Data Protection & Recovery: Backups (IT Assessment DIY Guide, Part 8)
This is part 8 of a series on IT Self-Assessment for small businesses. We’re providing information and guidelines for a simple IT check, giving you the ability to gain free insights into how your technology can serve your business better. Each post covers a critical area of technology.
Data Protection & Recovery: Backups
Function & Value
Backups create copies of critical business information. Computer hard drives fail, laptops are stolen, buildings catch on fire, data is accidentally (or intentionally deleted). Backups ensure these events don’t permanently destroy data.
Backups are not very interesting, and tend to be neglected. They’re hard to care about when nothing has gone wrong for years at a time. But in times of unexpected disaster, an accessible backup can save days, weeks or years of work. A backup can even determine if a business survives or closes its doors.
Here are six common backup mistakes that put your business at risk.
Common Problems
(1) Data is not centralized. Most small businesses run one backup: the file server. If your staff isn’t disciplined in saving their work onto the file server, your backup will be incomplete. And since the documents your staff worked on recently are typically the most important ones, what you’ll be missing is likely what you’ll most need.
(2) Backups are not reported. If email alerts aren’t sent out when a backup completes or fails, backups are out of mind. If your backup failed for the last two months, would you know?
(3) Over-reliance on manual processes. The more things a person has to remember to do, the less reliable your backups will be. Manually copying files to an eternal drive or a CD is not a backup process, it’s a recipe for disaster.
(4) Backup data is not off site. Backing up to a second hard drive or a backup tape in the closet will save you from drive failure, but it won’t help in case of disaster or loss of access to your building. Many risks still remain when backup data is in the same physical location.
(5) No thought is given to how to restore data. Backup strategy often ends with moving the data offsite. But what happens when you need to restore that data quickly? Can you read your tape drive? Will you need to install specific software to use the data?
(6) Financials are not treated differently. Financial data must be current and easily retrievable. Lumping it in with large, weekly backups is a mistake.
Best Practices
(1) Use your server. Make clear server use policies and enforce them. No critical data should ever be stored solely on a local PC. Consider configuring your network with roaming profiles, or to automatically store My Documents folders on the server.
(2) Configure your backup to send a status email no matter what, each time a backup is performed.
(3) Automate backups every night using dedicated backup software such as Retrospect.
(4) Take data off site. Better yet, consider online backups such as Mozy. Like most online solutions, there is no up front costs, but there are recurring monthly fees. At $0.50 per GB per month, it’s very cost effective for most businesses, and eliminates any worry about getting backups offsite.
Be aware of bandwidth limits and fees from your provider, in case online backups would cause you to incur bandwidth fees as well.
(5) Don’t use tape drives. If online backups aren’t right for you, use an external hard drive system.
(6) Backup financials online every day. Many accounting software providers, such as Intuit with Quickbooks, offer daily online backup features. Annual fees are minimal to ensure your financials are current and easily retrievable in case of a crisis. You (or your accountant) will need access to off-site copies of your accounting software as part of your disaster recovery planning.
Backups Self-Assessment
Backup software in use:
Devices backed up and schedule (daily, weekly, etc.):
1.
2.
3.
Devices not backed up:
What part of your backup plan is not automated?
Is backup data off site?
How will backup data be restored?
How is financial data backed up and on what schedule?
Level of risk to your business based upon current backups:
High Medium Low
Issues to be addressed:
1.
2.
3.
