As technology expands, the estimated cost of downtime increases. Businesses continue to accumulate data and that data can easily be lost for several reasons. Because data is at risk of so many things, a backup strategy is necessary to mitigate the damage or nullify it entirely.
When it comes to concrete strategies, many individuals have to choose between different kinds of backups. Either through an onsite strategy – where servers remain in the business and house that data – or through an offsite strategy – where that information is stored on cloud servers or a server that is outside of the business.
Each strategy has its merits and downsides and it’s important to know the differences between them.
Onsite Backups
This strategy is about keeping data stored on servers within the business itself. This option is often inexpensive, though it presents a few more risks and can be tricky to work with in certain cases.
The cost is low as many small businesses wouldn’t need an entire server but rather a smaller local storage device like a hard drive, CD, magnetic tape, or DVDs. These devices also don’t take up much space — making it a very convenient option for many.
Beyond that, business owners will have easier and quicker access to data in the case where recovery is necessary. Better yet, onsite backups don’t need stable internet connections either, making them more convenient.
The big downside is there are risks to storing data onsite. In the event of natural disasters, this option is unappealing. The last thing business owners want is all their data stored in a single area that could get damaged through fire, water, or debris falling down on it.
The other scenario is theft. While it’s advisable to keep this data stored with a lock and key, employees could steal data or someone else can break into the business to try and steal that data. Regardless, these two scenarios can result in lost time, money, and data.
Offsite Backups
The other option is offsite storage. Data is either stored through an external server or a remote server like a cloud storage – the latter being the most common option. These servers often require an internet connection; however, businesses can establish a direct-access connection.
The merit of this system is that even while backups are offsite, they can still be accessed easily from anywhere. This can be more beneficial in cases where workers are on the road and need quick and easy access to data.
Furthermore, in the event of natural disasters, data won’t be lost or get damaged. Offsite backups are reliable as well with service providers backing up the data every day. They also provide redundant drives, ensuring that there are multiple copies of the data so it won’t get lost if systems get corrupted.
The downside is that businesses are working with third parties to back up their data. This means higher prices and owners are the mercy of these providers. By choosing this option, the cloud storage company can dictate:
- Whether that data is backed up often or not
- Provide a certain amount of space
- The amount of time it takes for businesses to restore backups
- Whether data is encrypted or not
- And the location of where data is being stored (companies still haver servers and those servers could be vulnerable to natural disasters)
Business data is in the hands of someone else and sometimes that can be good if a storage provider wants to provide the best possible service.
An Agile Business Demands To Be Backed-Up
Even though there are some glaring issues with both sides, having a backup solution is paramount. The cost of downtime continues to rise and experiencing any of it can result in some hefty losses.
Each business should have their own specially tailored backup strategy. It could be a combination of one or the other solutions mentioned above, or perhaps both. The key is to figure out what is the best strategy that will help a specific business protect its data.
Mtek Digital can provide a quick assessment of your current storage regimen and design the ideal scheduled, automated backup solution to ensure your business data is protected and accessible, no matter what.
Mtek Digital Managed Business Service
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