Are you Creating Reliable Backups?

It’s a digital world, and we deal with digital data every day: from personal photos to work files, and they hold value for us. What happens if you lose that? In personal life, it can be sad, but in business it can be catastrophic. This is the reason behind making sure you secure backup your data. Let’s go through some best practices to keep your data safe and secure. As with everything concerning cybersecurity, consult with your internal IT Support or outsourced Managed Services Provider (MSP).

What is meant by data backup?

For anyone who regularly peruses these blogs, this may seem like a silly, redundant question, but it isn’t. You never know who didn’t get the memo. So, let’s do the drill:

Data backup is the act of regularly creating secure copies of your data. The operative word is ‘regularly.’ This is never a ‘one and done’ operation. You need these backups in the event of loss or destruction of the original data. The can be stored on various devices, such as external hard drives, a NAS or SAN device or in the cloud. That is not an ‘either/or’ proposition. You should have reliable backups both locally and in the cloud.

Having backups ensures you don’t lose important information. Having backups ensures that a disaster doesn’t put you out of business.

Why is it important to backup data?

Because without backups, there are several ways you can lose your data forever. It could be a cyber-attack like Ransomware, computers can also crash or get various types of viruses. It also happens that data gets deleted by accident. If you do not have a backup, then you could lose everything. Backing up your data keeps it safe from these problems.

How often should data be backed up?

It depends on the nature of your business and the importance of the data, but backing up your data is very important and should be done regularly. Some people back up their data every day, while others do it on a weekly basis. It depends on how often your data changes. If you have important files that change daily, then you should back them up every day. Regular backups mean you will always have the latest version of your files.

What are the different types of data backup?

There are three primary types of backups:

Full

Like the name implies, this creates full backup copies of all your data. It takes more time and space but is very thorough.

Incremental

This type of backup only copies new or changed files since the previous incremental backup. It saves time and space.

Differential

Differential backups copy all changes made since the last full backup. It’s faster than a full backup but takes more space than an incremental one.

Where should you store back up copies of your data?

This is an important consideration. In the case of a Ransomware attack, after you wipe the computers clean, it’s faster to restore the data from a local source than the cloud, although it is advised to have both. Here are some common options:

External Hard Drive

These are physical devices you can store at home or at work – featured in the graphic that accompanies this blog. It’s convenient, and suitable for personal or small business use – for example, Amazon doesn’t backup data this way, but a landscaper might. One danger is that they can get lost or damaged.

NAS or SAN Devices

NAS (Network Attached Storage) and SAN (Storage Area Network) are network-based storage solutions. They differ in their architecture, performance, and suitability for different needs. NAS is generally a single device that offers file-level storage and is easier to set up and manage, making it ideal for home users and small businesses. SAN, on the other hand, is a dedicated network of storage devices that provides block-level storage and is designed for high-performance and scalability, often used by larger organizations.

The Cloud

It keeps your backups online, so it is safe from any form of physical damage. It’s also easily accessible from any location.

Offsite

Offsite storage means keeping backups in a different location than your main data. This can be at another physical location or in the cloud. This protects against theft or natural disasters.

How can you ensure backups are secure?

It’s as important to keep your backups secure as it is to make them:

Encryption

This scrambles your data so only you can read it. This keeps it safe from hackers – they may be able to steal encrypted data, but they won’t be able to read it.

Always Create Strong Passwords

Prevent unauthorized access by using strong passwords for all your backup accounts and devices. For some good tips, please visit our page ‘Creating Strong Passwords.’

Test Your Backups Regularly

Regularly make sure you can easily retrieve your data - this ensures that your backups work properly. Try restoring a file to make sure everything is correct.

Which tool is used for backup?

There are a few good backup tools to consider, especially for help automating and managing them:

Software

Look at backup software like Acronis True Image, Veeam Backup & Replication, or cloud-based solutions like IDrive.  Backup software can schedule and perform backups automatically. This makes it easier to keep up with regular backups.

PGMag highlights their picks on the list of ‘The Best Backup Software and Services for 2025.’

Cloud Services

The best cloud services include automatic backups in their package. They provide extra security features too. This is one important consideration in picking the best cloud host for you.

What are the common mistakes made while doing a backup?

Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid while backing up your data:

Creating Only One Copy

Always have more than one copy of your backup in different places. Use the 3-2-1 rule.

Not Updating Security

You can typically automate the process of regularly updating all backup software to ensure that you stay protected against new threats.

How do I create a backup plan?

To get better organized, create a backup plan that includes:

Determining what data should be backed up.

Frequency of backups.

Where the backups will be located.

Reminders to test regularly.