3 Proven Methods to Prevent Costly Data Loss

Odds are, your business has or will experience data loss at some point.  Whether it’s an accidentally deleted file or a complete storage failure on your server, the ramifications can be devastating. Assume your company lost all of its data today, and ask yourself, what data do I have backed up?  Where is it?  And how long will it take to restore that data and resume regular business operations? If you are unsure or uneasy about any of your answers even in the slightest, you need to employ a better backup system. Here are three proven and practical elements of a data backup plan:

Backing up your data using multiple technologies is best practice. A strategy which uses both online and offline backups provides you with flexibility from both a restore-time and budget standpoint.  A well-developed backup strategy feeds directly into disaster recovery and business continuity plan for your company. With a diverse system, your data recovery is very near 100% effective.

Natural and man-made disasters can wipe out entire data-storing facilities. Geographical diversity in your strategy ensures that your data is available for restore regardless of natural disasters, network outages, terrorist attacks or communication disruptions.  A combination of local on-site backups with multiple offsite locations guarantees that you will have a path to recovery regardless of the interruptions you can’t control. As remote facilities are generally out of your control, be sure to understand the data security levels and where your data is stored.

All too often businesses find that backup procedures were not appropriately followed, test restores were not performed or perhaps, the external drive you back up to, actually filled up three months ago, and you have not performed a successful backup since that time.  An automated and managed solution makes perfect sense for organizations whose business focus is not technology and who do not have a dedicated IT staff. The amount of data you create and the importance of the data will determine how often you conduct your backups.

Some data loss statistics:

• 60% of companies that lose their data will shut down within six months of a disaster
• 30% of all businesses that have a significant fire go out of business within a year. 70% fail within five years. 
• More than one billion people have been affected by data loss incidents in the last five years.

The causes of data loss:

The good news is that data loss is entirely preventable when a backup plan is in place and utilized correctly. If you have questions about creating a backup plan, give us a call!