In the event of a network intrusion (security breach), or a physical disaster (theft or fire), you need to ensure your critical data can be restored so your business isn’t affected. The reality is though that many businesses don’t take this act seriously enough. In fact, most businesses view it like flossing your teeth; You know you should do it regularly, but far too many people don’t.

But backing up your business information doesn’t have to be a complicated chore. Here are a few tips to a successful backup strategy:

1. Backup on a weekly basis: Try to do a full backup once a week, followed by an incremental on the other days. Incremental backups include only those files that have changed since the full backup.
2. Store your backups offsite: Never keep your backup media in the same location as your computers you’re backing up. This way you’re protected in the event the location suffers a physical disaster such as a fire or poor weather.
3. Be organized and consistent: Ensure that your backup strategy is realistic. Have your IT provider handle the backup for you if you’re always forgetting to put the next tape in. Don’t purchase expensive equipment if your strategy doesn’t take advantage of it. Your backup plan should fit in with the rest of your IT plan.

There are many backup solutions available; Tape, online, hard drive, network clones, but ultimately you need to find one that makes the above three tips as easy to implement and manage as possible. We recommend the online backup solution. It’s scheduled so you don’t have to worry about managing the backup type and time, plus it’s completely offsite in a secure location. Contact Partek if you’d like to learn more about managing a backup solution for your business.