Backup Scenarios for a Business

Having a solid backup solution for a business is a necessity for data integrity and quite possibility the future of your job security.  There may very well be hundreds of backup scenarios that could be utilized.  The right solution depends on the size of the organization, the amount of users and the amount of data that needs to be backed up.  If you have a small business with only a few Gigabytes to back up then an online backup solution may be right for you.  On the other hand, if you were responsible for hundreds of users and Terabytes of data then you would be looking for a more localized backup solution, which may include Network Attached Storage (NAS), and/or a tape drive backup solution.

The Different Forms of Data Backup

There are some different styles of a backup solution that should be implemented in any given organization.  First, you should have an exact image or clone of all servers and workstations at your disposal for immediate recovery purposes.  A full backup of all data should also be performed at intervals that meet the needs of the data that is being backed up.  Then an incremental backup solution should be used to insure that all changed data is safely backed up and ready for restoration if the need arises.  The need will arise to restore data.

Data Loss is Inevitable

Data loss is hard to avoid. Whether as the result of hard drive crash, theft, accidental deletion, virus, or natural disaster, it happens to the best of businesses. According to the National Archives & Records Administration in Washington, 93% of companies that lost their data center for 10 days or more due to a disaster filed for bankruptcy within one year of the disaster. 50% of businesses that found themselves without data management for this same time period filed for bankruptcy immediately. Data loss doesn’t need to be catastrophic as long as the business has a solid backup plan.  What is your backup plan?

Reasons Data May Need to be Restored

Too many things could happen with data to encompass the need for immediate restoration.  From little things like a user, accidentally deleting a small file to the need to restore the entire network because of a natural disaster of some sort data is destroyed.  Either way you need to be prepared to restore the Gigabytes or Terabytes of data.  The majority of the time, a loose nut on the keyboard is usually the culprit for accidentally or purposely destroying data.  It doesn’t matter because it still needs to be restored. 

Different ways to Backup Data

The tricky part is deciding which backup scenario that is right for your organization.  One way or another, data needs to be stored in an offsite location.  Whether that location is an online backup solution or an offsite tape storage facility, the location should be carefully considered while choosing your backup scenario.  The caveat to having the data offsite is that sometimes you need to access the data immediately.  For that purpose, the need arises for data backup redundancy.   Probably the best way to achieve a redundant backup scenario is to back everything up to some form of NAS and then transfer the data from the network attached storage to either an online backup solution or a hardware tape backup solution.  With that scenario, the data is always available on the NAS and safe and secure online or on tape.  The solution depends on the size and structure of your particular data center.

Backup and Imaging Software

As you might imagine, there are literally hundreds backup solutions to choose from.  Some will perform all of the described duties in one package others will only accomplish imaging or backups. An online backup service is a great backup option.   Acronis is the best solution for backup and imaging of workstations and servers.   See all of the Acronis Business Solutions Here. If you are already using another backup software package and it works for you, then continue to use the package.  Just remember to image all workstations and servers, do frequent backups of all data, keep your data backups redundant and always keep copies of the backups offsite and you should be prepared for any emergency that may arise. If you are not comfortable trying to back up all of your important computer files on your own, an online computer support service can help you with the task.

Acronis Backup & Recovery	The Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Advanced Server imaging and backup solution reads the sectors of your hard disk, creating an image of the entire disk, including all data and operating system components. It can even backup and restore individual files and folders on your hard disk while online — keeping users productive. With Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Advanced Server, you have peace of mind knowing that your entire system is fully protected and can be recovered in minutes, not hours or days, in any disaster situation. Read More about the Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Advanced Server. Save 5% on Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Advanced Server with Acronis Coupon Code: FMABR10AS5 or Save 5% with coupon code for the Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 Advanced Server Virtual Edition FMABR10VE5
SugarSync Online Backup for Business	The SugarSync Business Online Backup solution gives your business all of the data protection, file sharing and collaboration capabilities that your business needs to keep data safe, secure and accessible to members of the team.  SugarSync for business has added powerful administrative tools to reduce IT expenses and increase productivity.  For instance, let’s say that Sue is in New York and Jim is in California.  They both need access to the same document to make some last minute changes before a presentation.  Not a problem with SugarSync.  They can both make changes to the same document and it will sync so both users now have all of the information needed to be a success.  Try a Free Trial of SugarSync for Business - Your First 30 Days are FREE!
Mozy Online Backup	Mozy is an easy to use, smart, and economical way to protect your data. All you have to do is install it on your computer, set it up, and then never worry about data loss again. Mozy is effortless to set up and performs backups automatically in the background. Mozy encrypts all files on your computer before data transfer and backs up open and locked files. See the Full Review of the Mozy Online Backup Solution. Get an extra 10% off an annual subscription to Mozy just by entering the following promo code: Code: MARCH Get an additional 10% off a bi-annual subscription just for entering the following Mozy promo code: Code: MARCH
Genie Backup Manager Pro	Genie Backup Manager Pro is the complete backup solution for Small and Medium Business Users that easily want to back up and recover their entire systems.  Businesses sometimes just do not realize the monetary value of their data until it is too late.  Most companies realize the importance of backing up data.  If a business is just starting out, there is the possibility that data protection was overlooked in their budget analysis.  Once a business starts accumulating data, that data becomes an asset to the business.  Protect your data with Genie Backup Manager Professional before it is too late. See our Review of the Genie Backup Manager.