Is Online Data Backup an Essential Solution for Business?

This past couple of weeks my email has exploded with online backup solutions. It would seem the new buzz word is online backup. I have to ask, is it essential or is it just another expense that businesses do not really need? And by the way, how secure can it be?

What IF’s

With the headlines over the last year of hackers stealing information from department stores, online shops, and let us not forget the Heartbleed problem, do you really need online backup?  Or as it is now being called Cloud storage.

I have had this discussion a few times lately:  Everything is hackable.  Security is an illusion.  The only true security is that which you create for yourself.

What if you back up your entire business computer, website, CRM data, to a cloud server and that server crashes?  Or is hacked?  Or goes out of business?  Your system crashes, your host’s servers crash?  Or gets hacked?  Then what?

An Alternative

I do use Cloud storage for the ease of working remotely.  I can access it from any computer, makes it easier than carrying a laptop with me.  However, this is not the only source of my data and website backups.

I invested in a USB drive,  my particular one is a 1TB from Seagate.  When I purchased mine they were relatively new to the market.  Now they come in larger terabytes, 5TB external with backup software available to protect your important data.

The smaller versions are easy to cart with you in your laptop case.  Most are a bit larger and created to stand on your desk.  As with all hard drive, computer technology, you do need to take care of them.  However, I would not trade mine for the world.

Essential Practices

Backup of your computer is an essential need.  Both business and personal.  Especially of your data.  The use of an external hard drive makes this practice easy.  The terabyte drives provide software to aid in keeping your data secure.  You can encrypt the drive, or select folders, schedule back up of select files or the entire drive.

Back up your website, save to your terabyte drive.  CPanel offers a way to back up your website or WordPress site and download the file.  With the issues of hacking sites this keeps your important information safe.  If your site is hacked you have a clean backup to reinstall if the need arises.

Use the Schedule and Forget it technology and you will ensure your business and personal information remains safe.  Even with Cloud Storage.

Consider This

Cloud computing is becoming the way of the future.  I am not saying not to utilize it.  What I am saying is do not make it the only source of your information.  Learn how to create security in your life.  Email, websites, computers connected to the internet and intranet are vulnerable to hacking.

Firewalls, antivirus, anti-malware  and spyware programs are essential to securing your website and computer.  For the cost of a yearly subscription fee you remain secure.

Include a password program like LastPass or McAfee’s Safekey to save your passwords in, rather than the browser’s storage.  These programs offer high security, swear they cannot be hacked, but again, everything is up for the opportunity.  It is what hackers do.  The other benefit to  using LastPass or McAfee’s Safekey is the ability to generate encrypted passwords.  They are not easily remembered, but you can rest assured they are secure.  More on this topic later.

Share your insights in the comments.  I look forward to hearing from you.  Don’t forget to share this with your followers and lets get together on one of the social networks.

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