As a business professional, there are likely many different aspects of your company about which you may worry regularly. In addition to attracting new customers and clients, you need to meet deadlines, track expenses, and schedule backups of all of your files and research.
In many cases, the information that you have as part of your business is integral to the efficiency of your organization as a whole. A loss of this information could halt or in some cases completely cripple your business.
Backing up your data is a critical part of keeping your business running. It is important to have a solid backup system in place in the event of computer failure or another disaster. The cost of retrieving files from damaged computers can add up quickly. Therefore, a solid data backup plan will protect your company.
Scheduling Your Backups
A good backup system will have a schedule that allows you to easily verify that all of the information is backed up regularly. This means rotating your tapes or video information as well as backing up your files within your office. If you schedule a nightly or weekly backup, you can limit the amount of data that is lost if a computer or your entire system were to fail.
A scheduled backup allows you to relax because you know that all of your information is being backed up, and you are limiting what you may lose. In years past this meant making a physical copy of the files and then shipping them to another location. Often businesses would use microfiche to cut back on storage space.
With computers and the Internet, it has become much easier to store large amounts of data and to back that data up remotely. You can schedule your backups to happen daily. It is especially important to keep accurate copies of your tax information in the event you are audited.
Using Automatic Backups
An automatic backup will make backing up your information much easier. It eliminates human error. You can schedule automatic backups of the data on your company’s computers. This can be done with both an external hard drive and an offsite server. These automatic backups will run in the background while your employees are working, and should not negatively impact your workflow. Automatic backups simplify the entire backup process.
If you have tapes you need to rotate, you can hire a data backup service to handle the tape rotation for you. This will take the stress off of your employees and allow them to focus on growing your business. Automatic backups simplify the entire backup process.
Choosing Where to Backup
Once you have established a scheduled backup system, you will need to choose where to store your data. Many companies prefer a redundant backup system. This means that you store the information offsite in one or two additional locations. Cloud computing is one way of doing this. If you are worried about the data you are storing, you can use an offsite server to store your information.
You may want to use two servers in two different locations as a way to further protect the information. A data storage company can help you determine how to back up your files, and the type of automatic backup to use. Cloud computing is one way of doing this. Additionally, you can use an offsite server for storing your information.
Protecting Sensitive Information
When you choose a place for your offsite backup, you will want to check the facilities. The servers need to be stored in a cool climate-controlled room with fire protection that will keep your servers safe. You should also determine the type of encryption that you want on your files.
Once you have put these into place, you can begin implementing your scheduled backup. The government has strict guidelines about the types of files you need to back up and how long you need to store the different types of files. If you handle patient files or if you deal with sensitive information within your business, you need to be sure that you’re regularly backing up files securely.
Get Free, No-Hassle Quotes on Records and Document Backup Today!
Record Nations provides document and data management services via a network of highly specialized partners nationwide. We have over 20 years of experience in document and data management services. If you would like a custom quote for your data backup or storage needs give us a call at (866) 385-3706 or fill out the form.
