyond his control. What if the tape proved to be faulty? What if someone stole the suitcase or it was misplaced? In addition to these risks, was the obvious inconvenience of carrying a 38-pound suitcase full of tapes – everywhere! There had to be a better way. Thomas-Mears turned to LiveVault’s Online Backup and Recovery Service.

The Convenience of Online Backup
Thomas-Mears subscribed to LiveVault’s service through AMS Services Inc., a leading provider of insurance software, services, and information for U.S. insurance companies. AMS was already providing a workflow management application to MRM, and Thomas-Mears was confident in their services and impressed by LiveVault’s offering. Now, the LiveVault Online Backup and Recovery Service continuously protects MRM’s data and automatically stores it at a secure, offsite facility, where it is available for immediate recovery in the event of a system failure, virus, human error, or other disaster.

“I chose LiveVault because of the ease-of-use and completeness of their disaster recovery offering,” said Thomas-Mears. “And they haven’t disappointed me. The installation was quick and the service has been operating successfully ever since.”

Because LiveVault operates in the background on a constant basis, MRM, in the event of a disaster, can recover data up to the minute of the data-loss event, rather than up to the day before when Thomas-Mears last did a tape backup. This level of continuous protection is invaluable for MRM, considering the state regulations—and considering the lost production time using conventional (and unreliable) disaster recovery methods.

“With LiveVault, if we were to experience some type of failure, we wouldn’t lose an entire day’s worth of data like we would with tape,” said Thomas-Mears. “The ability to be up and running so quickly is critical if we want to maintain our level of customer satisfaction and continue to meet the requirements of The Alaska Division of Insurance.”

The Proof is in the Restores
In addition, prior to LiveVault, performing restores was complex and time-consuming. Thomas-Mears had to pull the correct tape, run a catalog program to find the specific file to restore, and then restore the file. This process typically took 25-30 minutes. With LiveVault, the restore process is much simpler. LiveVault’s on-screen wizard lets Thomas-Mears access and restore files online in two to three minutes.

LiveVault’s capabilities were truly tested when MRM’s server failed, resulting in the loss of 4,741 faxes. After swapping in a new server, Thomas-Mears used the LiveVault customer interface to request a copy of MRM’s fax archives. “The on-screen wizard worked perfectly and the entire operation took under 10 minutes,” said Thomas-Mears.

Thomas-Mears has also been impressed with the level of LiveVault’s customer support. “No matter what time of day, LiveVault’s customer support is always available,” said Thomas-Mears. “This remains true when it’s mid-afternoon here in Alaska and after normal working hours in Massachusetts, where LiveVault is based.”

Thomas-Mears continued, “I chose LiveVault because of the ease-of-use and completeness of their disaster recovery offering. And they haven’t disappointed me. The installation was quick and the service has been operating successfully ever since.”