Tech Teps:Defeating Business Data Loss

REP4 Tech Tips #3

Last month, I shared some recommendations on how to protect your personal  data on your home computer (To view old articles visit us at www.rep4.com). This month, I’d like to take the discussion up a level and talk about Business Backups. It is an unfortunate fact that a lot of our new customers have no backup solution or worse yet, think they have backups, but the backups are not functioning.

Business Backups

As a fifteen or more year veteran in the computer and technology industry I can always tell when I’m talking to a backup software or hardware sales person as they like to throw around statistics. How much time (i.e. money) you’ll lose if you have a disaster or the percentage of companies that go out of business after a major data loss. While most of it is probably true, I really hate this tactic.  I suppose, back in the day, it was tough to sell equipment that offered, basically, an overpriced cassette tape to store your critical files.

Three Pronged Approach

Luckily, modern strategies and cheap hardware make preparing for disaster a much easier pill to swallow. I have consulted with organizations with anywhere from 2 users to 12,000 users on how to protect their data.  Through that experience, we now recommend a “three pronged” approach to business data backup:

1. Local Backups - A locally stored archive of files protects your company from file corruption or employee error. These backups contain an archive of files with previous version to easily facilitate a quick recovery of one to several files. This is normally accomplished with backup software like GFI Business Backup, an inexpensive reliable file backup system. This software easily backs up your data to a locally attached USB hard drive that never leaves the premises.

2. Disaster Recovery Backup - How fast can you get your business up and running after a disaster (fire, theft, flood etc)? There are solutions now that allow you to have your computer systems up and running in a couple of hours, even if all of your original equipment is destroyed.  Software suites like Acronis and StorageCraft allow you to grab an “Image” of your main computer or server and easily restore them to different hardware or create a “Virtual Server” - a topic for another article. The bottom line is, this type of backup is your key to ensuring you can get back up and running after a disaster. Just don’t forget to take these backups off-site to a secure storage facility!

3. Online Backups - I focused a generous portion of last month’s article on Online Backups and mentioned that some of these online backup companies offer their services for free. Part of the reasoning behind offering it for free is to prove the usefulness of the software so that it builds credibility in order to sell their services to the business community.

In some cases, you will find a backup product will cover more than one of the areas mentioned. For example, some Disaster Recovery Backup software provides fantastic local backups since they not only can restore your entire server/computer, but you can also restore a single file. Even a few Online Backup solutions provide Disaster Recovery and a Local Backup features.

The Cost of Contingency

As I eluded to above, cheap hardware ($100 or so) and cheap software ($40 or so) can provide a decent local backup strategy for most small companies. Online Backups will cost most companies around the $30 per month or more depending on the type of data your company stores. Typically, no more than $60 per month.  Disaster Recovery backups are a little more complex and may recommend a professional to provide a consultation. There are a variety of ways to achieve this type of backup.

Test. Test. Test.

Never assume your backups are working!  Another reason to have a multiple backups is to cover off the fact that “when it rains it pours”, in other words, just when you need your backups is the time you find out they haven’t been working for months.  We highly recommend checking your backups, by performing a simple restore at least once a month.  

Are you ready for a disaster?

Loss of data is not only a frustrating setback, but it can cost thousands or even cost you your business.  Building a proper backup solution is a type of insurance you are more likely to use then any other insurance you have.  Taking chances with your backups is taking chances with your future. Build your plan today!  

Eddie Phillips is the President of REP4 Technologies Inc. in Selkirk, Manitoba. Eddie is a 15 year IT veteran using his experiences from working for companies like Microsoft, Texas Instruments and HP to grow technological awareness throughout the Interlake. For past articles, visit www.rep4.com