Three Seldom-Considered Elements of a Backup Strategy

If you’ve been following us for any amount of time, it is very likely that you have already heard us talk about the importance of a comprehensive data backup strategy. Recent events have made such preparations no less important for you to have in place. Let’s go over some of the key steps that you need to undergo.

How to Properly Design Your Backup Strategy

To establish a data backup strategy that works effectively, there are a few different steps you need to undergo, in addition to the given requirements that implementing such a strategy will take.

1. Specify What Your Recovery Goals Are

This one may be a little obvious on the surface, but deeper consideration makes it clearer how specific these specifications must be. Naturally, you want as much of your data and operations to be restored as possible, as quickly as possible, but it is important to put definitive objectives here. How much data do you need to restore to restart (to some level) your operations? How long can you sustain downtime before it becomes too much? Identifying this is crucial to your successful recovery… and your success at not joining the far-too-many businesses that fail within a year of a significant downtime event.

2. Train Your Team

Secondly, having a backup is a great start, but you also need to know that your team can put it into action if need be. Backups are only useful when they can be implemented, and they can only be implemented if your team understands how to do so properly. Taking the time to train your team members to utilize the resources at their disposal—especially in this context—will only benefit your overall operations.

3. Build Your Procedures

Once your goals are in place and your team is prepared to use the tools at their disposal, you need to make it an established practice for them to do so. While we are not suggesting that you encourage your team to make errors of any size, it will help to periodically run your employees through the processes that you have in place for data recovery purposes. Scheduling a test of your backup, and having your business run off of the backup will help you prepare for a real data loss event.

Following these steps as you adopt your backup policies and procedures will only help to make them more effective. For even more assistance, turn to Network Solutions Unlimited. We’ll help you manage your business’ IT, down to your backups and more. Find out what we can do for your operations by calling (217) 428-6449.