Backups: Why are They Important?

What Are Backups?

Technology is evolving day by day and terms like backup have become familiar to all businesses. However, the concept of back-up dates back to the time when it hadn’t been named as such. Whenever important information or document is copied and stored in a place other than the original one, to make sure it doesn’t get lost, a backup is taking place. This ensures when the original gets damaged, the information and document can be recovered from a safe location.

A retrospect look will show that in the last few years, hacking, leaks, and breaches have escalated. Cyber threats have just turned out to be unstoppable. So, organizations need to protect their data by creating backups. From snapshots to data sources, everything should be backed up.

Most businesses have backup databases and virtualized servers. Others tend to back-up data sets. There are three different types of data backups. Let’s see what are they and how are they different from each other.

Full Backup

It is exactly what the name suggests. The full-back process copies everything that is considered to be important and can create a ruckus when it is lost. It’s usually the first and the most reliable backup data copy available.

Differential Backup

It involves creating copies of new files that encountered a few changes. In this case, all the files that have been created since the initial backup are going to be copied again. So, it is better not to carry it out manually.

Incremental Backup

The process requires you to take more care during different phases of the backup. As in this case, copies of documents are made considering the changes that have taken place since the previous backup. For instance, a full backup has been taken and when it’s done, you decide to do an incremental backup. This will create two new files. The incremental backup detects and ensures that the files in the full backup are the same. So, it only creates copies of the newly created files. Thus, with incremental backups, there are fewer files to be backed up in comparison to full backups. But it should not be done manually.

Create an Automated Backup Schedule So You Don't Forget

Reasons to Create Backup Data

Whether you are an SMB or a large enterprise, it is necessary to create backup data. Here’s why.

  • It is a known fact that cyber-attacks have increased. In time to come, it is expected that there will be significant breaches and ransomware attacks. In 2018, the Global Risk Report by Economic Forum ranked cyber-attacks as the third global risk with natural disasters and weather conditions ranking at second and first. The adage goes, ‘Prevention is better than cure’, it is best to create backup data to protect the business from any unplanned outage. A proper backup solution helps in preventing and detecting data breaches.
  • Data is the primary currency of businesses in this age of the digital economy. If it’s disrupted or lost, it can lead to expensive downtime. In 2017, about 25% of respondents across the world announced an hourly downtime cost of their servers within 301,000 to 400,000 USD. It has increased in recent times. So, it is necessary to consider a website backup strategy to protect crucial data.
  • Data loss can lead to significant productivity and reputation loss. Consumers are likely to pull away from a brand that experiences breaches. Apart from this, the other effects of data loss are time loss in recovering data, no new projects, and legal challenges from compliance authorities and consumers. Therefore, having a back-up is very important.
  • The use of smartphones, laptops, and tablets by businesses is increasing continuously. This augments the amount of data created and stored in the devices. Consumers are rapidly adapting to IoT and cloud storage. This means more storage on the endpoint device. So, these devices need to be protected. A data back-up makes sure that even if the devices are lost, you have the backup data to restore everything to normal.
DON'T Neglect Your Backups

Common Mistakes While Creating a Website Backup

Creating website backup is not a simple thing and it can cause trouble if the backup data is not successful. Here are some common mistakes made while backing up data that should be avoided.

Not Verifying the Backup

Creating a backup involves different processes. Taking a backup is not enough, it is also important to check the backup data files to make sure that the data that has been saved can be accessed when needed. Checking the backup data files is as important as taking backup. Often the compressed backup data file can get corrupted. In such a scenario, a backup needs to be taken.

Not Running Backups Frequently

It is necessary to take a regular backup, particularly when the information is updated regularly. For instance, you are writing a piece of essay in a word document, and you just create a backup copy on the first day of each month. So, if the file is lost on the 12th of the month, you can get a copy that dates back to 12 days ago. You lose the work that you have done from the 2nd to 11th day of the month.

Saving the Backup on the Same Hardware as the Original

The idea of backup is to create a copy to safeguard data. So, the copy needs to be stored in a location other than the one where the original files had been kept. In case the files are stored in the same hardware, and it gets damaged, the backup data files will be lost along with the original ones.

Not Labeling All Backup Files

After doing a backup, it’s crucial to maintain a record of which archive is created from which hardware. If you have to recover the data, it will have to be done on the right equipment.

A data loss situation can cost businesses and individuals dearly. Everybody should maintain a backup. It can protect the investment that people make into the data. To avoid losing that investment, it is better to protect data with proper backup and planning. A good backup strategy is the best way to prevent data loss.