Why your business should backup

by Warren | Jan 25, 2018 | Small Business IT

Backup is far too often overlooked when we consider that it’s one of the most important aspects of IT. By backing up, you’re making a copy of your important files, simply so that you can restore them if they are damaged or lost.

There are various causes of data loss including theft, accidental error, physical failure of your Laptop, Desktop, or Server, and environmental disasters such as floods and fires. Another major risk are computer viruses; they’ll delete or corrupt your files rendering them useless.

What can I backup?

You’re able to backup anything you like but it might be a good idea to consider which files you would need to continue working if your organisation were struck with Cryptolocker (a debilitating virus that encrypts all your data and requires you to pay a ransom).

To continue running your business, you’d need copies of contracts, financial information, clients’ contact details, and many other things too. It’s taken you years to collate this information; what would happen if you couldn’t access it again?

How do I backup?

So, you’ve decided you need backup, but how do you go about doing it? Well, there are various backup solutions available. You need to think about time, security, and budget when making a decision, but some methods are superior to others.

Memory sticks and portable hard drives are often used for smaller backups but these cheap devices are easy to damage and lose and are unreliable. They are also unsecured which means that anyone that gets their hands on your lost device, has also got their hands on your business’ data. Another downside is that you can only access one version of your file as it overrides the previous version each time you save. This means that when it comes to restore your data, you’ve only got one version available to restore from.

Tape backup was once an industry standard but is now outdated. It’s a slow and manual process and your tapes are subject to the same environmental threats as your original data unless you take them offsite on a daily basis.

Here at Ilkley IT Services, we recommend online data backup; a solution that’s suitable for all sizes and types of business. You don’t need to buy any new hardware or software and you have control as you choose which data you want to backup and how often. It’s then transported to a state of the art datacentre in an encrypted format. There’s no user intervention as the backups are scheduled, and the files are easy to restore. You’re guaranteed security and peace of mind with just a small monthly payment.

Our tips for data backup

Test your copied data regularly; backups are useless if you’re unable to restore your data.
Backup frequently; consider how much work you’re prepared to lose.
Use an Offsite Cloud Backup solution; it’s the only option that offers absolute security.

As a final note, let’s think about if you were to be struck with Cryptolocker but you have an offsite backup solution in place. What would you do? You would wipe your machine or system, and restore your data from your chosen backup. You’ll be back to business in no time at all.

Clunk Click Online Pro

Ilkley IT Serivces Online Backup and Restore solution Clunk Click Online Pro delivers next generation intelligent data backup and instant data recovery to protect your business.

Backup critical data from workstations and servers, across physical and virtual platforms, to a secure off-site UK datacentre, while giving backup administrators full control of all processes.