Ensure your business has a complete backup solution

Over the years, we’ve received the odd phone call from a prospect. Each time we answer it and hear the question, it sends shivers up my spine. “Our server has died, and apparently, we don’t have any backups. Can you help us?”

This is the worst-case scenario for a business and a challenging conversation. We want to help, but there’s not much we can do. It’s heartbreaking.

As a business, your data is one of your most valuable assets. It contains essential information about your customers, financials, and operations. However, without proper backup and protection, your data is at risk of being lost due to server failures, cyber-attacks, and other issues.

Dangers of not backing up data

Server failures are a common cause of data loss for businesses. These failures can occur due to hardware malfunctions, power outages, or even natural disasters. Without a proper backup, a server failure can result in the loss of all data stored on that server. This can have severe consequences for a business, including financial loss and damage to reputation.

One example of a business affected by data loss is the online retailer, Zappos. In 2012, their servers were hacked, losing sensitive customer information, including names, addresses, and phone numbers. While the company recovered from the attack, it still resulted in the loss of customer trust and damage to the company’s reputation.

Another example is the 2011 data loss incident that happened at Sony. In April 2011, Sony’s PlayStation Network, Qriocity, and Sony Online Entertainment services were hacked, resulting in over 77 million users losing personal information. This caused a significant disturbance in their business and resulted in a loss of revenue.

These examples demonstrate the importance of regularly backing up data to protect against potential data loss. Without a backup, the financial and reputational consequences can devastate a business.

Identify data that needs to be backed up

Firstly, you need to identify the data that is important to your business and needs to be protected. This can include customer information, financial records, and operational data. Identifying the data necessary for your business will help you determine the best backup solution for your needs.

Which backup solution is best for your business, and why is it cloud?

In addition to providing a comprehensive backup solution, your business has flexibility in choosing the right backup option for their needs. Different options include cloud backup, physical backup, tape backup and many more.

These days, we recommend all backups are stored in the cloud. This reduces the need to manage hardware (disks or tapes) and also the human element of swapping out backups.

Backups are more than just files and servers

Backups these days aren’t just about files on servers. You need to ensure your cloud-hosted files and emails are backed up.

Today, 30% of users experience cloud data loss; the most common cause is from inside your business. Although hackers and ransomware are an issue, your employees or plugin applications have the power to delete data from the cloud, whether on purpose or by accident.

During 2021, the financial sector experienced an increase in cyberattacks. Many professional services were hit by ransom attacks and had to shut down for 3-5 days trying to restore their data and mitigate revenue losses. Businesses are a massive target due to the amount of sensitive data they hold, and unfortunately, the problem is only growing.

In conclusion, data backup is essential to protecting your business against potential data loss. By implementing a complete backup solution, your business can minimise the data loss risk and protect your essential data.

How do I ensure my backups are working?

Contact your IT support provider if you need help figuring out where to start. They can help you identify the data essential to your business, recommend appropriate backup solutions, and guide you on implementing a cloud backup solution.

They can also support you in regular testing and updating your backup plan to ensure it’s current and adequate for your business needs. Their expertise lets you know that your business data is safe and secure.

And hopefully, you’ll never have to Google “IT Support Melbourne”, pick up the phone, and utter those dreaded words, “…our server has died, and our backups didn’t work”.