Data backup is an essential aspect of your business because it ensures business continuity. If, for example, your business is hit by a disaster, you will be able to resume operations within the shortest time possible if you have a copy of all your data stored somewhere. However, if you have not backed up your data, then a severe event such as a cyber attack can spell doom for your company. But for you to back up your data correctly, you must choose one or several methods from a list of many approaches. The following are data backup methods that can work for your firm.
1. Using a dedicated data backup service
Ottomatik is an example of a dedicated data backup service. Clients of varying amounts of data can use the service to store their data for as long as there is a need. The primary feature of all dedicated data storage services is that they keep the information of their clients in their servers. The firms usually maintain considerable servers in secure locations. Clients typically upload their data to the servers and for a fee. Whenever clients need to retrieve the data, they can follow specific procedures and get all the information that they need. Thus, you can use this method to keep your data secure.
One primary advantage of using a dedicated data backup service is that you do not have to worry about space and other technical aspects of backing up data and keeping it secure. Your service provider is solely responsible for all the technical issues related to backing up and maintaining your data.
2. Using an external hard drive
An external hard drive can be a perfect store for all your data. If the size of the data of your business is small, and you are not willing to invest in the processes associated with using dedicated service providers, then you can resort to using an external hard drive to store your data. You need to purchase a disk that can accommodate all the data that you would like to back up. More so, you do not require expert knowledge to back up the data in your external disk. Anyone with basic knowledge of computer applications can back up the data in an external hard disk.
Once you have transferred the data that you would like to store to the hard drive, you must keep the disk securely. If it undergoes physical damage, you may end up losing all your data. Also, you can lose the data and the drive to thieves. Therefore, the security of the drive that contains your data is an important feature that determines the extent to which this approach of backing up data can be successful. Remember that when you use this method, you decide to keep the backed-up data within your business as opposed to what the case is if you use some other storage methods.
3. Using Network-Attached Storage (NAS)
NAS is a method of backing up data that entails the development and use of a simple network system. You can develop such a network using all the devices in your firm and designate a simple server as the heart of the network. Once the network is functional, you can attach all the crucial files from the devices that form the network to the server. All the data of the devices will then be kept safely within the network for as long as you may need it to be in that form. In general, this method is quite useful if you have the expertise to maintain such a network within your organization. Also, you can use the NAS method to back up data if you are not interested in the other more convenient or taxing ways.
In summary, the choice of the method that you use to back up your corporate data boils down to your preferences. At times, you may not like to use a cloud-based service for personal reasons. Such a decision does not imply that cloud-based data storage services are less reliable. On the contrary, there has been a clear pattern in the recent past of many individuals and organizations adopting cloud-based data backup services.