Yesterday, on April 26th, 2024, I attended a talk about Veeam and data protection presented by Nico Losschaert. The event was organized by his son, who attends the same classes as me, and was held in the new building of Howest Bruges.

Arrival and Introduction

Finding the entrance to the new building was a bit challenging, but once inside, we quickly went to the restroom and then proceeded to the room where the talk would take place. We arrived a bit early, so we had some time to chat. I spoke with a lecturer about a presentation I planned to give at my old school until it was time to start the session.

Nico Losschaert's Background

Nico introduced himself, explaining that he works as an ICT Infrastructure Consultant at ORBID, with expertise in virtualization, backups, disaster recovery, and storage. He is a Certified Veeam Engineer and Architect and a member of the worldwide Veeam Technical Top 100, a prestigious title in the field.

Understanding Veeam and Data Protection

Nico then delved into what Veeam does and the products they offer. He explained how to protect data safely using the 3-2-1-1-0 backup rule:

• 3: Maintain at least 3 copies of your data
• 2: Store the backups on 2 different media
• 1: Store at least 1 of the copies at an offsite location
• 1: Store at least 1 of the copies offline
• 0: Ensure that all backups are verified and error-free

He emphasized the importance of this rule and provided practical examples from his experience to illustrate its effectiveness. He also shared one of his worst disaster recovery experiences, highlighting the critical need for proper data protection strategies.

Networking Session

After the presentation, there was a short networking session. This provided an opportunity to speak more personally with Nico and other attendees, exchanging insights and experiences related to data protection and Veeam's solutions.

Conclusion

The talk was highly informative and engaging, offering valuable insights into data protection best practices. Nico's expertise and practical examples made the session particularly impactful, leaving us with a deeper understanding of how to safeguard our data effectively.