Data loss can be from a cyberattack, hardware failure, or just plain bad luck. Either way, it is a real threat to your business. You can hedge against it by having solid data backup strategies in place. Today is World Backup Day, so we thought we’d go through some ways to build a data redundancy platform that will keep you from being left scrambling should disaster strike.
Follow the 3-2-1 Backup Rule
If there’s one golden rule for data backup, it’s this: keep three copies of your data, on two different types of media, with one stored offsite. Colloquially known as the 3-2-1 rule, this practice ensures that you will have access to your critical data no matter the situation. It works like this:
- One copy of your data stays on your computer or primary device.
- A second copy is on an external drive or a local server.
- The third copy is stored in the cloud or another offsite location.
This way, even if something happens to your main storage, you still have backup options to fall back on.
Take Advantage of the Cloud
Cloud storage is one of the easiest ways to ensure your data is safe. You can use several services to back up your personal data, but for businesses, they probably aren’t robust enough. You will want to understand what data you need to routinely back up and then purchase a solution commensurate with your needs.
Backing up data in the cloud is a great option because no matter what happens to your local devices, your files are still accessible from anywhere with internet connectivity. Since external drives fail too, a cloud provider whose business depends on reliability and availability is a great resource to lean on.
Automate Your Backups
The worst backup plan is the one you don’t use. That’s why automation is important. Set up your system to automatically back up your files on a daily or weekly basis. Some of the more robust backup solutions incrementally back up your data periodically as it is changed. This ensures that you have up-to-date data should you be confronted with a situation where you have to restore. Most cloud storage providers and backup software allow you to schedule backups so you don’t have to think about it.
Protect Your Backups with Encryption
Backing up your data is only half the battle, you also need to make sure it’s secure. Hackers target sensitive data, so use encryption to protect your backups. Most cloud providers offer encryption, but if you’re storing backups on an external drive, consider using encryption software to make sure your data is at rest securely.
Regularly Test Your Backups
A backup is useless if it doesn’t work when you need it. There are horror stories of businesses believing they are backing up data for months and when they go to restore it, it’s not there or it’s a very old version that is basically worthless. Every once in a while, test your backups to ensure they’re recoverable. Try restoring a few files to confirm everything is in working order. Trust me, you don’t want to find out your backups are corrupted when you actually need them.
Have a Disaster Recovery Strategy
Making sure your backup is running is a good start, but if you are in a situation where your business’ market viability is at stake, you won’t want to waste time. You need a plan to get your data up and running quickly. This is where disaster recovery (DR) comes in. You need to create a DR plan that outlines:
- Where your backups are stored.
- How to restore critical files and systems.
- Who is responsible for managing the recovery process.
Minimizing downtime has to be the priority, and you need a dedicated and detailed strategy to make that happen.
We Can Help!
If you would like to learn more about how we can help you navigate your business’ backup strategy from start to finish, give us a call today at 1-855-405-8889.