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In this Fireside Chat CEO, Sean Barr, sits down with Network Engineer, Lee Jolly, to discuss Data Protection and the cloud data management solutions Rubrik offers to customers. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this Fireside Chat.  

Welcome back to another LookingPoint Fireside Chat, where we bring casual technology conversations to your screen. In this episode, LookingPoint CEO Sean Barr sits down with Lead Solutions Architect Lee Jolly to talk all things data protection—what’s changing, what’s exciting, and what IT leaders should consider when designing a resilient backup strategy.

What is Data Protection in Today’s IT Landscape?

Data protection isn’t just about backups anymore. It’s about having a full strategy that ensures your data is available, recoverable, and secure—whether it lives on-premises, in the cloud, or somewhere in between. A modern data protection plan may include:

• Backup and recovery software

• Written policies and SLAs

• Multi-site data availability

• Cloud integration

• Automation and monitoring

As Sean points out, “data protection” and “data management” are becoming increasingly synonymous—with today’s platforms blurring the lines between the two.

Legacy Backups vs. Modern Solutions

Historically, backups were isolated and reactive—stored on tape, rarely touched unless disaster struck. But that’s changing. New solutions integrate advanced search functionality, automation, and real-time visibility, turning your backup infrastructure into a powerful tool for operations, compliance, and business continuity.

Where tape-to-disk was once the norm, modern platforms now support disk-to-disk-to-cloud models—dramatically increasing speed, accessibility, and efficiency.

Spotlight on Solutions: Veeam & Rubrik

Lee shares his thoughts on two of today’s leading data protection platforms:

Veeam
A well-established solution known for its reliability and simplicity. From an engineering perspective, Veeam “just works,” offering solid backup-to-disk functionality with advanced VM verification and policy-based automation.

Rubrik
A newer player with a next-gen approach. Rubrik was designed API-first, offering seamless integration, policy automation, and cloud-native backups. Its ease of use is a game-changer—removing the need for custom scripts and manual processes.

Why Policy-Driven Backup Matters

Policy-based management is becoming a core feature of modern IT—especially in backup environments that are rarely touched but critically important. Tools like Rubrik and Veeam now allow admins to:

• Automate backups when a VM is provisioned

• Enforce retention and compliance policies

• Validate backups at regular intervals

• Integrate with infrastructure tools via APIs

This shift means IT teams no longer need to rely on manual checklists or risk human error when protecting data.

Restore & Recovery: No More Guesswork

Gone are the days of digging through spreadsheets and mystery tapes to find files. With today’s platforms:

• Search across all storage locations (on-prem, cloud, endpoints)

• Restore files at any point in time

• Monitor success with real-time dashboards and analytics

These capabilities are not just about convenience—they’re essential for responding to modern security threats like ransomware, ensuring your organization can bounce back quickly and confidently.

Final Thoughts

Modern data protection platforms are transforming backup from an afterthought into an integrated, automated, and intelligent part of IT infrastructure. Whether you’re deploying Veeam, Rubrik, or another solution, the goal is clear: make backups seamless, secure, and easy to manage.

If you're evaluating your data protection strategy or need help selecting the right platform, our team at LookingPoint is here to help.

Learn more about Rubrik and data protection here.