Data backup and recovery should be the priority of all business: big or small. In as much as most small business owners may feel that they do not have as much data to protect, it is still essential. You will need the data you have now for the continuity of your business. As a small business owner who is looking to grow your business, you should not feel the pain of parting with some of your revenue to invest in backup data solutions. With the development of solutions like ottomatik, everything has been made even more comfortable. You do not have to get so manual when doing your data back-up. The solution automates the whole process.
It is vital to note that data is the lifeblood of your enterprise, and how you treat it determines whether or not your business will survive any form of risk. That said, you may need a few other tips that will guide you towards useful backup and recovery of your data.
- Do not be shy of asking for help with your backup
It does not hurt to have an extra hand in your data backup. You cannot be perfect at everything. If you feel that you might need some help, feel free to reach out to a Managed Service Provider (MSP), system integrator, a software reseller or an IT service provider to mention a few. The reason why getting extra help is emphasized because the importance of data does not allow you to leave anything to chance. You can combine the skills of different experts in the data backup and recovery field to write off any doubts that you may be having on whether you have done everything correctly. That is, in light of installation, configuration, or even scheduling your data backup.
- Pick a solution that meets your needs
Different types of businesses will have different data backup and recovery needs. Regardless of whether you will need input from a reseller or decide for yourself, it is vital that you put the needs of your organization into consideration. You need to confirm whether the total cost of ownership, scalability, flexibility and time commitment is in alignment with what your business requires.
- Determine the importance of the different data you have
Data will never be the same or hold the same degree of significance to the continuity of an organization. Identifying the data that would have a significant impact on your organization if damaged is essential. It can be done by carrying out an impact analysis. Once the critical data has been established, it will be easy for you to make better decisions regarding the protection and recovery of the data. That may be regarding the data to prioritize while doing a backup, the location of storage devices you will use.
- Set Up a Disaster Recovery Image Backup
File backups are essential: they will protect your data. However, it is important to note that image backup does a great job in protecting your entire system. An image backup will allow you to conduct a complete system restore: that is, inclusive of your applications, bookmarks, settings, files and operating system just as they were before any damage or loss. The beauty of image backup is that it will save the day even if your server was permanently wiped out.
- Implement the 3-2-1 rule
To eliminate the consequences of a single point of failure, you should consider employing the 3-2-1 rule. 3-2-1 means that you should have your data in three copies. Two of the copies should be stored in a local location but two different medium. Then the last copy should be stored offsite. If you do that, you will realize that your business operations will never stall since you will be having different options for recovery. If you implement this rule, your business continuity will be safe in the long run.
- Test your backups
Remember that backup is only as good as the last successful restore. Data backup does not end at you installing it. No, you cannot afford to move on at this point. It is for this reason that it is detrimental for you to occasionally test your backup and restore to ensure that you can recover your files from back up when disaster strikes. Failure to do so could send your business crumbling to the ground shortly after you find out that your data backup is bad or has been corrupted. Do not wait to discover this the time that you need your back up the most.
If you take note of the six tips above, your business will never suffer damage arising from the loss or destruction of data: that is, losses and tarnishing your reputation.
