Besides the increase in security and data breaches, data loss is up 400% from 2012. Although this does not bode well for a company’s customers, companies also have a lot at stake when it comes to data loss.

According to the National Archives & Records Administration, 93% of companies that lost their data center for 10 days or more during a disaster filed for bankruptcy within one year of the disaster. Additional research from the University of Texas has also found that 43% of companies that suffer catastrophic data loss never reopen, and 51% close within two years.

While there may be various reasons for data loss, there is a simple way to prevent devastating data loss: create backups. However, 58% of businesses have no backup plan for data loss.

Here are some of the best practices for safely backing up data.

Backup Data Regularly

Although the amount of data may vary per company, they share a common denominator: whatever is stored frequently changes as data is created and/or modified on a regular basis. This is why it is important to frequently backup data. Data can be backed up hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. Choose a backup schedule that is apt to how often data is created. The more frequent, the better.

There are several programs that can automate the backup process for you.

Test Data Backups

Even if backups are completed, an important practice that is often neglected is testing these backups frequently to ensure that you can actually restore the data when you need it.

Store Data Backups in More than One Place

When it comes to backing up important files, there is no such thing as having too many backups.

Store data in both onsite and offsite locations. Keep multiple copies of external hard drives: one onsite for easy access and another backup copy in an offsite location (like a bank safety deposit box) in case of disaster. These ideas represent an easy and inexpensive way to store backup files.

However, besides the fact that hardware devices may run the risk of being stolen or broken, it is easier for malware programs like spyware to encrypt data stored on these hardware devices, so you also need to store copies of your backup on offsite locations. Make use of file servers, offsite servers, and cloud storage.

These solutions allow you to access your data from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection. On the downside, these solutions can be pricey and data retrieval depends on internet speed.

Final Thoughts: Best Practices for Safely Backing Up Data

Life has been made infinitely easier with the help of technology. But, it’s important to remember that technology isn’t fail-safe, and can cause serious damage to businesses if it breaks down. Thus, it is important to take a proactive role in ensuring that data is always safe.If you need help securing your data systems, we’re here for you. Contact the experts at Harrington Technologies.