Posted by Joe Sgroe on Tue, Nov 03, 2009 @ 09:13 AM
Are you backing up your data?
Really? Be honest. How often do you check to see if the backup really works? And what about your employees? Are you sure that all your company data is being protected, even of the employee leaves the company?
Protecting the information on your computer(s) - both at work and at home - should be routine but it's amazing how many companies - and people - give only passing thought to their data protection process until a crises occurs.
"30 percent of small businesses admit they have no formal data backup and storage procedures, or do not implement their procedures consistently." According to an Imation Small Business Backup survey.
And that's the issue - you need a data backup system that does the thinking for you (most of the time).
Have you heard about on-line data backup? It's a relatively new option for secure data backups, but by no means bleeding edge. Whether you are thinking of using online backup at work or at home, the advantages of online backup are clear:
Online data backup ensures that you never have to worry about physical loss of your data - to hard drive crashes, viruses, accidental or intentionally erasing data, theft or even natural disasters.
Online backup protects your data in a secure, offsite location. So no one has to remember (and therefore can possibly forget) and if your location burns or floods, your data is still safe. and therefore does not require anyone taking the data to another location at the end of each day as is common practice with traditional backup methods
So while the benefits may be clear, choosing the right data backup provider may not be. Balancing cost, ease of use and reliability is the goal, but the equation may be different for different people, and different businesses.
Here are my top 10 questions to consider when preparing for and selecting the right online data backup service:
Do you feel knowledgeable enough to set up and manage the data backup on your own? Does the company offer live, real-time customer service both before and after the sale? Or is support primarily offered is through Forums, Q&A, and email support?
Which files you should back up? Make a written list of all things you would not want to be without. Think beyond your documents and photos, what about your emails, data from your key programs like your online financial and tax services? What about your system files and settings?
Do you know how to locate and select the all the files on your computer? Microsoft Windows hides a lot of file to help protect Joe Schmo from messing up his computer. But because things are hidden, you may need help finding all the data you really should back up. For instance, if you use Outlook, do you know how to select and configure your .pst file(s)?
Can a snapshot of the data be sent to the service provider? If you have a large amount of data on your servers, it won't be practical to upload it - so if the service provider only offers on-line uploads, even for the initial set-up, you should keep looking.
Can you use your computer while backups are running? How much will it slow down or disable your system during backups?
Can you schedule your backup to run when you want it to run, not when the software thinks it's a good time to run?
Are you notified when backups fail to occur? If so, how? Email? Phone calls?
Can you restore files back to a prior version? This means that they system keep a certian number of back copies of your dtaa - so if you want to restore a file or a document from say, 3 weeks ago ( before you made that change to a document that you now don't want to use), - you cna. It's sort of like document verison control - though you'll want to find out how far back they go.
Do you have servers running open files (i.e. Exchange)? If so, pay close attention to how the service handles this type of file backup. Many services say they do it - but many don't do it well.
Does the system support regulatory compliance requirements, i.e. FINRA, SEC, HIPPA etc...?
If you're really technically savvy, you may feel comfortable handling the download, install and configuration the service on your own. If not, you'll want to select a service that provides more help through the process. The same is true when you need to retrieve your data - if you're not a techie, you might not be comfortable restoring your system on your own. Look for a company that provides setup assistance, sometimes you have to pay for this, but it is well worth it. The technician will ask the questions that you might not think yourself and help ensure you're really protected.
If your business needs to protect both employee laptops and centralized servers, you'll also want to consider the system's ability to support all your file types and provide a console for management and reporting across all your assets.
Using online data
backup is a great way to protect your data - without the hassles and problems
associated with traditional backup methods of external hard drives, tapes and
jump drives.
When it comes to selecting the right service -
it comes down to one essential - chose a service provider you can trust.
Trust
to set it up correctly.
Trust
to monitor and ensure it's running consistently.
And
trust to restoring your data when and where you need it.
If they don't meet
these three criteria of trust, then don't do it.
If they offer a great
price but you can't talk to them, then don't do it.
If they are really
nice guys but you're not sure about their system, then don't do it.
If it's prepackaged
with other services and they aren't experts in data backup, then don't do it.
It's your data - and in many cases - your business
livelihood. A little bit of up front
investigation will help you select the best service for you and prevent major
problems later.
It’s your data – and in many cases – your business livelihood. A little bit of up front investigation will help you select the best service for you and prevent major problems later.