23 Apr Are You Backing Up the Right Way?
Are You Backing Up the Right Way?
The 31st of March is World Backup day and it’s a great time for backing up. So this is your reminder, that even if you only do this once a year when the calendar tells you to, it’s time to flip that to-do list and make it happen! But how? What’s the easiest, most effective way for your business to backup?
You’ve probably heard of file backup by a number of names: Cloud Sync, Cloud Backup or Cloud Storage. They’re all similar enough to be confusing and meaningless enough to be anything. Here’s what they mean and which one you need today.
Cloud Sync
Backing up is possible with Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, etc. They are services that sync up with a single folder on your computer. They mirror it. When a file changes in one, the sync service rushes to change it on your computer too, so they are always the same. Cloud Sync services are hugely flexible for remote employees. They’re ridiculously easy to use, require no training, and the free tiers are enough for most individuals. This all sounds amazing, right? Except…when things go wrong, they go wrong big time. Accidentally deleting a file means it disappears from the Cloud Sync drive – almost immediately. Overwriting a file does the same thing, and if an employee makes edits to the wrong file, then those edits are there to stay. While some Cloud Sync services now offer a 30 day backup option, you may not notice the file was missing within this time.
Backing Up Using Cloud Storage
Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, etc are massive buildings full of storage drives that work just like your local hard drive, except you access them securely via the internet. In fact, when you use a cloud sync app like Dropbox, they’re actually sending your data to one of these locations. You can access cloud storage on a per/GB basis for backing up. It won’t update with changes on your local network, but it will be safe from disaster. When you need to retrieve a file, you simply login and download it.
Your backed up data is secure, protected against disaster, and always available to you.
Backing Up Using Cloud
You can roll back individual files or whole drives, and backing up from earlier states, not just one. Like sync services, they use cloud storage centers with extra-high security and redundancy so that your data is always there when you need it.
The One You Need
Let’s take a moment to talk planning. We recommend starting with the 3-2-1 strategy. Using this strategy keeps your business operating when data disasters occur and is an investment in your uptime. If you’re looking for a more scalable, cost-effective solution that gives the utmost peace of mind, ask about our managed backups service.
Need help with your backup? Contact us!