Let’s face it, backups are not sexy and are seen by some as an extra unnecessary expense. They are like insurance…intangible…UNTIL you need your data. Many people think that they have a backup on tape or portable disk so all is good with their data.
“if you only have 1 copy of a file it is only slightly more important to you”
An adage that I follow is “if you only have the original file then the file is not important to you”. It is followed by “if you only have 1 copy of a file it is only slightly more important to you”. You need at least two backups and the original with one backup on different media than the original and one copy physically separated from the others. This is often referred to as a 3-2-1 backup strategy and is the recommended backup model…currently. In the future a better method may be implemented. To put it another way this means 3 copies of your data, 2 onsite but on different mediums (disk/flash drive/tape), and 1 offsite.
Backups and their related costs are a way to fund a liability at a lower cost. Imagine a scenario where you lost all your data, even your 1 backup to a fire, flood or ransomware attack. Are you still in business? How much will it cost you to get your business up and running? What is the cost to your brand? I would argue that it will cost much more than the price of a proper backup solution. How much you spend is a reflection of your risk versus reward attitude. Generally, the more you spend the more you mitigate your risk. There becomes a point where the expense outweighs the reward. This point is different for every business. I would recommend meeting with an IT consultant to help you determine your risk aversion. This should be repeated yearly because your business changes as does the backup options.
The above solution would include multiple backups at multiple locations, regularly tested data restoration, and a comprehensive business recovery plan. The money you pay isn’t about getting something tangible in return, it is about insuring your data is available to you when you need it. You may never need to use the backed-up files. That would be great and….highly unlikely.
As with purchasing insurance the most the most frequent objection to a proper backup is “It won’t happen to me”. Actually, the insurance industry lays odds that “it” will happen to you sooner or later. That is how they determine your premium fees.
A proper backup solution would also include:
- Daily backups;
- File level backups;
- Image level backups of important servers;
- Multiple copies of incremental and full backups;
- Automated process;
- Out of band (separate process than normal business operations);
- Secure/encrypted data;
Contact our knowledgeable sales staff for more information on how TELECO can assist you with your backup process.
