As we enter the New Year, there are many things that we’ll resolve to do. One of the more repetitive resolutions we need to actually follow through on is to reliably protect ourselves (and our business) from a data-loss disaster. While most everyone knows they should back up their data, few do it on a consistent or reliable basis.
It happens all the time: a hard drive crashes, a computer gets stolen or someone in the office mistakenly deletes a bunch of files from the drive. If a backup was made recently, you (or your tech person) take a look at the most current backup job expecting to grab the data from that backup and restore the information to its original location. Way too often, the worst has happened: there was no backup performed recently enough to have captured the now-missing data, due to human error or because of a failure on the part of the backup software or hardware device. Let’s look at each of these potential points of failure.
If your office does not have a server, you likely have what’s called decentralized data storage, with each person keeping their documents on their own computer. The problem with this scenario is that each person is responsible for backing up their own data to a location other than their own hard drive. In this case, the backup — assuming it happens — usually will involve the use of a recordable CD or a “flash drive.”
Backing up using flash drives can be dangerous. Data are too easily corrupted on these devices, so you won’t be assured of having a usable copy of your business data if you absolutely have to get it back. You’re essentially gambling with your business data. Recordable CDs are another option, but are limited in capacity and the number of times they can be reliably reused.
Perhaps the best choice for an office that does not have a dedicated server is an external hard drive (with appropriate capacity) that is connected to the network. Then, all the users in the office can back up their documents, email, etc., to that drive. If your budget can handle it, get two drives. That way, you can take one of the drives offsite on a regular basis to provide protection from a total disaster (e.g., the building burns down).
If your office has a server, you probably have an attached backup storage device, such as a tape drive or an external hard drive, as well as the software that copies your data from your server’s hard drive to the device. If you are using either of these two types of drives with dependable software, you stand a pretty good chance that your data are being backed up and can be restored if need be. Be sure to take steps, such as running “test” restores, to verify that your data are being properly backed up.
As for software, there are many types and price levels. Choose one that fits your budget, as well as being from a reputable manufacturer. Don’t decide solely on price, though. If you use backup software that is free, but it doesn’t function properly, you’ll find the price to be unacceptable when you go to restore your data and find that a backup job has not run for the last several months.
With any backup software/hardware configurations, it is imperative that you run test restores on a regular basis. That way, you can feel confident that your data are being protected and can be retrieved if needed.
Another option is daily “offsite” backup, in which your data get sent over your Internet connection to a remote location. This is a wonderful option for any firm that doesn’t want to be burdened with the daily backup process and wants to keep a copy of their data offsite (for security purposes).
Most offsite backup firms determine their prices by the amount of data being transferred/stored. Be sure to verify the reputation of the service company, as you’ll be storing sensitive data with them and you need to be sure of the security measures that they utilize.
If you decide to keep your backup operations “in house,” the final point you need to consider is frequency. When determining how often to perform a backup, a simple rule of thumb is: How many days of data can you afford to lose? If the computer that stores your documents, calendar and billing data crashed, would you be okay with losing (and having to recreate) one day’s worth of data? Three days? A week’s worth? The answer to that question will help you answer “how often do we need to run a backup?”
It’s a good bet that the future of your firm lies with the work product you’ve created and the hours you’ve billed. As these data are so precious, be sure to resolve to protect this information the best way possible.
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Ken Chertok is the owner of Technicare Solutions, LLC, in Kirkland, a computer consulting group specializing in providing law firms with a full range of IT services and products. The firm can be reached at 425-803-2070.
