Whether you have just launched your startup or are in the process of growing your business, you will inevitably require a strategic data backup and safety plan that helps you store and use vast amounts of data securely.
The best way to do this is by adopting a cloud backup solution to safeguard your data from both software or hardware failure as well as data breaches. Cloud backup refers to transferring a copy of your existing data to an offsite location on a remote network of servers so that it always remains protected and accessible.
Generally, the first step is to identify all the business assets that you need to back up, such as computers, operating systems, applications, emails, and other relevant corporate or business data. This initial step helps create an inventory of everything that will be included on the cloud and defines your backup needs.
To help you get started, this article highlights a simple 5-step process that will simplify your business cloud backup in a cost-effective manner.
Integrate Your Cloud Backup
Finding the perfect data backup solution is often a difficult process, and it is generally recommended that you distribute your data across multiple vendors and integrate the various cloud backup solutions.
This means that you will have to opt for cloud backup solutions that are able to integrate with each other and allow you to migrate your data across the different platforms with ease and without any data losses or glitches.
For instance, if you use a NAS device, such as QNAP, you may want to consider cloud storage and backup solution that integrates perfectly with your QNAP cloud backup device to keep your files safely stored.
Automate The Backup Process
An important consideration when choosing cloud backup for your business is to ensure that all your data is stored automatically on the cloud. This means automating the backup process to take place at regular intervals instead of relying on manual backup processes.
When automating the backup process, make sure that you don’t overburden your business network’s bandwidth with constant and continuous backups as this will place an undue burden on your servers.
Instead, choose a cloud backup solution that has intelligent and sophisticated designs that can adapt to your business needs while ensuring that data is backed up frequently. As a rule of thumb, remember to discuss backup frequency with your cloud backup provider to ascertain a bespoke solution for your business.
Create Copies
If your business operates across multiple cities, states, or countries, you should definitely consider creating multiple copies of your backed-up data in order to make accessibility easier and simpler.
The biggest advantage of creating copies is to protect your data from location-based problems such as malware or natural disasters. For example, if a London-based company experiences a cyberattack and has the same data stored securely in their Chicago-based offices, your company is likely to rebound fairly quickly from this exogenous shock.
Keep Your Data Secure
One of the key considerations when choosing a cloud backup service is to ask providers about their data safety measures.
For this purpose, you need to have a detailed look at the service level agreement and the various security standards adopted by the cloud backup vendor. In simple terms, the SLA is the foundational contract between your business and the cloud backup provider that will highlight the terms and the features offered by them.
You should specifically check the policy on encryption of your business data both when it is in transit and when it is at rest or on-premises. Also, check whether your cloud backup provider is compliant with data privacy regulations, such as GDPR, as this will have an impact on your business.
Always Perform Routine Tests
As a general rule, it is best to schedule tests to ensure that your sensitive business data is backed up securely and can be retrieved. You can ask your IT department to routinely carry this out.
Consider a weekly or monthly check-up, depending on the amount of data being produced by your business. This will help your business flag any issues with your providers and help them solve them in a timely manner.
The Bottom Line
Cloud backup is an excellent way to protect your business data in the event of unforeseen circumstances that would result in the loss of important data.
A well-planned data backup strategy can help protect your business and improve its overall resilience by allowing your organization to be equipped to deal with potential unavoidable challenges. By following the steps highlighted in this article, you can ensure that your business data remains safe and secure.
