We understand that making copies of data and organizing them can be difficult for business owners.

Therefore, we’ve put together some suggestions on how to create an effective data backup strategy and keep up with backups to prevent data loss.
If you need convincing why backups are important? – Check these two articles out:

Backups – Why Should we care?

10 Backup Statistics – every business should know

Realise, it is not always intended to be harmful or catastrophic.

A frequent misstep we hear frequently is “we don’t need to back up”, “We are safe”, “We haven’t had any ransomware attacks yet”, “Personnel understand not to open suspicious files”…but did you know that the most common data recovery is actually due to unintended errors?

Not to mention data corruption and then let’s discuss hardware failures, malicious recoveries are only the stories we get wind of when it makes the news.

It’s as easy as 3-2-1 backup.

One of the primary reasons why people don’t keep backups is because they are unaware of the correct procedure.

The 3-2-1 rule is usually recommended; three copies of your data, stored on two distinct mediums, with one located away from the original source.

A lot of people make a mistake by having just one copy of their files. Without a doubt, this is better than nothing, however having two additional replicas considerably decreases the probability of data loss.

It is essential to save these on two distinct mediums, for example a USB flash drive and an external hard drive.
This will provide protection from any device failure. Furthermore, it is wise to keep one of the backups in a different place than the other ones.

By having various locations, you can protect yourself against fire, robbery or any other unfortunate incident in your workplace.

Use Cloud Storage and File Sync Services.

You may be wondering “What if I don’t have access to another location to store a backup?” Fortunately, start-ups and small businesses can still use the 3-2-1 backup strategy approach without needing to rent out extra space.

Cloud storage offer an economical – yet secure – solution, providing organizations with the ability to store their documents on a remote server. These files are stored in datacentres that are managed by reliable companies such as Amazon and Microsoft.

If you are already making use of OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox to keep your documents and information, then these services could be a great selection for you due to the fact that they can be incorporated without difficulty.

Nonetheless, it is important to bear in mind that document and collaboration platforms such as these should not be viewed as a backup answer and must always be used in conjunction with other back-up techniques; in fact, Google and Microsoft both firmly recommend to keep your data using a third-party or alternate source.

For instance, we have our cloud backup solution storing data in Amazon (AWS) and Google (GCP), you can backup all of the above vendors and set up an offsite copy. It’s also a great choice as it stores multiple copies of the files.

Monitor and Check up on them regularly.

It is highly beneficial to back up your data with a backup schedule, but it is equally important to ensure that you are routinely inspecting them.

Unless you take the time to test them, how can you be certain that they are operating as intended?

We suggest examining your backups at least once a month to every six months; this will guarantee that everything is running optimally and that all of your data can be retrieved if an emergency arises.

Nothing worse than when you need to restore, you find that it doesn’t work or that there is nothing there.

Disaster recovery Plan.

It is important to create a plan for recovering from a disaster in order to minimize the amount of time your company will be without data if it is lost. A good disaster recovery plan should include the following:

1. Establish objectives and scope: Establish what type of disasters you’re preparing for, what systems need to be recovered, and who is responsible for recovery.
2. Identify critical systems: Identify which systems are mission-critical and need to be recovered as quickly as possible.
3. Develop backup strategies: Determine how often backups will be created, where they will be stored, and who is responsible for them.
4. Test the plan regularly: Regularly test your plan to make sure it works correctly in case of a disaster situation.
5. Train personnel: Make sure all personnel involved in the recovery process are trained on their roles and responsibilities in case of a disaster.
6. Develop a communication strategy: Create a strategy for communicating with stakeholders about the recovery process and any changes that may need to be made during or after the event.
7. Document procedures: Document each step of the recovery process so that personnel can easily follow it in case of an emergency situation. Having a backup of the information is useless if you don’t know how to access it again.

Consider automation.

Manual backups are a great way to ensure your files are safe while keeping expenses low. This makes them a suitable choice for individuals and very small firms. Be mindful of possible drawbacks like sickness, forgetfulness, and only copying the data that select individuals deem important and not the firm as a whole.

It is wise to consider automating your backups sooner rather than later.

Automating your backups allows you to set up a backup schedule for when and how often they should be performed, saving you time and energy.

Automated backups can also help ensure that data is securely backed up in multiple locations, providing an extra layer of protection in the event of a disaster. Doing so ensures that no file will be overlooked. Copying files by hand is not only tedious, but it can also lead to mistakes being made.

Our Little Secret.

Shhh…Keep it a secret that we don’t just “flip the switch” and have IT work like magic for our customers; in reality, all of these strategies are integrated into our services for every customer.

We program computers to reroute all files from Desktop, Documents, Pictures to cloud services such as OneDrive/SharePoint, from where we back up the files multiple times a day, not only their files but also their emails, Teams and SharePoint. (3-2-1 backup system).

Keeping track of the backups, notifies us of any likely issues with the backups and a Disaster Recovery Plan is established for when restorations are necessary, as well as frequent testing to make sure it works like a charm. Its almost like we created this piece based on what we do

This article offers a few suggestions for keeping backups and is not exhaustive. If you would like to explore your backup and disaster recovery plan further, please contact us.

3/5 of backups are incomplete and half of data restores fail.

Even if you make the effort to back up your files, it doesn’t mean they’re always 100% effective.

That’s right, a backup can fail and you may not realise until it’s too late.

Regularly checking your backups is essential to ensure that – if it comes to it – your files can be restored fully, with no missing data.

We recommend monitoring your backups every few weeks, or as often as you can. This way, you can discover any problems almost straight away, and only have to deal with a few days of data loss, rather than months.

17% do not backup business data at all.

Almost 20% of businesses admit to not backing up their files at all. Neglecting to back up is generally more common among sole traders and small businesses, with medium-sized to large businesses usually being more on it.

Do you fall into the 20%?

If you do, consider how long it would take to get your business back up and earning money if you lost all of your files and applications.

3.8 million UK businesses do not adhere to backup best practice.

Out of those who use backups, many do not follow best practice, such as an offsite backup and regular monitoring.

Half of the respondents to one survey admitted that their backups were kept on a separate system, but within the same office.

We strongly recommend following the 3-2-1 backup method; three copies of your data, stored on (at least) two different types of device, with one of these located offsite.

Read our guide on How To Set Up and Maintain Backups here.

But, what are the chances of data loss for my business?

Data loss is estimated to be up 400% since 2012, with around four million UK businesses at risk of losing data due to their insufficient – and non-existent – backups.

Remember, you can lose your data in a number of ways:

• Cyberattack.
• Damage to equipment.
• Faulty machines.
• Loss of devices.
• Accidental deletion.
• Malicious intent by an (ex)employee.
• Natural disaster, such as a flood or fire.
• Burglary or theft.

You are not immune. Everyone says it won’t happen to them, until it does.

Is losing data that bad for my business?

60% of businesses shut down within six months of data loss.

93% of companies that lost data for 10 days file for bankruptcy within one year while half file immediately.

31% of targetted attacks focus on businesses with fewer than 250 employees and 1/5 small businesses will be hacked within one year.

Hackers are turning their ugly heads to smaller businesses just like you, who are typically ill-equipped to deal with a cyberattack. While it used to be just the big guys getting attacked, now anyone and everyone is at risk.

40% of SMBs who manage their own network are affected.

Yep, if you manage your own network and use the internet for more than simply email, you’re very likely to have your network accessed by a cybercriminal, if you haven’t already – half of businesses are unaware when they’ve been breached.

A quality backup strategy and disaster recovery plan are essential for any business. Data loss can be extremely detrimental to your company. By securely storing and managing multiple copies of your most important data on and offsite, your office can recover quickly if disaster does strike. 

We work closely with you to install, configure and monitor backups, providing a proactive resolution that allows you to continue doing what you do best. If you’d like any more information about backups or disaster recovery, please get in touch with a member of our team right now. 

Sources:

• IT Pro
• Gartner Group
• National Cyber Security Alliance
• Richmond House Group
• Symantec
• Boston Computing
• National Archives & Records Administration in Washington DC

Creating and storing multiple copies of your data is key to preventing file loss due to device theft, malicious attacks, or even a fire or leak in your office.

We understand that backups and disaster recovery can be confusing and that duplicating and managing files is time-consuming for business owners.

This is why we’ve rounded up some basic tips on how to set up and maintain backups successfully.

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.

A key factor that discourages people from maintaining backups is the lack of knowledge of how to do so properly.

The standard recommendation is the 3-2-1 method; three copies of your data, stored on (at least) two different types of device, with one of these located offsite.

Many make the mistake of having only one backup of files. Of course, this is a lot better than having none at all, yet having two extra duplicates significantly reduces your chance of complete data loss.

You must ensure that these are stored on two different types of medium, such as a USB stick and an external hard drive. This protects you against device malfunction or physical damage to the storage units.

Lastly, you must always store one of your backups away from the other copies. By using different locations, you can cover yourself if there is a fire, burglary or another unfortunate event in your office space.  

But, there’s an alternative for SMBs.

You may be thinking “But, I don’t have access to an additional site to store a backup!”

Startups and small businesses can still use the 3-2-1 method, without having to hire out another office or storage space. Cloud services provide a more affordable – yet secure – service, which gives companies the opportunity to store their files on a remote server.  The files are then managed by a trusted company like Amazon and Microsoft.

These services are a great option for you if you are already using OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox to store documents and data because they can be seamlessly integrated.

Just remember, file sharing sites like the aforementioned are not a backup solution and should always be used in tandem with other backup methods.

For instance, one we like to use is Spanning Backup. Hosted in AWS, you can backup all of the above vendors and set up an offsite copy. It’s also a great choice as it stores multiple copies of the files.

Check up on them.

It’s all well and good backing up your files, but you must make sure that you are checking them regularly.

If you do not actively monitor them, how can you be certain that they are working correctly?

Depending on what systems you have in place, we’d recommend taking a look at your backups from anywhere between each month to every six months. This makes sure everything is running smoothly and that your data can be restored in full if a disaster occurs.

Disaster recovery.

On a similar note, outlining a disaster recovery plan is essential to limit the amount of downtime your business will experience if data loss occurs. It’s no use having a backup of your data if you have no idea how to restore it.

Consider automation.

Manual backups are a great way to ensure your documents are safe whilst still keeping costs low. This makes them an excellent solution for individuals and small businesses.

However, automation is something to think about sooner rather than later. Automating your backups guarantees no file is left behind. Manually copying your files is not only time consuming but can be a hotbed for human error.

This list includes just a few tips for maintaining backups and is by no means a complete guide. If you would like to discuss your backup and disaster recovery strategy further, please get in touch today.