Best practices for backup management

Best practices for backup management
The year 2020 was truly a disruptive year, not just because of the global health crisis but also due to the increase of cybersecurity threats. As more people shifted to digital platforms, attackers also got more creative with their schemes. In fact, cybersecurity experts predict that in 2021, businesses can experience a cyberattack incident every 11 seconds. Such attacks can lead to data loss, which can then lead to costly consequences. One of the best solutions to prevent this from happening is to have a reliable data backup plan. Not having a data backup plan can be disastrous for your business, as it can cause data loss, staggering costs, and reputational damage, among other things. Partnering with a reputable managed services provider (MSP) can help you implement the best IT solutions for your backup needs. Listed below are some of the best practices for backup management you can discuss and implement with your MSP.

Customize a backup plan

Backing up all data without a solid plan may not be a wise use of resources. It’s best to implement a backup plan that complements your business needs. Here are some questions that can help you determine the best backup plan for your business:
  • What are the kinds of data you need to back up?
  • How often should these data be backed up?
  • How often should maintenance and testing be done?
  • What kind of software and hardware option is suitable?
  • Is the backup plan scalable?

Keep more than one copy of your backup

Storing all of your data in a single piece of hardware or software defeats the purpose of having a backup. Ask your MSP what’s the best offline and online backup infrastructure for you. It’s ideal to have at least three backup repositories to ensure that you have access to your data should one become inaccessible or compromised. Having this option can also save you from potential downtimes, enabling you to serve your customers and reassure your business partners.

Protect your data through encryption

You can back up your data on a local drive or in the cloud. However, simply having several backup facilities is not enough. Encrypting data is a must, as it provides an additional layer of security that will prevent attackers from accessing your data. Without the correct decryption key, attackers will not be able to access or expose your data.

Do regular tests and maintenance

To ensure that your data backup and recovery strategy works, conduct regular tests and maintenance. Vulnerability testing or vulnerability assessment evaluates security risks in software systems to help reduce the probability of threats and the possibility for attackers to gain unauthorized access to your systems. Such tests also allow your IT staff and your partner MSP to demonstrate their capabilities when reacting to a potential cyberattack. Consistent testing may put additional strain on both your backup infrastructure and personnel, so it’s best that these resources be scaled according to acceptable level of data loss based on your business requirements.

Review and update your plan

The results of your vulnerability tests shouldn’t sit idly in your files. Take the time to properly analyze these even if the test results are positive. Sit down with your staff and MSP partner to discuss or clarify points on the test results. Ask questions like:
  • What data were compromised?
  • Can the data still be retrieved or secured?
  • How can these attacks be further prevented?
  • Can the response time be improved?
Conducting tests and reviewing the results will help you evaluate the effectiveness of your backup strategy and procedures. It also enables you to determine your system’s weaknesses so you can make the necessary adjustments. Managing backups can be overwhelming, but we hope that this article was able to shed light on this important matter. Download our FREE eBook to learn more about backup and disaster recovery. If you have questions, feel free to contact Online Computers today. Our experts are ready to assist you.

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