Best Backup Option Article from eMazzanti

A button as a symbol for data storage.

Hoboken, New Jersey - (Vocus) Feb, 2014 –No business owner doubts the importance of backing up data, but knowing which kind of backup is best can be more challenging. However, a new article from eMazzanti Technologies, a New York City area computer consultant, provides some guidelines. The article is entitled: “Got Backup? Finding the Best Backup Option for Your Small Business Data.”

“One of our services in most demand is backing up data,” said Jennifer Mazzanti, president, eMazzanti Technologies. “Unfortunately, it usually comes from businesses that have just experienced a major data loss.”

How is data being backed-up?

Many small businesses could be compromising its business and its data on a daily basis by not having a reliable backup solution. For example, a 2011 survey by Carbonite, a provider of online backup solutions, uncovered several facts about data loss that may surprise business owners:

Forty-eight percent of American small businesses with between two and twenty employees have experienced data loss, up from 42 percent in 2010.
Top causes of data loss include hardware/software failure (54 percent), accidental deletion (54 percent), viruses (33 percent) and theft (10 percent).
Thirty-one percent of business owners surveyed think backing-up company data is a hassle.

Natural Disasters are Not the Only Way to Lose Data

If an employee or executive has ever lost a laptop, or been left stranded by malware or some other problem, then they already know the detrimental effect it can have on business. For many, it can mean disaster, even go so far as to threaten the viability of a business.

So what are the options for backing up business data so a company can access and restore files on the fly in the event of a data loss incident?

Finding the Best Backup Approach

The backup market is huge, so before a company starts looking into options, it should develop a backup approach that meets its needs. Ask the following questions:

Is a backup needed for the entire operating system or just essential data (employee records, financial records, documents and databases)? The answer will help determine how much data needs to be backed up. For example, an operating system can take up a lot of space, but if there is a copy of it, on an installation disk, for example, it may not need to be backed up.
What are the vulnerabilities or primary data concerns? According to the Carbonite survey, most businesses still use external hard drives and USB sticks to store data. Backing up data to one location only can be risky, so assess whether the business needs an extra layer of protection. Consider backing up the most critical data to both an online backup service and a local device which could also house less critical assets.
How often is a backup needed? What window of vulnerability can the business tolerate? For businesses, a daily or weekly backup is a good idea – especially if it is fairly active in creating or updating files and documents.

Backup Options – Mix it Up!

There are endless options for backing up data, but it’s a good idea to build in some redundancy and target at least two methods that will handle data backup needs. Below are some options:

1. External Hard Drives or Disks

Disks have long been used as a go-to backup device, but they are also notorious for failing to capture all critical data. Plus, it’s a manual process. A better option would be to back up to an external storage device. For under $100, a business can buy a desktop device that stores almost 1 Terabyte of data. These devices also offer the convenience of scheduling automatic backups for those of us who’d otherwise forget.

Other related information:

How to Select Outsourced IT: https://www.emazzanti.net/25-criteria-for-finding-great-outsourced-it-support/

Choosing Cloud Technology: http://www.cloudtechnology365.com/o365

7 Advantages of Managed IT: https://www.emazzanti.net/7-advantages-of-managed-it-services/

How the Cloud Saves Money: http://bit.ly/A7zFYE.

About eMazzanti Technologies

eMazzanti Technologies’ team of trained, certified experts provide 24×7 outsourced IT support to help ensure business productivity, address challenges of growth, cloud computing, mobility, critical business continuity and disaster recovery demands. The consultancy has special expertise in manufacturing, distribution, retail and PCI compliance, financial, architectural, engineering, construction, government, educational, legal services, accounting, marketing communications, and healthcare market segments, while maintaining high customer satisfaction levels. Flexible support plans range from fixed-fee, around-the-clock network management where eMazzanti functions as an extension of a businesses’ IT staff, to a custom-solution provided on an as-needed basis. eMazzanti serves the Hoboken, NJ and NYC area markets as well as regional, national and international business support requirements. The IT firm is Microsoft’s 2012 Partner of the Year and on-going Gold Partner, Microsoft Northeast Region Partner of the Year, a four-time recipient of WatchGuard’s Partner of the Year and has achieved the Inc. 5000 list for the fourth year in a row. Download the free article: How to Select an IT Provider. More than 400 companies trust their IT support needs to eMazzanti Technologies. For more information contact: Carl Mazzanti 201-360-4400 or emazzanti.net. Twitter: @emazzanti , Facebook: Facebook.com/emazzantitechnologies.

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