Businesses of all sizes make data backup mistakes. Sometimes it’s because they don’t think data backup is important, and sometimes it’s because they’re not sure how to do it properly. Regardless of the reason, data backups are critical for any business and should be taken very seriously. Here at Businets Inc., we’ve seen firsthand the damage that can be done when data backups aren’t handled correctly. That’s why we want to help you avoid making the most common data backup mistakes.

What We Mean When We Say Data Backup

Before we get into the most common data backup mistakes, let’s first make sure we’re all on the same page when it comes to what we mean by data backup. Simply put, data backup is a process of making copies of your data so that you have them stored in case something happens to the original data. This could be anything from a natural disaster like a hurricane or tornado, to data corruption caused by a virus or malware.

It is also important to have a disaster recovery plan in place to protect your business. This plan should include data backups, as well as instructions on how to restore your data if something does happen. This disaster planning is part of your business continuity, which is critical for any business. (To learn more about business continuity click here.)

Common Data Backup Mistakes

Now that we know what data backup is and why it’s important, let’s take a look at the most common data backup mistakes businesses make.

Having No Backup At All

This is probably the most common data backup mistake of all. Many businesses simply don’t bother backing up their data at all, figuring that they’re not important enough to be a target or that it would take too much time and effort. The problem with this thinking is that data backups are not just for protection against disasters. They’re also for protecting against data loss caused by accidental deletion or corruption.

Inconsistent Data Backup

Another common mistake is inconsistency. This happens when businesses back up their data periodically, but not on a regular schedule. You can’t just install a backup system and call it a day. You have to consistently back up your data and many people don’t realize this! As a result, they may end up losing data if there’s an unexpected event like a power outage or hardware failure.

A general rule of thumb when it comes to determining your backup schedule is to think about the amount of data you are producing. The more data there is, the more frequent the backups you should have!

Not Verifying Backups

This mistake is made when businesses back up their data, but don’t actually verify that the backups are working. As a result, they may not realize that their data has been lost until it’s too late. You can prevent this by taking the time to check back over the data that has been backed up before deleting the original copy from your devices.

Only Focusing on One of Your Offices

Your business’ data usually isn’t stored within just the four walls of your building. Your data can also exist in your employee’s offices, in your home office, and even at your employee’s homes. When businesses only back up data from one area, they’re putting their entire business at risk. What happens if that office is hit by a disaster and the data is lost? You’ll need to have backups from all of your offices in order to restore your business to full capacity.

Relying Soley on Physical Storage

Another mistake businesses make is relying solely on physical storage for their data backups. This is oftentimes because it is a type of data storage that is tangible and visible making the owner feel more secure because they can actually see it. However, physical storage is also subject to many physical dangers such as theft, fire, and natural disasters. Utilizing physical storage along with other storage options like cloud storage will help to protect your data from being lost in the event of a disaster.

Ignoring Security on Mobile Devices

Businesses often ignore security when backing up data from mobile devices. As a result, they may end up with data that’s not only unprotected but also unencrypted.

Not Utilizing Automated Features

There are some data storage systems that allow you to automatically back up your data. This means that you don’t have to remember to do it yourself! Unfortunately, many businesses don’t take advantage of this feature because they either don’t know about it or they think it’s too complicated. If you don’t schedule these automatic updates you are relying on a person to back up your data manually. And 60% of data breaches are due to simple human error, and one of those errors is forgetting to back up your data or backing it up incorrectly. Using an automated feature to schedule your backups helps you prevent human error and lets you rest easy knowing your data is being backed… up even if you forget that it is!

Not Storing Your Data Backup Offsite

The last data backup mistake that we want to discuss is not storing any data backups offsite. The saying don’t put all of your eggs in one basket can absolutely apply here because having all of your data in one location makes it vulnerable! If that one location is damaged or destroyed, your data is gone too. Having backups of your data duplicated and stored in an off-site location will help you avoid any potential downtime due to data loss.

Let Businets Help Take Care of Your Data Backups

Data backups are important for any business, and it’s crucial to make sure you’re not making any of the common mistakes mentioned above. To avoid data backup mistakes, businesses should always consult with an internet technology company like Businets Inc. which specializes in data backups and disaster recovery. We can help you create a data backup plan that is consistent, secure, and tailored to your specific business needs. Contact us today for a free site survey!