BACKUP AND RECOVERY

BACKUP AND RECOVERY

Your business is built on data. Every department depends on having the latest information to perform their necessary functions. Without data, your business would be left in the dark. So, does your business have a plan in place in the event of a major data loss? You may think you’re prepared, but you don’t want to find out when it’s too late. Data loss can occur in any number of ways, from theft or a server crash to a natural disaster or simple human error. Having a data backup and recovery plan established will have your business up and running in no time even after the worst-case scenario. Working with the experts at ArmTech Computer and IT Services will give you the peace of mind knowing your critical data is secure, and you have a recovery strategy in place to handle any event.

UNDERSTANDING DATA BACKUP AND RECOVERY

Before we go into what goes into data backup and recovery, let’s explain what it is exactly. Simply put, a backup is an up-to-date copy of all your business’ data and information. The key point is that it is up-to-date. A data backup will do nothing for your business if it’s a day old, let alone a week or more. What’s backed up is the priority; how often is second. Another thing to consider is where your backups are stored. We will get into more detail about all aspects of data backup later. The recovery part should not be overlooked.
Data recovery is the ability to access and restore a backup to your servers and computers after the event of a data loss. What’s important here is that you have easy access to the backup and that you can recover it as quickly as possible. No matter how much data is lost, you want to be able to recover it fast to reduce the amount of downtime. This gets your business operating sooner and back to business as usual. It’s never easy to think about all the potential problems your business can face. But it’s the only way to be sufficiently prepared in any event; in this case, data loss.

TYPES OF BACKUPS

In the simplest of words, backing up your business’ data and information is creating copies of the files and putting them onto an on-site or off-site storage system. Backups are an integral part of your operations to ensure your information is secure and available in the event of data loss, theft or hardware failure. There is more to backups than copying the files. Different types of backups meet different needs of your business. Understanding them helps you choose the best solution for your organization. Let’s get a better idea of the different types of backup.

• Data

The most basic type of backup is a data backup. This is what people think of when they think of a backup. A data backup consists of copies of all or some of your business’s files. This backup mostly applies to desktops or other workstations, ensuring the files and information your employees need to complete their jobs are secure and available to them. A data backup doesn’t just protect against data loss due to theft or computer failure.  Most data loss happens due to human error, i.e., accidentally deleting a file. A data backup lets your employees retrieve their lost files with ease and assurance that nothing is truly ever lost.

Implementing a data backup is better than having no backup at all. With that said, a data backup will only copy your files. It will not backup the operating system and other components, such as your databases or email systems, which may be lost if the hard drive fails. Leaving you with just the files and no way to access them. When your budget allows, you’ll want to step up to the next tier of backups for your business.

• System

A more comprehensive backup for your business is a system backup. It goes beyond that of a basic data backup. With a system backup, not only will your data and information be copied and stored, but the operating system, programs, and settings are backup up as well. This allows for an entire network-wide restore in case of hardware failure or a natural disaster. A system backup is known as a snapshot or image. This means the backup is how your network or system is at a specific date or time.

The primary purpose of a system backup is to have it when you need to restore your network after a server crash or other event. Another use of the system backup is to have a recent version of your network when you upgrade or make improvements to your infrastructure. If at any time during the upgrade or maintenance you encounter an issue, you’ll be able to restore to the moment before the changes. This lets you investigate what issues occurred during the project to improve implementation and reduce the risk of future problems.

• Database

To ensure the data for your critical programs are secure, you’ll want to consider a database backup. A database backup is simply a copy of the back-end database tables for your software or servers, for example, a SQL server. The backup represents the database at the moment in time the backup was finished. If the program or system were ever to go down or have an error, you would be able to use the database backup to restore from a specific point in time without affecting the rest of your operations.

Each of the three types of backups covers different areas of your businesses infrastructure. Data backups cover the files, database backups secure the back-end database tables of programs, and system backups copy the entire operating system, programs, and settings of your network. Having all three backups in place will guarantee that you will have all your bases covered in the event of a data loss or hardware failure.

• Email

Nothing is more critical to your business’ communication than email. Having your email data accessible at all times is important for a business to operate. Data loss can occur in a number of ways and happens more often then you realize. While servers crash, and data is lost, there is a much more common cause of data loss: human error. Think about, how many times have you accidentally hit delete on an email or contact? It happens all the time, and it’s usually accompanied by a heavy sigh or a few not so nice words. We’ve all been there. Having an email backup puts those fears to rest.

An email backup includes all the critical components of your employee’s email: messages, contacts, and calendar. Accidentally trashing your messages or experiencing a server outage doesn’t mean your emails are lost forever. Simply access your backup and retrieve all your messages, contacts, and calendar appointments. So, whether you lose your data due to slip of the finger or mechanical failure, you’ll rest assured your team will always be able to access their email data.

• What Backup Works for You?

Depending on your business’ needs and budget, you’ll start with a basic data backup to ensure all files on your computers are backed up and available. When your budget allows, you’ll move up to a system and database backup for company-wide infrastructure and data security. Implementing all backup types will keep all your critical data and information safe and available.

• Data Recovery

The worst-case scenario has occurred. Whether through theft or equipment failure, you lost your company’s critical data. It’s time to implement your disaster recovery procedures. When you work with IT Support Guys, we’ll develop a strategy to allow for easy access and fast data recovery. Old recovery solutions could take hours, or days, to complete. When it was down, you had to make up for the lost time you were waiting. By using the recovery solutions from Veeam, you will achieve recovery times in as fast as 15 minutes. These recovery times are accomplished by using the built-in WAN acceleration. WAN acceleration allows for faster data transfer without agents, special network setup or the need for additional bandwidth. You don’t have to waste time waiting for data restoration anymore.

Practice Backup and Recovery Procedures

The best strategy is one that works. You don’t want to know of any failures in the plan when you need it the most. Backup and recovery procedures need to be practiced often. Treat them as you would any other drill. The more you practice, the more efficient the process will become, and each employee will know their role.

Data Backup and Recovery From ArmTech Computer and IT Services

Backing up mission critical parts of your network takes planning and the right team to implement the strategy. ArmTech Computer and IT Service has performed backup and recovery solutions for businesses just like yours. We offer a range of services and solutions to keep all your vital information safe. Our expert staff will support you in every step of the way. Reach out and ArmTech Computer and IT Services help your business with all your backup and recovery needs. Speak with a specialist today at +1 818-666-8046