The easy way to create a robust backup strategy
The importance of ensuring that your critical data is regularly
backed up and readily accessible cannot be understated within the world of
business. Data recovery services are available, of course, but they can't prevent the short-term damage caused by data loss.
Thanks to growing awareness with regards to the role data
now plays within the world of business, most owners and decision makers
understand the importance of having such a strategy in place but, whether due
to a lack of technical know-how or naivety, their plans often lack the
durability that modern businesses need.
Threats to our vital data are becoming more and more
widespread. Ransomware, cyber-attacks and disgruntled employees are just a few
of the growing threats to the security and stability of your data. What’s more,
with a quarter of all data loss coming about as a result of human error, it
becomes abundantly clear that data loss can affect any company at any time.
Fortunately, by following three simple steps, you’ll ensure
that data loss never affects your business’s bottom line:
1. Store it in multiple locations
Put simply, one backup isn’t enough. Don’t simply allow your
IT department to setup automated copying and leave it at that, ensure that
along with, say, a RAID array, your data is also regularly being backed up to
tape, for example. Indeed, we’d recommend you keep at least three backups of
your data for absolute security.
2. Use different types of media
By utilising a variety of storage media, you’ll add an extra
layer of stability to your strategy. As businesses that require high-capacity
storage infrastructure are likely to order their media in bulk, the devices
they receive will undoubtedly have been manufactured under similar conditions
and are therefore certain to have similar failure rates and trigger points.
Using different types of storage media will ensure that all
of your backup devices don’t fail simultaneously or in quick succession and
leave you in a dire situation.
3. Keep one piece of media off site and
offline
Think about it for a moment, is keeping all of the devices
that contain your data in the same place such a good idea? If you do, an event
such as a power cut or fire could leave them all damaged beyond repair.
This can easily be alleviated by keeping at least one backup
off site, though we’d recommend having two to three kept by key members of
staff. As this backup will probably be your last resort, we’d recommend keeping
it completely offline as well.
Remember, though, that you’ll need to ensure this media is
relatively secure if it contains anyone’s personal data lest you could fall
foul of the Data Protection Act.
Already suffered data
loss?
If it’s too late and you’ve already lost data, contact
Fields Data Recovery for a free diagnostic and no-obligation quote today. We’re
one of the UK’s largest data
recovery specialists and have offices in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds
and Cardiff.