IT Support and the importance of data backup for your business

Whether your company requires IT Support in London, IT Support in Kent or anywhere in the UK, you should take the time to read this article as it is about the continuity of your business by ensuring your data are securely and safely backed up.

Computer systems across the world were recently hit by a ransomware attack. Their vital data was encrypted, and a fee was demanded to retrieve it. Following the attacks, the need to backup important business data is now at the forefront of many business owners’ minds.

Why is it important to back up my business data?

During the ransomware attack, organisations such as the NHS were in crisis. They were unable to access crucial patient data, and could not complete day-to-day tasks. Businesses who used IT service companies were able to easily retrieve their data, but those without are now facing issues.

Losing an entire customer database would be a massive blow to a company. If you have no client information, you won’t be able to manage existing customers, or gain new ones. You could risk losing any major projects that are being worked on, putting your business months behind schedule.

If you handle sensitive customer data, your clients expect you to take the precautions to ensure that it’s not shared. You could face legal issues if their personal information is made public, even if it’s through a malicious attack.

I store files on a memory stick or hard drive – is my business safe?

Many business owners looking for a simple and fast solution purchase a memory stick or an external hard drive. While they may seem useful in the short term, IT service companies advise against using them to create backups.

A memory stick or a hard drive are essentially used to create an archive. It’s fine to store past data and projects on one, but they can’t be used as an up-to-date and workable backup system. When you backup your data, the system copies the most current version of everything on your computer. This includes files, but also programs and the operating system as a whole.

If you’ve backed up your data properly and do lose all of your data, you’ll be able to restore your computer to a very recent version. You’ll minimise your loss, and will be able to carry on working immediately.

How do I backup my data?

There are different options available when you choose to backup your company’s information. Some businesses choose to carry out their company’s backup in-house. This requires regularly transferring files onto a physical storage solution, such as an external hard drives or storage solutions.

While this works well for some businesses, regularly purchasing new tapes or storage devices can become costly. Keeping a backup of your files in the office is also risky. If the worst happens, then you can lose both your systems and your backup.

Many companies are now choosing to backup their data offsite, and online backup solutions are widely used. They offer a simple process for a monthly fee, with no need to download software. You can simply select the files you need to keep safe, and send them to a secure storage centre over the internet or cloud backup solutions.

There’s no longer a need to clear office space for your data storage, as offsite online backup solutions are all cloud-based. This means that you can easily access your files from anywhere in the world, as long as you have an internet connection.

Your backup system can even be automated, allowing you to carry out regular backups without any extra work. Knowing that your backups are constantly carried out quickly and safely gives businesses peace of mind.

If your business deals with large amounts of customer data, it may be wise to enlist the help of a dedicated IT support company in London. With our fantastic IT support in London, help is at hand. Get in touch with us today.