Data Backup and Digital Spring Cleaning!
Spring has sprung, and with the onset of spring the minds of IT professionals should be turning to one thing: a good spring cleaning of their business data storage systems. Don’t expect the folks in IT to be donning aprons and mops, though, as their cleaning does not involve elbow grease, bleach and a scrub brush, but rather a plan for data backup and recovery that protects data for future retrieval.
Spring has sprung, and with the onset of spring the minds of IT professionals should be turning to one thing: a good spring cleaning of their business data storage systems. Don’t expect the folks in IT to be donning aprons and mops, though, as their cleaning does not involve elbow grease, bleach and a scrub brush, but rather a plan for data backup and recovery that protects data for future retrieval.
This digital spring cleaning may be just as important, if not more so, than the physical one for business data storage. Since nearly every business today runs on its data, protection of that data is vital to the ability to remain in business.
Spring Cleaning Tips
Here are some tips that will help businesses achieve their digital spring cleaning goals via data backup:
- Take small "bytes”: It took a while to create the mess, so it will take some time to organize it. Take the time to review backup files for duplicate data and to determine what can be fully archived and what needs to be retained.
- Consolidate and Eliminate: Just because you have the storage space doesn't mean every document, spreadsheet and email needs to be kept. Every little bit of cleanup will make room for more data and save the company the expense of having to expand its data backup needs so fast.
- Highlight: Make an "Important Files" folder with copies of your company’s vital data—e.g., customer lists, sales reports, financial records, etc. This will allow those who need the data to find it quickly. And, of course, make sure the folder is backed up using a cloud backup solution so that the backed-up contents can be accessed by authorized users when and where they need it.
- Automate: There’s nothing worse and more risky for a business than a pile of un-backed-up data lying around. Don’t rely upon employees to back up their files. Make sure files are safe and secure by using a "set it and forget it" type of automated backup software that constantly backs up computer files in the background whenever users are connected to the Internet.
A business cannot afford to let itself get “cleaned out” by an event that will cost it its data, nor can it make its employees search for important data that should be at their fingertips. Take the time for some data backup spring cleaning to ensure your files are stored where and how you need then for future use.
David Maffei is vice president of Global Channels at Carbonite, a leading cloud backup service provider. Monthly guest blogs such as this one are part of The VAR Guy’s annual platinum sponsorship program.
