[BreachExchange] Data backups need to be accessible 24/7

[Destry Winant]

http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/662/185012.html

The value of data and the rising tide of cybercrime has driven home
the importance of securely backing up data for businesses and having
access to those backups at any time.

Despite the proliferation of value-added cloud-based storage solutions
available, many businesses are still leveraging outdated technology to
do their backups, resulting in slow – and, in some cases, even
impossible – recovery after a data loss incident.

Cloud offers businesses the ability to administer, monitor and manage
data backups without the cost and complexity of owning infrastructure
or managing and training resources. Businesses also benefit from the
protection of added security and redundancy measures, keeping data
safe and helping companies recover faster after a disaster.

The importance of data access


Possibly the best advantage to cloud is data access. It’s not only
important for businesses to be able to access their data in the event
of a data loss, but also to be able to access it 24/7, from anywhere.

In the event of a disaster or data loss, businesses should be able to
recover as quickly as possible, regardless of the time of day. Time
spent waiting until morning to recover data can cost a business money
due to halted operations, loss of customers, and even cost them their
reputation. Businesses cannot afford extended downtime and the quicker
a business can access backed up data, the faster it can recover.

Businesses that back up to the cloud can also leverage their backup as
a file server and enable workforce mobility. Staff are able to access
business data while on the road, or even in another country, without
having to share information via email or other methods. This means
that employees can work from anywhere, accessing the most up-to-date
data available to them, even from their smartphone. All they need is a
secure Internet connection.

Secure backup


Businesses retain the ability to control their data in the cloud,
ensuring access is granted only to those individuals that require
access, either once off, or at all times. With certain cloud backup
solutions, businesses can even ensure that their service provider is
unable to access or view their data, allowing the provider to manage,
store and secure their data, giving reports yet not being unable to
access the data itself.

Cloud providers often have more security embedded into their offering
than most on-premise solutions, given that their reputations depend
upon the ability to secure their customers’ data. For this reason,
businesses can rest assured knowing their data is protected.

However, a business should still align its own security policies with
its service provider to ensure they match up. This is important not
only from a security standpoint, but also to comply with various data
regulations.

Managed backup


Not all businesses have the skills, resources and time to manage their
own data storage and backup, making a managed service option the
perfect solution. With a managed service storage and backup solution,
businesses can set the parameters and requirements with their
provider. The provider – who has the skills and resources – can manage
the entire process for them, proactively.

The provider also has the ability to configure the business’s backups
and is able to pick up anomalies quickly, which helps to prevent
threats and possible data loss. Businesses also benefit from a single
point of contact and a 24-hour helpdesk to assist them should there be
any required changes, or should data loss occur and they need to
recover quickly.

With a managed service, although the provider proactively manages the
process for them, businesses are still in control of their own data,
and retain the ability to access their data at any time. Many cloud
backup, storage and protection tools, today, come with an app that can
be loaded onto any device, for customers to easily access, share and
retrieve data.

Data backup and storage is critical; however it should be simple so
that businesses can focus on their core operations that result in
profit, without having to worry about their data.