The Basics of Business Data Backups

For your business to achieve true business continuity—meaning you can maintain your operations regardless of disasters or issues—a data backup is a critical element of your preparations.

As such, it is critical that your backup is designed to be as comprehensive and reliable as possible.

Let’s go over a few elements that a backup of this caliber will incorporate.

A Good Backup Will Be Redundant

Granted, “redundant” isn’t usually a positive trait, but it is when it comes to data backup.

A backup is really an emergency copy of your data, saved in case something happens to the original. Therefore, it should be redundant by nature. However, this isn’t enough. You want to have numerous copies of your data so that it is more likely you’ll have an intact copy after a disaster strikes.

This is Why the 3-2-1 Backup Rule is So Important

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule is a best practice meant to help ensure that a data backup is reliable and secure enough to be trusted. Its name comes from its three parts:

1. You maintain at least three copies of your data at all times.
2. These copies are stored in at least two locations.
3. At least one copy is stored offsite, ideally in the cloud.

This approach helps ensure that your data remains safe, almost regardless of the disaster that strikes.

A Good Backup Will Be Automated

Errare humanum est, or in a more modern form, to err is human. People make mistakes.

The issue is, you don’t want a mistake to influence your backups… for instance, if someone forgot to start the backup process. Fortunately, modern backups can eliminate this risk.

By automating your backups, you can ensure that they are maintained regularly throughout the workday. As a result, you not only don’t need to worry about it, but you also minimize the amount of data you would lose between backups.

A Good Backup Will Be an Archive

On top of all this, you’ll want your backup to keep numerous copies, going back in time. Why?

Simple… what if a mistake is made, or a cyberthreat alters something, and then the backup is taken? You need to be able to refer back to data that isn’t affected. A backup that keeps multiple copies going back in time gives you a better chance of restoring a clean copy of your data.

OnSite I.T. can help you set up a reliable backup. Call us at (403) 210-2927 to learn more about business continuity.