Data Backup Defined
What is data backup and why do I need it for my small business? If you’re asking this question, this post is for you.
Data backup is a term from the language of information technology, or IT, and refers to the process of making copies of data from a computer system and its files, including the operating system, system folders, and all important company data and other files and folders, in the case of a data loss event. In business, having a good data backup plan and performing regular backups to ensure safe recovery for company data and files, including customer data and information, is of key importance. A good backup and recovery plan will keep your business running smoothly in the event of data failure.
A Data Loss Event
If you think business data loss can’t or won’t happen to you, or if you’re just starting a business and think you can’t afford to have a backup and recovery plan, think again. This is your company data protection and disaster recovery procedure, in the case of the loss of critical data you need, in order to run your business smoothly on a daily basis. This could be from many different scenarios, such as:
- data or file corruption
- fire
- flood
- theft
- hardware failure
- simple human error
And these are just a few examples. Mistakes happen every day and can happen to anyone, including unpreventable natural disasters and victimization crimes. Not to mention the malware and cyber threats that come in one form or another that are everywhere, where data may be lost.
For instance, let’s say an employee is going through their inbox and receives a very well disguised phishing email. Because of its genuine appearance, and the importance or urgency of the message contained within, the employee inadvertently opens the attachment or clicks on the link provided. They have just unknowingly released ransomware or other malware that can successfully and seriously compromise your company data. Don’t let the lack of data protection through having a good backup solution happen to your business!
A Backup System
Backup solutions all involve having a good backup system as part of the business backup data strategy. Good backup systems have at least one copy of everything worth saving, including operating systems with a copy of the operating system install disc and any program installation discs, a copy of your external hard drive, etc. There are different types of data storage devices that can be used for making additional copies of data backups already in a secondary storage at a remote location. A good plan can also include performing ‘dry runs’ which validate the reliability of the information being saved.
Backup Recovery Protection Plan
If your business doesn’t perform regular backups on a good backup schedule, you may need to back up your system. A big part of good data management is having multiple copies of everything. A recovery time objective should be incorporated into your plan, and a strict backup policy should be adopted. Aside from the initial backup process, however, you will also need to implement a good schedule for automatically backing up your system. Then you can always recover important data to your business and its smooth operation, no matter what happens.
The 3 Types Of Data Backup
There are 3 main types of data backup: full, incremental, and differential. A full backup is the initial copy of everything considered important, referred to above in the backup system section. An incremental backup requires much more care and planning in the way backups are made. It doesn’t keep making additional copies of extra files previously copied, and instead just copies additions and changes since the last backup.
The incremental method saves a lot of time and money, not to mention necessary storage options, but generally requires professional assistance. The differential backup is similar to the incremental version, except that all files made since the original full backup will always be copied. This method is also generally not recommended to implement manually, or without assistance.
Data Storage
Once you decide on the type of backup you want and you have at least a general idea of a good plan in place for your business, you will need to figure out what kind of storage to use. There are many different storage options and media options such as a punch card, floppy disk, optical media like CD, DVD and Blu-Ray, tape, external hard disk, cloud-based storage services, and more. Enlisting an outsourced IT firm like Blue Oak Technology Solutions is another great option, as we can take all of these concerns for you and put them into a real and workable solution.
Backup Solutions For Your Business
Because data storage requirements can be substantial for businesses, there is an urgent need for better backup solutions. There are cloud based service providers and other cloud services that can provide a storage medium for your business data center, as well as IT firms such as Blue Oak Technology Solutions that you can outsource the entire process to. We are an IT firm that is easy to use and can help to find the perfect solution to all your business’s technological issues.
Data backup and storage options are just one of the many services we can provide here at Blue Oak Tech. Here are just a few of the other services we can provide for small to medium sized businesses:
- Antivirus protection and security options including continuous monitoring of your business system
- Email hosting, archiving and encryption options
- Virtualization
- Wireless network and other wireless solutions
- Equipment acquisition
Plus, we offer a monthly managed service plan where you can choose the services you need, and nothing you don’t, all at a reasonable cost. We like to think of ourselves as your offsite IT department, and offer a more personal and customizable approach. So when you need good technical support, we’re here for you and your business 24 7, so contact us today to see how we can help yours!
