Data Backup & Disaster Recovery

In this article, we will introduce data backup and introduce the concept of disaster recovery.

For businesses of all sizes data is a critical asset. It’s not far fetched to think about investing decades creating a customer database, financials and proprietary information, only to have it all go down the drain in a moment’s notice due to a system failure or cyber attack. Data Backup and Disaster Recovery is the answer to that.

What is Data Backup?

• Data Backup means copying the essential data and keeping a copy of it in a safe place. This also saves you from a situation where the original data was tampered with or lost and you can recover a saved one.
• Business operation continuity by utilizing data backups that can be done in many different ways, such as local backups, cloud backups, and hybrid solutions.
• Full backups, incremental backups and differential backups are different types of backups. They both have their advantages for the business depending on the needs. A reliable Data Backup and Disaster Recovery plan will reduce the chances of the company losing their data permanently.

What is Disaster Recovery?

When we talk about Disaster Recovery (DR), we’re talking about the strategies and processes businesses implement to recover from disaster, which can be a data breach, system failure, natural disaster, or any other type of cataclysm. Disaster recovery seeks to restore as much business operations as possible quickly, incurring the least amount of downtime as possible.
Unlike regular data backups, which concentrate on the ability to retrieve data, Disaster Recovery extends this to the ability to use all IT systems (hardware, software, and network) after a disaster. Replicating data to remote locations or the cloud and having a recovery process to which you can resort in the event of an emergency is often what disaster recovery solutions consist of.

Data Backup and Disaster Recovery: What's the Difference?

Data backup and disaster recovery are nearly the same, but have a specific difference.
Data Backup and Disaster Recovery are terms which are often used interchangeably, but they differ.

• The focus of Data Backup is to create copies of data to avoid loss. But it’s more about having a backup copy of your files and data that you can restore if you need to.
• Where it differs is that Disaster Recovery is a larger concept. Under such strategies, full IT operations should be restored in the event of a disaster. This covers not only data recovery, but also network and system recovery.

Why Data Backup and Disaster Recovery are Essential for Businesses

Any business that doesn't back up its data is at risk for experiencing a data loss scenario.
Data Backup and Disaster Recovery are two of the most important things you need to secure your business. Data loss can happen for various reasons, including:

• Hardware Failures: Critical data can be lost through the failure of hard drives and servers.
• Cyberattacks: Malware is ransomware or any other form that can encrypt or destroy data.
• Human Error: And accidental deletion or mishandling of data can be forever.
• Natural Disasters: Data stored in a company’s office can be physically destroyed by floods, fires or earthquakes.

Elements of a Data Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan

An effective Data Backup and Disaster Recovery plan should include several key elements:

• Backup Schedule: To protect the most recent data we will have to perform regular backups.
• Data Storage Locations: Redundancy should require data to be stored in multiple locations, i.e. on-prem and in the cloud.
• Disaster Recovery Procedures: A detailed plan for restoring systems and data when a disaster occurs.
• Testing and Validation: Regular testing guarantees the backup and recovery system will function as it should, if a crisis strikes.
• Employee Training: Minimizing downtime and confusion ensure employees know what to do in the case of a disaster.

These various types of data backup solutions are…

There are several types of Data Backup solutions available, including:

• Full Backup: All the data on a system, in a complete copy. This is the most thorough option, but it will take a lot of storage space.
• Incremental Backup: It saves only the data which has changed since the last backup. But this is more storage efficient, and takes longer to restore.
• Differential Backup: Another method is similar to incremental but saves all changes since the last full backup.

Cloud Backup Services: The Future of Data Protection

As a result, cloud backup services are growing in popularity because they are flexible, scalable and easy to use. Cloud backup allows businesses to keep the data offsite, stored on secure servers protecting it from physical disasters such as fires or floods.
Cloud-based backup solutions offer several advantages:

• Automatic Backups: Automated backup schedules prevalent in cloud services mean that businesses will never miss a backup.
• Scalability: Cloud based services are scalable in respect to your data storage requirements and if your business grows you will need the extra space to back up your data.
• Accessibility: Because cloud backups are accessible anywhere, you can restore data if, heaven forbid, there’s an emergency.

Businesses Disaster Recovery Solutions

Disaster strikes and it’s critical to know what’s coming. Disaster Recovery Solutions help businesses get back to operations as quickly as possible. Cloud-based recovery and onsite (physical) recovery, where businesses can restore data and systems remotely, or physically restore systems and data from backup respectively, are these solutions.
By partnering with a provider such as FarSecure, your business will be able to utilize the most up to date disaster recovery solutions there are, and specific to your needs. Data replication, failover systems, and testing on a regular basis are all part of disaster recovery strategies offered by FarSecure.

IT Continuity Planning: Why It’s Essential

IT continuity Planning is planning to ensure a business’ critical IT functions can continue if disaster strikes. Both data backup and disaster recovery planning are included. IT continuity is all about keeping your business running without a large amount of downtime, and this is all about ensuring all systems are recoverable.

Data backup and disaster recovery forms part of FarSecure’s solutions.

One thing that FarSecure understands is that in this day and age, Data Backup and Disaster Recovery is critical. To help businesses protect their critical data and recover quickly from an emergency, our disaster recovery solutions are engineered to work. From cloud backup to data replication and even IT continuity planning, we provide all services customized for your specific company.

What You Need to Know About Choosing the Correct Data Backup and Disaster Recovery Provider

Selecting the right provider for Data Backup and Disaster Recovery can certainly be an overwhelming process. Here are some factors to consider:

• Experience and Reputation: Find a provider that has a track record in disaster recovery that has been proven to succeed.
• Service Offerings: Make sure the provider provides for end-to-end solutions with complete cloud backup services and disaster recovery planning.
• Customization: Select a provider that will be able to adjust their solutions to your business’s requirements.

Regular Data Backup Testing is Extremely Important

Testing your Data Backup and Disaster Recovery systems is absolutely necessary if you want to know it will work when you need it most. Regular testing can detect potential failures before a disaster occurs, thus reducing the risk of system failure.

Data Backup and Disaster Recovery: Future Trends

Automation, machine learning, and cloud-based solutions are likely to be the future of Data Backup and Disaster Recovery. Moving forward, businesses will continue to move more to efficient, scalable and cost-effective backup and recovery systems, to ensure that their data remains safe and easily recoverable.