World Backup Day is here! Is your data safe?
The goal of World Backup Day is simple: encourage people around the world to understand the importance of backing up any and all critical data. Tragedy can strike at any time, ranging from hard drive failure to malicious attack - if backing up data didn't get checked off the to-do list, your files are gone.
Whether that means losing baby pictures of your kids, or losing your clients' purchasing history, it's a painful situation every time. Fortunately, that pain can be avoided with proper backup procedures.
And with so many ways available to back up your data, there's an option to fit every user, business or need.
A Quick Guide To Data Backup Systems In 2018
1 - Cloud Services
Cloud services have been gaining traction for roughly a decade, and they become more robust every year. There are plenty of positives: They're generally inexpensive, they give you direct on-demand access, and they're off-site so an attack to your systems may not affect your cloud backups.
The big drawback is that you are giving control of your data to a third party. They usually have multiple levels of redundancy in place to protect it from issues, but fundamentally, if their business fails or succumbs to an attack, your data is vulnerable.
2 - Network Attached Storage (NAS)
NAS is a highly popular option for small businesses due to its low cost and easy implementation. NAS covers any form of storage which is directly attached to a business computer network, ranging from dedicated shared backup drives to portable USB sticks. Being on-site, a NAS is simple to maintain. They are commonly used by businesses for day-to-day backups.
The main drawback to NAS is that it's vulnerable to any attack that targets your network. If the network is compromised, hackers can theoretically get at any storage device plugged into that network - even devices as simple as USB sticks or SD cards.
3 - Storage Area Network (SAN)
A SAN is a storage system on an entirely separate network, usually a cluster of dedicated hard drives. By being on their own network, SAN offers several benefits. The first is access and backup speed that is limited only by the speed of their dedicated connection. Second is being segregated; a properly-configured SAN is significantly more difficult for hackers to gain access to, even if the main business network is compromised.
The drawback is cost. Establishing and maintaining a SAN is expensive, and that cost is what often drives users towards Cloud-based backups or other third-party data services.
What's The Best Option For Backing Up Your Business Data?
Multiple backups and occasional checkups. According to studies done by Barkly, "Less than half of ransomware victims fully recover their data, even with backup." Moral of the story, don't put all your eggs in one basket and don't back up your files once and then never check on them again.
We recommend a combination of Cloud and off-site networked storage, with scheduled checks to make sure backups are doing their job. Overall, the more backups you have, and the more frequently they're updated, the less chance you have of losing data you can't afford to lose.
Is it time to update your own backup methods and procedures? Do you want a custom evaluation of your situation and personalized recommendations for optimal backup options? Just contact Hummingbird Networks to make it happen!
