About 60% of businesses that experience data loss are likely to shut down within six months.
As a business, you want to ensure that you stay on top of such scenarios by getting the right enterprise back up.
But how do you find the right service that suits your needs? The criteria for selecting the right backup involves various considerations. These can include things such as compatibility, ease-of-use, support, reporting, and scheduling.
Plus, you need to take into account your business needs for data protection.
In this post, we're going to help you determine what back up option suits your business.
How Much Storage Do You Need?
Business storage needs vary widely, and you want an option that is best suited for your specific company.
It's important to first determine the amount of storage you need. You don't need to buy a 3TB package when a 250GB option is enough for you.
So, take the time to assess your current files and data to know what you need to back up.
Or, simply look at the amount of space your current files occupy. Keep in mind your business is growing, and you may need more space in the future.
A good service should not have startup cost and must allow you to only pay for what you need. An increase in storage volume is likely to impact your cost.
Reliable, Secure and Accessible
You're not just going to pick the first service you find because they offer enterprise back up plans. Instead, you need to review the company's reputation and performance.
Traditional backup methods are no longer reliable. So, stay away from companies that offer them.
Some business may opt for disk-to-disk technology, which is fairly a good choice. This is because when the backup is complete, you know it's secure and you can access it.
Tapes are known to be weak in security. When they're encrypted, they tend to be slow. So, many services opt to turn the encryption off. Instead, get a service that encrypts your data during transmission and storage. Review the storage system to ensure it's secure, and it has no "back doors."
Your service should also offer easy access to your backup.
You don't need to wait for hours or days to get your backup as with tapes. They should be able to offer both onsite and offsite replication to improve your recovery times and help to ensure continuity of your operations.
Consider the Features
When comparing different enterprise back up packages and service providers, you want to make sure that the pricing is reasonable for given features. So, make sure your package has some critical features such as:
Deduplication
This feature allows you to remove redundant data to reduce your needs. Essentially, duplication of files increases the number of files in your backup. This eats up your space for no good reason.
Replication
During disaster recovery, you should be able to access your files internally and remotely. The replication feature allows you to copy your active files to the backup location easily.
Virtualization
This typically involves putting software agents on your virtual machines. You can then support this with a traditional backup software. This is to ensure total machine protection and easy restoration.
Cloud service
Nowadays, cloud support has become an important feature for businesses. Your service should allow for total data recovery in the cloud without restoring data to the data center.
Also, ensure the backup service is searchable, automatic, and allows for data compression.
Let the company provide all the essential details of each package. You can explore the features with your IT team. That way, you'll know exactly what features are needed for your data backup.
What Does the Company Offer?
An important thing when reviewing different enterprise back up service providers is support.
Choose a manufacturer that offers end-to-end support. Typically, you should be able to reach out to the company through multiple channels when necessary. The cost of support contract should be about 12-18% of the total cost every year.
It should also offer diagnostics to help identify sources of problems and fix them.
They should also work with your IT team to help address problems quickly. The manufacturer should also guarantee uptime during lengthy maintenance and repair cycles.
You'll also need to inquire about upgrades.
Some companies usually offer free upgrades depending on the term of your subscription. For example, if you pick a 3-year subscription plan, you're likely to get three years of free upgrades. Ensure to know this in advance before making your decision.
Offers Full Data Protection
As a business owner, you're aware that on-site backup solutions have their own risks.
For example, you're likely to lose all your data in the event of a disaster. And they can't provide what Software as a Service (SaaS) applications lend to your business. Plus, SaaS services are inexpensive than traditional options.
So, you're looking at a cost-effective solution that keeps your data secure.
SaaS-based services are able to ensure full data protection. Choose a service will able to back up and archive your data. Plus, they should also offer recovery features and tools for data that is born in SaaS applications.
Remember that the company must also ensure protection for endpoint devices. These can include things such as tablets, smartphones, and laptops. Data that is available on these devices should be stored in a central repository.
This will allow you to wipe out the data when the devices get lost easily.
Enterprise Back Up: The Botton Line
When looking for the right backup services for your business, evaluate your needs and different software suits to find something compatible. Opting for a cloud-based backup service helps to keep your data secure and reduces work for your IT team.
Also, the company you choose must be compliant with the data retention, privacy, and security regulations.
Pick a service that is scalable and offers features that provide the level of service your company needs. Make sure they can back up your laptops, PCs, servers, and also applications.
Feel free to get in touch with us if you have any question about enterprise back up.
