Data Backups: How To Tsunami Proof Your Data

Backing up your data is critical to your business success. Imagine for a minute what the implications would be to your business if you suddenly lost all your mission critical data. How long would your business survive? How much would it cost you to recover your data? These are important questions a prudent business owner needs to ask.

Unfortunately, the answer to these questions is be very grim. The fact of the matter is, if you lose your data you may lose your business. A study completed by Price Waterhouse Coopers in 2004 found that 7 out of 10 small business owners that experienced a major data loss went out of business within one year. Given this statistical fact, and the reality of the current economic recession, this is not the time to take any chances on the security of your business or livelihood.

What contributes to data loss? The primarily factors that cause data loss are computer viruses, power failures, disgruntled employees that can sabotage computers, computer theft, and human error.

For example: an employee of yours can accidently delete valuable inventory data from your company's files. Unfortunately, you may have thousands of dollars invested in the collection and input of this data.

Other factors that cause data loss include catastophic events like fires, floods, huricanes, and tornados. Other environmental risks may include exposure to heat, moisture, sunlight or dust. At the very least, you should know that at some point, all hard drives will ultimately fail.

There are basically two options available for data backups. One option consists of manual backup methods. These methods include: tapes, CDs, DVDs, Zip Drives, External Drives, NAS Drives, San Drives and Raid Drives. Manual backup methods require you or an employee to physically do the work or the backups will not get done.

Manual backup methods are notorious for being expensive and unreliable. For example: tape drives are very expensive to buy, install, and maintain. And unless you are taking your tapes offsite, every night to a secure location, your data is not safe. Most people homes are not secure places for storing your backups for all the risks mentioned earlier.

The second option for backing up your data is a popular service used by many business owners that involves subscribing to an online remote data backup service. This technology is very popular with the franchise community and has been verified as being superior to manual backup methods.

An online remote data backup service only requires an Internet connection between your computer and the mirrored data centers. Online backups are fast, automatic, and effective for laptops, desktops and a company's entire data server. Because the backups are automatic, the service is especially convenient for people who are non-technical.

Online remote data backup services are very cost effective and efficient. Efficient because you can easily backup your files in about the same amount of time as it takes you to check your email every day. Cost effective because you simply pay a monthly subscription that costs just a fraction of the price you would pay for a manual backup method.

Do not let the risk of data loss expose your business to failure. Regardless of what type of data backup method or service you choose to use, the most important thing is to get started protecting your data today!