Offsite Tape Storage Beats Local Tape Storage

Did you know that you have a 1 in 4 chance of losing all of your pictures, music, spreadsheets, reports, programs, and everything electronically valuable due to a natural disaster or an evil virus programmer? In addition, industry analysts report that up to 50% of businesses who undergo a widespread loss of data cannot survive and go out of business. There are many ways to backup your data, but they are not all equally safe.

You might be backing up your files to a DVD or a CD, but these disks do not offer the security you might think they do. Often data copies just fine to a CD or DVD, but when it’s time to recover the data, for various technical or mechanical reasons, it won’t recover when you need it the most. And if you forget or fail to put the disk in the computer and perform the manual backup, then hundreds of hours of work and files will be vulnerable to loss. Also, if your backed up files on CD or DVD are stolen, the thief will easily recover all of your data because they are probably not going to be encrypted.

You might be one of many people and businesses backing up your data on a second hard drive or tape backup solution. These devices work well if they have not also been damaged or otherwise corrupted in the same flood, fire, or lightning strike as the original hard drive. And don’t forget theft. And industry research reveals that tape backup can fail to recover files up to 50% of the time.

The most efficient and effective way securely backup your files on a regular basis is to perform a remote offsite backup. Off site data backup is fairly effortless and involves the following:

Local Software Installation

First, you will need to install a small program to interface with the offsite data storage server. It takes up to a half hour to set up the program.

Initial Backup of Entire System

Second, you’ll need to have at least a connection as fast as a DSL or cable modem. Third, schedule a complete system backup during a convenient time. All respectable off site data backup providers secure your files in high security “vaults” that make the CIA envious, so don’t worry about your files.

Web Management System

Finally, many online providers offer a web control interface where you can schedule backups and retrieve files anytime. You might also receive an encryption code known only to you to keep your files safe.

I’ll leave you with some wise words made up by me: don’t worry about losing your data; worry about not backup up your data. To learn more about data recovery options to secure your business, visit Data Backup Solutions.