Will Your Data Be There When You Need It?

By the DynaSis Team

For as long as man has been able to scratch an image on a wall, people have been saving “data.” From etching on stone tablets to writing on papyrus, humans have always recognized the value of archiving information we consider important. Today, data and data protection are more than a convenience—they are essential to business survival. Yet, we find that many firms still take a lackadaisical approach to data protection.

While the majority of companies backup their data—some through multiple mechanisms—there are many “data protection” strategies that some organizations overlook. Following are some top recommendations for data protection.

1. Storage must be accessible. Many companies have years of data stored on tapes or legacy drives, much of which may have been compressed to save space. Technology changes rapidly, and those firms may no longer have functioning equipment that can read those tapes/drives or decompress that data. In such a situation, if they needed to restore data from an earlier period, their backups might be worthless. Keeping data storage systems up to date and readable is absolutely crucial.

2. Backups must be remote. One of the most foolish and dangerous actions a business can take is to store its data backups onsite. It’s equally hazardous to have a worker tasked with physically transporting backup drives or tapes offsite, every night, and returning them in the morning. The safest way to store backups is to transfer them, via a remote connection, to a highly secure, offsite location.

3. Data must be free from corruption. Even though data breaches make the biggest news, data corruption can be just as damaging—and much more insidious. Opening an infected email or using a thumb drive from an unknown source can introduce malware or viruses that can corrupt files, making it impossible to open them. Furthermore, software bugs and even user error can cause data corruption. If it goes undetected, the backups of those files may be corrupted as well, leaving no useable archive of the data. Regular system scans for malware and other undesirable software are paramount.

4. Systems must be up to date. Out-of-date software, improperly maintained hard drives, and misconfigured or corrupt system files, such as the system registry (a database that stores information about a Windows system and components), can all cause data corruption. Regular system maintenance is vital to protecting data.

5. Data must be secure. Data resources, both primary and backups, must be safe and free from the threat of intrusion or theft. Using a secure operating system that requires user authentication, enabling robust firewall protection and other security measures are essential for data protection and retention.

If your business isn’t achieving all five of these goals, it’s time to revamp your approach. IT providers such as DynaSis can help develop data management and protection strategies, including the use of secure cloud resources, to ensure your data is always accessible when you need it.

About DynaSis
DynaSis is an Atlanta IT services and cloud computing provider for small and midsized businesses. All of our solutions focus on helping companies achieve the three fundamental IT necessities of the modern business—availability, security and mobility. We specialize in on-demand and on-premise managed IT services, managed cloud infrastructure, desktops and backups, and professional hardware and equipment installation. For more information about DynaSis’ IT support and services, visit www.dynasis.com.