Backing Up crucial to any company’s success

Data backups are a critical process for the overall operation and prosperity of any business. Having only one backup saved on a single device is not advisable because if it’s tampered with or stolen, all the business data could be irretrievably lost. Data can also be lost due a technical fault occurring, computers getting damaged or by employees who may want to sabotage an organisation. Ransomware is also a very real threat and hackers are always working on new ways to gain access to confidential data and demand a ransom for the hijacked files. A data backup regime should be part of the standard operating procedures for all organisations.

If losing specific data will hinder business operation, it needs to be backed up. The general rule is that all files that are created and/or modified on a regular basis should be backed up. This includes everything from accounting ledgers to emails. One should also create backups on reliable storage sources or in the Cloud and when using storage sources for backups they need to be kept in a secure, off-site location. Any physical backup device needs to be disconnected immediately on completion of the backup and the device stored safely somewhere as negligently leaving a connection to a backup device means that the backup can also be accessed by a hacker. This applies to a Cloud backup as well.

There are more business applications available nowadays in the Cloud. Online backup services make backing up data much easier and there are many backup software programs that have the ability to schedule automatic backups. Cloud services can still be susceptible to data loss through hacking or employee sabotage and occasional local backups of cloud data is a necessary precaution to take.

For small businesses, buying and using an external hard drive for data backups is the recommended method and most of them come with backup software. For extra security, backups should be stored off-site. The backed-up files should also be encrypted and strong access passwords used.

Desktop software programs can typically be reinstalled if required, but recovering the details of transactions or business correspondence is impossible if those files are lost or damaged beyond repair. The best solution is to adequately protect data. Implementing a backup regime that includes archiving and backing up data regularly and securely will add another level of security towards protecting the organisation’s invaluable business data.