On September 26, 2025, a massive fire swept through the National Information Resources Service (NIRS) data center in Daejeon, South Korea. As flames spread inside the facility, firefighters were forced to shut down critical components—from servers and networks to storage systems and applications supporting essential government services. Within minutes, more than 70 online services went offline at once, disrupting public access and administrative processes nationwide.
The incident was a stark reminder that disasters can strike without warning and bring down critical operations in seconds. Without proper preparation, the impact on business continuity can be devastating.
This is why strong backup and disaster recovery strategies are no longer optional—and why NAKIVO plays a vital role in keeping workloads protected so operations don’t stop when primary systems fail.
How NAKIVO Delivers End-to-End Data Protection
Many IT teams still center their data protection strategies around virtual machines (VMs). But today’s ecosystems are far more diverse: applications now run in the cloud, day-to-day work depends heavily on SaaS platforms, files are stored and shared through NAS systems, and key operations still rely on physical servers. Protecting all these layers requires a solution capable of covering the entire environment.
NAKIVO addresses this need with flexible deployment options that can be implemented across various platforms—from VM-based appliances, Linux, and Windows to NAS storage such as NetApp, Synology, and QNAP, as well as deduplication appliances like Dell EMC Data Domain and HPE StoreOnce. This makes it easy for organizations to adopt without overhauling their existing infrastructure. Here’s what NAKIVO protects:
Virtual Machines
Support for VMware, Hyper-V, Nutanix AHV, and Proxmox—delivering reliable VM backup and instant recovery to restore services quickly during disruptions.
Cloud Instances
Backup and recovery for AWS EC2, ensuring cloud workloads stay protected and recoverable whenever needed.
NAS / File Shares
Backup for SMB and NFS file shares, securing large file directories and shared storage environments.
Physical Servers
Image-based protection for Windows and Linux servers to ensure consistent, reliable backups of physical infrastructure.
Applications and Databases
Application-aware backups for SQL Server, Exchange, and other database systems to maintain data integrity during recovery.
Immutable and Air-Gapped Repositories
Immutable storage and air-gapped repositories—including tape support—add powerful defenses against ransomware and unauthorized deletion.
In short, NAKIVO goes beyond VM backup—offering comprehensive protection across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud workloads.
Key Features That Set NAKIVO Apart
NAKIVO brings a robust set of features that accelerate recovery, reduce downtime, and ensure data resilience across environments. Here are its most impactful capabilities:
Image-Based and Incremental Backup
Image-based, agentless, incremental block-level backups deliver fast, storage-efficient protection with minimal overhead.
Instant Recovery
Run VMs, files, or application objects directly from backup files—restoring operations in minutes without waiting for a full restore.
Multi-Site Replication and Orchestration
Automated replication to secondary sites enables coordinated failover during outages, maintaining service availability when the primary site goes down.
Immutable Backup and Ransomware Protection
Immutable repositories and air-gapped backup storage safeguard data from ransomware encryption and unauthorized changes.
Application Consistency
Application-aware backups ensure SQL Server, Exchange, and other workloads remain consistent for reliable restores.
SaaS Backup
Granular protection for Microsoft 365, with item-level recovery for email, files, and collaboration data.
Cloud and NAS Integration
Support for S3-compatible storage and NAS systems enables easier adoption of the 3-2-1 backup strategy and offsite protection.
Instant Verification
Automated backup and replica verification through boot tests and screenshots ensures recovery readiness.
How the NIRS Fire Exposed Critical Weaknesses
The NIRS fire revealed how vulnerable digital services become when everything relies on a single physical location. In just minutes, mission-critical services were disrupted, and recovery became significantly harder due to the lack of validated recovery copies stored offsite. The incident underscored that data loss is not just a technical issue—it’s an architectural one.
In scenarios like this, capabilities such as multi-site replication, immutable backup, and instant recovery can significantly reduce the impact of disruptions by providing a faster and more reliable recovery path when the primary data center goes offline.
Best Practices for Using NAKIVO
To maximize protection, organizations must implement backup strategies thoughtfully and consistently. Here are best practices to strengthen resilience:
Apply the 3-2-1 Rule
Maintain at least three copies of data on two different media types, with one stored offsite. Adding immutable backups offers even stronger ransomware protection.
Prioritize Critical Workloads
Identify core systems and assign stricter RPO and RTO targets to databases, ERP platforms, and public-facing services.
Automate and Schedule DR Drills
Use instant recovery verification to test DR plans automatically. Regular validation ensures readiness during real incidents.
Use Multi-Target Repositories
Store backups across multiple destinations—local NAS, S3-compatible storage, and cloud or secondary sites—to avoid single points of failure.
Monitor and Report for Audits
Enable alerts, logging, and automated reporting. NAKIVO’s dashboard provides real-time visibility into backup operations.
Also Read: Data is the New Gold; How NetApp Empowers Businesses with Enterprise Data Management
Case Example on How NAKIVO Performs
A regional government agency once experienced an electrical fire that severely damaged its primary server. Without a disaster recovery (DR) strategy, such events typically result in extended downtime and halted public services. After adopting NAKIVO—with multi-site replication to the cloud and immutable repositories—this agency was able to restore critical services in just a few hours, a remarkable improvement from the prolonged recovery times they faced before.
This example demonstrates how the right backup and disaster recovery solution can have a real operational impact: faster recovery, clearer response steps, and significantly reduced incident costs.
Conclusion
Whether in government institutions or private enterprises, all organizations face the same reality: major disruptions can hit without warning and instantly affect digital operations. The ability to protect data and restore services quickly is now essential—it’s a core pillar of organizational resilience.
In this context, NAKIVO stands as a solution worth considering. Its comprehensive protection and rapid recovery capabilities help organizations build a stronger, more prepared foundation for the unexpected—ensuring operations remain stable even when challenges arise.
Author: Syamsul Akbar – Technical Manager Mega Buana Teknologi
Editor: Danurdhara Suluh Prasasta
CTI Group Content Writer