With the rise in recent years of hacking attacks and malicious malware affecting organisations of all sizes, it is more important than ever to back up your business data on a regular basis. But considering the multiple systems, documents and databases involved in keeping your business moving, it can be hard to know where to start.
Inventory and priorities
Before you can even begin to archive existing data, you need a full, thorough list of all the records and systems you are currently using.
Spend some time to create an inventory, including discussion with employees at all levels. Staff need to let you know about all of the software they use, as well as all of the data they update and access. Not having a complete overview of your business IT practices could leave you caught out further down the line.
Identifying your organisation’s most business-critical data is vital. Prioritise what needs to be copied first, and what needs to be stored most securely.
Physical backups
Physical copies of your data can be stored on your premises, or off-site. On-site backups provide the convenience of being close at hand, for fast recovery. Whereas storage at another location has the advantage of allowing you to recover data in the event of an emergency, such as a fire or flood at your work premises.
Depending on your budget and the amount of storage you need for your data, there are many options, ranging from inexpensive USB thumb drives to large external hard drives specifically designed for professional backup storage.
Cloud-based backup
A cloud-based solution has the advantages of physical offsite data backup, but at a lower cost, and with greater flexibility. You pay only for the exact amount of storage you need and can access your data at any time, without having to travel to another location.
Staying on top
Cloud-based storage allows you to automate your backup process more efficiently, and decide on a regular set time for data to be copied over, whether that’s on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Otherwise, you are in a position of having to create manual copies, or continually making sure staff have done so themselves.
Records you do not need to regularly access can be archived for future reference, categorised by month or year. More recent data that is currently required for your work may need to be backed up on a daily basis.
How SwiftCase helps
SwiftCase is a cloud-based business process management platform that stores your data on secure servers with a complete backup plan included.
If you’re interested in a free, no-obligation demonstration, get in touch today.