How do I make an automatic backup?
Are you worried about losing all your company information? Don't take the problem lightly, because a technical problem, a fire or even theft can deprive you of all your computer data and put you in difficulty. Creating a backup is now an easy thing to do. With a few explanations, you can choose the most appropriate solution for your business. Read all our tips on corporate data backup.
A medium suited to your needs
In terms of storage media, there are a large number of solutions available to you, but not all of them are the same if you are using them for business purposes. What may be sufficient at home quickly reaches its limit when you're using it for more demanding purposes.
Removable local backup
Of course, everyone has a USB key or an external hard drive so that they can easily transport data to meetings or send a few files to a colleague. But this type of media is not enough for a full backup or even an incremental backup. Backing up your PC requires a lot of storage space, and you can't just make do with a removable local backup. These media are :
- CD/DVD & Blu-ray, which you burn as and when you need them and which can sometimes be erased for re-use.
- USB sticks & memory cards: These can hold a large number of files, but are not very satisfactory for backing up your data.
- External hard drive: This is like a large USB stick. It just allows you to store a larger amount of data. If you really don't have a lot of information to back up, you can make do with it, but if you have more than one computer to protect, you won't be able to use this solution.
Fixed local backup
This is still the most widely used computer backup solution, but not necessarily the most practical! It is based on the use of a NAS or Network Attached Storage. This is an independent, stand-alone server containing one or more hard disks. You don't need any software or drivers to use it. Once connected to your network, it acts like a conventional hard disk and stores all your data. It's the perfect solution for extending the storage capacity of all the computers on your network.
This server centralises your data and makes it easier for colleagues to share information. But it can also fail, and you won't be able to recover your data if your business suffers a fire or major water damage.
Online backup
This is the easiest form of backup for novices who don't want to take computer courses to understand how a server works! This is a secure storage platform that allows you to define your backup parameters. Full backup, incremental or differential backup, you define your needs. Online backup or cloud computing lets you store, retrieve and exchange your data from any computer device connected to the Internet. Need to view a file while you're on an international trip? It's the ideal solution, so you don't have to carry all your information around on a hard disk. What's more, your information is updated regularly, so you can all have access to the latest version of a file as soon as it has been modified by another employee and saved.
However, take the time to choose an online backup solution that meets your company's needs. Files can quickly accumulate and your storage space needs to be large enough not to quickly become saturated. Also check the security that will be applied to your data, as there may be risks of hacking. Don't choose the cheapest solution, but the one that guarantees real security.
Good practice in protecting your data
Automatically backing up your information is the first step you should take to ensure that your company's memory lasts. But you can go a step further and launch a genuine strategy for protecting your data. Getting together with your staff to draw up a set of rules for safeguarding your data, or receiving training in the proper use of the Internet, with an understanding of the risks and pitfalls, are just some of the steps you can take.By reading our article on protecting and backing up your computer data, you can find a few tips to help you in this process.
If your employees or colleagues are aware of the possibility of having their email hacked or of losing data by carrying out certain actions, it will be easier for them to take the important steps to avoid putting your company's information at risk. With a few tricks up your sleeve, you can ensure that your data is genuinely secure, and also exchange files while reducing the risk of loss.
To ensure that your information is truly protected, don't neglect your choice of backup media. For your business, opt first and foremost for a backup on a server or on an online backup platform (cloud). The latter is simpler to use if you are not a computer expert.
Article translated from French