Data Backup Solutions

When it comes to backup backup solutions, many small to mid-sized businesses are still relying on “old school” methods of data backup – storing backup data in their office and relying on a single backup method.

If your organization is guilty of this, you’re playing Russian roulette with your business.

Check out these startling statistics about data backup and recovery.

Never Rely On Luck When It Comes To Data Backup

Implement the 3 R’s of Data Backup Solutions

Take action by following the three “R’s” of data backup to ensure you don’t lose access to company data now or long into the future.

1. RELIABILITY: Confirm Your Backup Actually Works

You may have confirmed your backup solution works when it was initially set up, but have you performed a backup test recently? If your organization needs to remain HIPAA compliant, your data must not only be recoverable, but also viewable at a granular level.

We regularly work with Milwaukee area businesses during our Free Network Discovery, only to find the data backup and recovery solution they think is in place, is quite different from what they actually have in place. Don’t make this common mistake just because you receive a daily email stating the job was successful. In reality, the “successful job” might include some, but not ALL of your files.

How often should you test your backup?

Give us a call at (262) 522-8560 or contact us online and one of our highly qualified techs will provide you with recommendations specifically for your organization.

Did you know: 60% of backups are incomplete and 50% of restores fail? If you’re investing in a data backup solution, the last thing you want is to pay for a solution that’s not only malfunctioning, but seriously putting your business at risk of losing all your data.

2. REDUNDANCY: Confirm You have More than One Backup Method in Place

It’s best practice to utilize more than one data backup solution to ensure your backup has, well…another backup in the event it fails. This is particularly important if you’re relying exclusively on local backup in your office.

While each method has its pros and cons, the data backup solutions you choose will vary based on your up-time requirements and budget.

Check out the 4 primary types of backup solutions available for businesses. If you are unsure which option is right for your business, call Ontech Systems at (262) 522-8560 to speak with our support team. We’ll evaluate important factors such as data size, data recovery expectations and budget to design a plan in line with your current needs, goals and future growth.

3. RECOVERY: Determine How Quickly You can Recover from a Disaster

A study by Symantec found that 31% of targeted attacks focus on businesses with fewer than 250 employees. Regardless of size, your organization IS at risk. When business owners and managers speak in terms of data backup and recovery, what they’re really referring to is disaster recovery and business continuity planning.

While the terms are often used interchangeably, disaster recovery is the process put into place to resume business operations, while business continuity planning involves strategic planning to ensure systems, processes and procedures can still function in the event of a disaster.

A comprehensive approach to data backup ensures that your organization is not only protected, but that an actual plan is in place to minimize downtime in the event of a disaster.

No plan? No problem!

The following 5 steps can help your Milwaukee area business define a successful business continuity plan from the ground up.

  • Get executive-level support for the plan
  • Identify must-have necessities (acceptable downtime)
  • Determine recovery speed
  • Investigate the gaps – identify what’s missing from your plan
  • Evaluate the plan and make changes as necessary

Find more details on each of these steps here.

What Does Downtime REALLY Cost Your Business?

The true cost of downtime might surprise you, just as it does most business owners and managers. On average, the typical business experiences 14 hours of downtime each year. But how does this translate into lost revenue for the average business?

  • Small enterprises lost more than $55,000/year
  • Midsize companies lost more than $91,000/year
  • Large companies lost more than $1,000,000/year

These numbers might sound high, but when you consider the cost of employees sitting idle, overtime to make up for lost productivity, marketing efforts to explain a disruption in service to customers and lost revenue that could have been generated, it’s easy to see how these numbers can quickly add up.

Want to know the true cost of downtime for your organization? Use this simple formula to calculate what downtime really costs you. Why let a system failure shut down your business, when preventing a failure from taking place is not only possible, but more affordable than you might think!

We know the true cost (and aggravation) of downtime – OnCloud is designed to minimize this as much as possible. Through this comprehensive, HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley compliant data backup solution, we’ll get your business up and running – FAST!

Whether you have questions about business continuity planning, or you’re interested in learning more about how OnCloud can meet the data backup needs of your business and put you into compliance with industry regulations, contact us online or call our office at (262) 522-8560.

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