Suppose you ask any IT professional about the critical elements of disaster recovery planning. In that case, data backups will undoubtedly top the list. Whether there’s a natural disaster or a cyber attack, a full backup of your business’s data ensures that you can get back up and running quickly with minimal disruption to operations.
Or does it? According to recent studies, 60% of data backups fail and leave companies in a bind when they need to restore their data. The implication is that data backup tools aren’t getting the job done, and there’s a good chance you have a false sense of security about your ability to recover lost data.
Why Are Backups Being Lost?
Most businesses try to make their data backups as seamless and streamlined as possible, dedicating resources to data backup tools that purport to encrypt and save data. It’s only when something goes wrong, like a ransomware attack, and they lose their data that it becomes clear that the backups didn’t occur as scheduled and that there is missing or corrupted data.
Experts suspect that this happens for several reasons:
- Inadequate data backup tools. Free or low-cost backup products aren’t nearly as reliable or secure as premium options. Even fee-based options can fail, so do your homework to ensure whatever you select is trustworthy.
- Incompatible products. Many businesses assume their data backup tools will always work, even when implementing new software. This isn’t always the case, which can cause problems with data recovery and restoration.
- Poorly timed backups. Scheduling data backups when the network is busy results in missing data since it’s easy for the backup tool to miss data modifications in real-time.
- Human error. Sometimes, it's not the data backup tools causing trouble but the people using them. They can incorrectly set or accidentally change the backup automation parameters, delete data, or ignore critical alerts.
Regardless of why they happen, failed backups can be catastrophic. Your company loses data and could face data handling compliance violations with legal and financial consequences.
Best Practices for Successful Data Backups
Avoiding the fallout of an unsuccessful data backup requires implementing some best practices.
Follow the 3-2-1 Protocol
Whatever data backup tools you use, adhere to the 3-2-1 rule: keep three copies of your data in two places, with one copy stored offsite.
Choose a Quality Solutions
Ask questions about the solution's technology, encryption methods, and whether it relies on local or cloud storage. The company should also be able to tell you how fast you can recover your data.
Check Backup Status Frequently
Have your IT department generate daily backup reports to check on the backup's status and address any issues immediately. It’s also helpful to conduct monthly restore tests to ensure you can access and restore your data as expected.
Consider Continuous Backup Protection
CDP data backup tools perform ongoing incremental backups so you can restore data to the point immediately before an attack or other loss. Combined with other data recovery tools, this can give you peace of mind.
