5 BIGGEST BACKUP MISTAKES THAT BUSINESSES MAKE (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM)

You think your data is backing up safely on autopilot for months, then suddenly you’re hit with a ransomware attack and need to restore all your data. It’s then that you find out your backup stopped months ago without you realizing it.

This is unfortunately an all too common scenario in many offices throughout Tennessee and the rest of the world.

The failure rate for backing up and restoring all data is 75%. Why so high? Because business owners and employees often make one or more common backup mistakes.

If you’re not using managed backup, then it’s easy to miss something when it comes to the ongoing backup of all your business data.

Not having a reliable backup of all your data that can be restored can cost you significantly.

For example, according to the most recent State of Ransomware Report by Sophos, not having a backup in place and having to pay the ransom to get your data back after a ransomware attack can double the costs of the event.

The average cost to recover from a ransomware incident:

• $732,520 IF AN ORGANIZATION DOESN’T PAY THE RANSOM
• $1,448,458 IF AN ORGANIZATION HAS TO PAY THE RANSOM

Data backup is one of the most vital technology activities in any business, because without your files, your office could be at a standstill.

AVOID MAKING ONE OF THESE COMMON BACKUP MISTAKES

Backups are one of those systems that people don’t always think about in the course of the day. They just assume that once it’s turned on, it’s doing what it needs to do, but if your backup is unmanaged, then there’s a significant chance that something could go wrong.

Here are some of the most common ways that people end up with costly data loss due to making mistakes with their backups.

DON’T CHECK THE SPACE LIMITATIONS

Backups can run out of space and stop if you haven’t paid attention to the space used and space available. This is especially true of a physical storage media, like a removable drive, but it can also happen with cloud-based backup plans.

You should have your backup monitored regularly, and once you get to just 25% capacity left, expand your available space so you don’t run into problems.

NOT CHECKING THE BACKUP

A common reason that backups fail to capture all of a company’s business data is because they’re turned on and then left to run on their own, without being checked up on regularly.

Backups can stall for several reasons, and you may not receive a notification:

• SOFTWARE PROBLEM
• REBOOT CAUSED IT TO STOP
• EMPLOYEE ACCIDENTALLY TURNED IT OFF
• PHYSICAL BACKUP WAS UNPLUGGED
• TURNED OFF BY A VIRUS OR MALWARE
• HARD DRIVE CRASH FROM COMPUTER NEEDING REPAIR

This is another mistake that can be avoided by using managed backup services through a trusted IT provider. When you work with Unbound Digital, our staff keeps a watchful eye on all your device backups to ensure your data is being captured properly.

NOT BACKING UP DATA IN CLOUD SERVICES

Companies often get a false sense of security when it comes to their files that are in cloud platforms like Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft 365. These services are meant to store live versions of files in the cloud for easy access and sharing, but this is not the same as a backup.

A backup makes a copy of files that can’t be edited, unlike cloud storage that allows files to be deleted and overwritten.

Companies have more of their data stored in cloud services these days, which makes it vital that you back up that cloud data to a backup and recovery solution.

ONLY KEEPING A BACKUP ON-SITE

If you’re backing up data to an on-premises server, then if something happens to your building, such as a flood or fire, you could end up losing all your data.

It’s fine to keep a local copy if you like, but you should also back up your data to an off-site cloud solution. This ensures that no matter what, your data is available to be restored to any device, in any location.

NOT BACKING UP MOBILE OR REMOTE DEVICES

Today’s workforce looks a lot different than the one of twenty years ago. Companies use both in-office and remote working teams and many employees use their mobile devices for work more than their desktop computer.

If your backup plan doesn’t include remote and mobile devices, you could end up without a good portion of your work data in the event of a damaged, lost, or stolen device.

You want to expand your backup strategy to include data wherever it may reside, inside or outside the office.

GET PEACE OF MIND WITH OUR MANAGED BACKUP SOLUTION

Unbound Digital can help your Tennessee business ensure that no matter where your data is stored, it’s being backed up safely and completely.

Contact us today to sign up for managed backup services. Call 423-335-2461 or reach us online.