Does Your Business Have a Backup Plan For Your Computers?

One of the most important things I am always warning my clients about is making sure they have proper backups. Many studies and my own experience have shown that when it comes to the possibly of losing data it is not a question of if it will happen but when. I have seen may business owners complain of the time and expense it takes to make proper backups but what is that compared to the time and expense it would take to replace the information that is lost. There is also the additional cost in lost business and reputation if you can not meet a client commitment. Not to mention that there are some business that have additional legal requirements with regard to data security.

There are two types of backups; on-site and off-site. They both have their advantages and disadvantages. Which does the average business need? Probably both.

On-site backup has the advantage of speed and convenience. It has the disadvantage that it is in the same place as the computer. If there is a fire or a flood or the equipment is stolen then you could lose the original and the copy.

An off-site backup has the advantage that it is protected if something happens to your computer. The disadvantage is the time it would take to download the information and restore from an off-site backup.

One other factor that is often ignored is backup testing, If you have a backup plan and you never test it, you might be in for a surprise at the worst possible moment.

There are many levels of backup depending on how much information your company creates and and what it would cost you to recreate information that is lost. I have helped many companies set up their backup programs and I can do the same for you.