A business of any size should value their data backup and recovery. These processes should never be taken for granted, as they can largely dictate the effectiveness of a company’s entire system. Whether you run your own local enterprise network or rely on a cloud provider, you need to be aware that your data is constantly being backed up, as well as how it is done and what to do if there’s a disaster.
Daily Backups
Protecting your data should be a top priority. Data loss of any sort can lead to a surge of customer complaints and lawsuits. There are many protective methods to reduce the chance of data loss or damage. A strong idea is to focus on a strict policy of constant data backups.
While firms may still backup data on tapes, a more modern solution is backing up data to disks. The problem with tape is that it can stretch, which compromises quality. It is also a time-consuming approach, whereas disks provide quick recovery and access to data.
Here are key backup considerations:
- Test software and media for reliability
- Create a disaster recovery strategy
- Locate and utilize the appropriate equipment
A more common cause of data loss is employee error, such as accidentally overwriting files. Roughly 15% of security breaches in 2015 were caused by employees, according to the Identity Theft Center.
Recovery Procedures Following Disaster
In the event of a power failure, a security breach or natural disaster, you must be prepared to make adjustments to your operation to avoid excessive downtime. No networking system is immune to downtime, but well thought out recovery plans can assure minimal downtime.
If downtime does occur, it should be restricted to a matter of hours, not days. According to Strategic Research Institute, firms that do not return to normal operations within ten days of a disaster tend to go out of business. Furthermore, as much as 60% of businesses that experience a data loss disaster fold within six months.
It is essential to have a recovery plan that has been tested several times by your IT team, with specific steps laid out to recover data and resume operations. Essentially, recovery tools must be readily available, regardless of how many replicas of data exist. Lost data cannot necessarily be easily rebuilt from original raw data.
Natural disasters such as fire or flooding can be devastating to hardware, making it difficult to replace immediately. Ideally, you should have backup servers off site that you can switch to, at least temporarily.
Cloud Benefits
- Top tier data centers use automatic backup generators
- Data is backed up in multiple locations
- Continuous automated data backup
- 24/7 Help desk tech support
- Up-to-date security solutions
Conclusion
It helps to have an experienced IT support team or a cloud provider that provides data backup and recovery strategies. Ensure backups are done frequently and that an appropriate strategy is in place to restore data as soon as possible. Once this is accomplished you will be able to achieve a smooth business continuity. If you have any questions about data backup and recovery contact Computer Works today.