Many companies take their data security for granted, despite the fact that it is often one of their most valuable assets. A lot of this information ends up being impossible to replace, and it’s only after a serious data loss that many realize the importance of it. Not only can losing important data affect a team’s productivity, but it could also have disastrous effects on your company’s reputation as a whole. Here’s how you can ensure your data is secure and protect your business.
Personal Backing Up Your Files
If you run your own small business with just a few employees to account for, personally backing up your files may be a suitable option. This could be by either printing off physical copies of your own files or backing them up digitally to an external hard drive. The problem with this method, though, is that, while many of us know the importance of backing up our data, very few of us can keep up with a regular schedule. Even if you fell behind for just a week, a hardware failure could mean a significant amount of work was lost.
Investing in a Dedicated Server
A dedicated server is a more reliable solution and can act as a central repository for all your company’s information. Your server will most likely use several hard drives which will make it much easier to create multiple backups. While servers are often designed with specialist components that are more reliable than your average PC, that doesn’t mean they’re immune to failures. Keeping everything in one centralized location also means it can’t protect you against theft, fire damage, or natural disasters. This is why keeping a copy of your information on an off-site location is so highly recommended.
Switching to Cloud Storage
Cloud storage is the latest and most convenient way to store your information, as you can easily access it from a variety of different devices. It works by making digital backups of your files which are stored across multiple physical servers via a hosting company. It’s then up to the cloud storage provider to keep the data available and accessible. If there’s a technical problem on their end, you might not being able to access your data for an indeterminate amount of time. This convenience could also come with other problems as cloud storage is no stranger to security challenges for enterprise users.
Working with a Third-Party Specialist
Choosing to work with a third-party specialist is arguably the best choice to securely store your data as it gives you both the benefits of physical backups with the conveniences of cloud storage. Companies like TNT Business Solutions can store your physical documents in a secure, off-site location while also creating digital copies of these files which you can access online.
Typically, the best kind of data security setups involve a combination of different solutions. This way, if your personal backups on an external hard drive fail, you’ll still have the option of pulling the files from your cloud storage provider. Make sure you put the time into adequately protecting your data as you’ll be thankful for it in the long-run.
