Regardless of the kind of business you have, one thing is for sure: data will always be part of it. This data could range from contact number of your suppliers, list of customers, and other vital information to keep your business working.
Here’s the surprising part: not all businesses are backing up data. This is alarming because, in America, 140,000 hard drives fail every week that could trigger the shutting down of 60 percent of small-medium enterprises within six months. Majority of businesses are not even prepared for data loss and have no sufficient backup appliances to protect data.
You can do something about it. Below are essentials tips you will need when it comes to data backup and recovery:
Develop A Standard For Organizing Files
An organized business goes a long way. If you are slowly going digital and backing up important files, then the first thing you need to do is to establish your method of organization.
As a business owner, devise a ‘method on how to sort and organize files. Make sure you teach this method to your employees so you will know which file goes where. The method should also include which files are important; hence must be preserved. Once you established your organizing method, it will be easier for you to back up and recover data.
There Must Be A Primary And Secondary Backup System
Now that you established your organization method, it’s time to start creating your backup system.
Here’s the catch: it’s not enough that you just have one backup. To ensure continuity of business, you must have at least two backup systems
- Local backup system
which is the primary back up system wherein the backup files are located physically in the office. This will make it easier for you to recover files in case your hard drive failed.
- Off-site backup system
or the secondary backup, wherein the copy of the files are in a different location outside the office. There is a reason why you should have an off-site back up. There will be instances when the primary backup could fail due to hardware failure, data degradation, or the backup just didn’t run properly. Fire, earthquake, typhoon, and hurricane are also likely to happen that could damage your files in the office. This off-site backup system can be your savior in case of incidents like this.
Make sure you fulfill these two backup systems because you’ll never know when they will come in handy. It’s better to be prepared and keep your files protected.
Automation Is A must
Backing up doesn’t happen once. To make it more effective and efficient, you need to back it up regularly, both primary and secondary backups. This will ensure that your files are protected no matter what happens.
You might say it takes too much time. That’s true. You have the option to automate the backup process to save time and make this task more convenient for you. You just need to set a schedule so that backup will be done regularly.
Still, don’t rely on automation. As a business owner, you still need to check that backups were done on the scheduled date. Otherwise, you might be losing files and you won’t even notice it.
Establish Your Budget
This is another thing you need to consider. Data backup and recovery requires money as well. The good news is there are a variety of backup systems you can choose from that will fit your budget without compromising the overall need for backup and recovery.
Some of your options include:
- Tape Drives
This is the most common and most affordable backup device. Sadly, it is slow and unreliable at times.
- Digital Audio Tape (DAT) Drive
This system is faster, more reliable, and has higher capacity.
- Auto Loader Tape System
If your business handles a lot of data, then this type of backup system is ideal for you. It uses magazine of tapes for higher backup volumes.
- Removable Disk
This type of backup system is popular these days because it is fast and easy to use. On the other hand, it is more expensive than the standard tape or DAT drive.
- Magnetic Optical Drive
It combines optical laser and magnetic tape technology, thereby making this backup system more reliable than DAT drive.
Data Backup And Recovery Plan Must Be Easy To Use.
Professional data backup services are in demand these days because of the kind of service they provide. Still, as a business owner, you also need to familiarize yourself with how the system works.
Therefore, data backup and recovery system must be easy to use. Backing up files must never be complicated and something you can learn and manage easily. Aside from backup, the recovery process must likewise be easy. Keep in mind that the reason for such move in your business is to protect and preserve files in case something happens. If recovering files take forever for you to understand and do its job eventually, then look for more reliable services.
Don’t underestimate data backup and recovery. Eventually, you will need those files you thought are no longer needed and having this kind of system will save you all the trouble.
