Automate Backups

Maybe I should start by boiling down, into one sentence, what Backup is:

Backup is a copy of business data that can be used to restore the original files after your data has been lost or corrupted.

This can be done either as a local or online Backup. Local Backup is when data is copied onto a storage device, normally tape, locally in your office. Online Backup is when data is copied onto a remote storage device online over the internet.

Basically Backup is your insurance policy against data loss. It is important to the extent that if you currently don't have Backup, you are risking your business on a daily basis. It is safe to say that you simply should not run a business without it; the Government reports that over 75% of businesses that have a major data loss go out of business within 18 months. Only 25% of users back up their files, yet 85% of those same users say they are very concerned about losing important data. Incredibly, over half of critical corporate data resides on unprotected PC desktops and laptops.

Backup software does not automatically come with a new server, PC or Mac. Your IT Support Company or IT department will offer Backup as part of their service. Many businesses have confidence that the process is working as expected but it is also important to recognize the limitations and human factors involved in any Backup scheme. Therefore Backup Monitoring is an essential part of the equation.

Backup Monitoring is the process of checking that your Backup has run successfully. Sometimes, although it might appear that Backup has run, it doesn't mean it has worked. Your IT Support Company should perform a daily Backup Monitoring check to make sure everything is running smoothly. Everyday, across the country, 12.5% of Backups fail.

Unbelievably, some businesses operate without backup, yet once backup has been set up it can be an automatic process. At the end of each day it can run and save any new or changed data.