As a small business owner, you know that protecting your data is vital to the success of your business. It may even be an issue that keeps you up at night. Though there is a remarkable array of technology available to manage processes such as data backup and recovery, many of these are expensive and complex. They may even be beyond both your budget or take too much time away from your staff.
For startups and small businesses alike, managing data backup and recovery effectively requires strategic thinking. Pairing the right solution with these strategies allow you to accomplish more without a major investment or commitment of resources. The first step in this process is to answer key questions about what data backup method you should be using. What information needs to be backed up? What are your data recovery objectives? Only once you’ve answered these questions can you determine what method of data backup you should use.
Know Your Definition of Data Disaster
There’s a school of thought that dictates that absolutely everything you do within your organization needs to be backed up. But that may not be the case for your small business. The best way to determine what data needs to be protected most is to imagine your worst case scenario.
What happens if certain data is lost? Will your data be deleted, or will your entire location? By first identifying the data set and system that needs to be recovered and then defining your goals, you are more likely to make an informed decision. Determining how long it takes for data recovery, you are able to get a better understanding of how robust your data backup strategy needs to be.
Every business has its own maximum tolerable period of disruption. Defining this upfront is critical to determine what your data backup strategy should be.
Understand Your Options
Many small businesses rely on external hard drives. But combining them with internal software doesn’t always provide the backup protection you need. Third-party backup software, on the other hand, provides high levels of security, reliability and functionality. They’re often more affordable as well, allowing your small business to keep data backup costs low.
Consider what is known as a 3-2-1 backup strategy. That is, maintaining a local copy of your data as backup 1, a local backup that gives you instant access to data that is lost as backup 2, and a backup copy that is securely stored offsite as backup copy 3. This copy may be tape-based or cloud-based. In fact, most small businesses today are opting for scalable, cost-effective cloud storage. This provides access to your essential data wherever you are, whenever you need it.
Choose Easy Implementation & Management
Whether you are based in a single location or have several work sites, you need a backup solution that is easy to implement and manage. It also has to work with your small business budget. ShareArchiver offers data backup solutions that keep your information accessible and safe. They are affordable and tailored to the specific needs of your business.
See it for yourself by scheduling a 30-minute demo or try it for free today!