If you’ve ever lost or damaged your phone, laptop, or tablet, you already know that one simple accident could destroy your most important files. However, you may not be aware that data backup can also be one of the best lines of defence against cybercriminals for small businesses. That’s because regularly backing up your data will mean your business can quickly resume operations after any intrusion and help you stay ahead of emerging threats.
With 30% of all computers already infected with malware and 80% of Australian businesses reporting ransomware attacks in 2022, it’s more important than ever to be prepared.
World Backup Day, #WorldBackupDay (an initiative to raise awareness about data preservation) is the perfect time to reconsider how to protect your business data. Here are three tips to help you back up your data ensure its protected in the right way, and how to pick the right back up solution.
Be Prepared
You spill, you drop, you forget. Phones break and devices are stolen. Or worse, you may be targeted by cybercriminals and your data compromised. That’s why you should create a plan to regularly back up all the data stored on your computers, your phone, and your business social media accounts. Make sure you are also backing up any data you have stored in the cloud including any business data on SaaS applications. Many vendors do not include backups as part of their service so it’s up to you to ensure you have a full back up of everything in the cloud
Be Organised
World Backup Day is a great reminder to do some digital spring cleaning and get rid of any content that your business no longer needs. While you’re at it, organise your files into folders with names and categories you can easily search for and remember. Once you’ve done that, get a head start on maintaining your cleaned up and well organised content by scheduling recurring backups, keeping your data secure all year round. While you are doing this for your business, why not considering sorting out your home files and photos too?
Review your requirements
Take stock of your data. Do you have mostly text files and a handful of photos, or do you have thousands of photos and dozens of videos, too? Knowing what you need to backup will help you choose the right drive for the job. Choose a high-capacity drive such as an 8TB, or perhaps even a RAID set up for extra protection if you have lots of multimedia content. If you’re a smaller business with mainly text files, a mobile or desktop drive with 2-4TB of storage may be sufficient.
Also read: Email phishing is the primary cyberattack to SMBs and consumers
