In today’s world, most companies rely on data to get by; everything from client contact details, their invoices and statements to agreements and other confidential documents, we store a huge amount of data electronically, most of which we would be unable to recall from memory.
What happens if and when, your system goes down? Would you be able to manage? The truth is the majority of businesses suffer substantial losses when experiencing downtime, avoiding data back-up or simply forgetting to run it is a risk that your company cannot afford to take.
Many businesses do not consider data back-up a priority; they think that data can only be lost when a computer crashes or there is a loss of power. Not being prepared for a failure can result in a total loss of information. Some disasters even cause you to lose your back-ups. Take the time to consider your needs; some back-up services don’t recover historical data, others are not compliant with certain software. Ensure that you analyse each option and choose the most suitable for your business.
Some of the most common solutions include Direct Attached Storage (DAS), this type of storage is attached directly to a PC or server. The most familiar form of DAS is an internal or external hard drive. DAS usually run ad-hoc or batch back-ups and so your data may not be the most recent version. Network Attached Storage (NAS) is different as it connects directly to a network, this type of storage is flexible and can scale with your business as it allows storage and retrieval of data from a central location from authorised network users.
The Cloud
Begin by prioritising your data, what information would you need access to if your systems fail? How quickly would you need to recover this data if your business shuts down? How will you retrieve this data if your office is inaccessible? If you require immediate access to your data, then cloud-based back-up may be your best option.
As a small business, it can be tempting to back up your data to a flash drive and be done with it, but this is not a sustainable plan. It is likely that you would forget to regularly back-up leaving you with out of date information and flash drives can be easily misplaced or wiped clean. Using a cloud-based back-up system can automate regular back-ups so that you don’t forget to run them.
While free services are ideal for your budget, they don’t always meet your security or compliance requirements. At ITC we take the time to understand your business and will strive to find the best solution for your needs and budget. If you would like to discuss your back-up requirements, then contact our team on 0845 652 0450 or email info@clickitc.co.uk.
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