Data Backup
What you absolutely need to know
Last week, I told you all about the new CryptoLocker virus that is going around. You can read about it here.
The bottom line for this virus: if you get it, your data can be destroyed, including any mapped drives on your computer. This can be devastating.
3-2-1 Backup Method
For this reason, I am urging everyone to deploy a 3-2-1 backup method. Here is how it goes:
1. Always have three copies of your data. 2. Use two different types of media 3. Make sure one of those backups is always offsite.
For instance, the first copy of your data is on your computer or server. The second copy of your data can be stored on an external USB hard drive. Copy three can be an online backup service, which also counts for your offsite backup.
As the online backup service is not a mapped drive on your computer (D:\. E;\, F;\. etc), it is not vulnerable to being encrypted and unrestorable.
However, it is important that you deploy an online backup method that does versioning of your data. Meaning, that you can go back several days or weeks at a time and restore your files as they existed at that time.
Recommendations
In my office, I deploy the 3-2-1 method by having an external USB hard drive on each of my computers. Any time a file on my computer changes, or a file is added, a copy is sent to the external backup drive.
Additionally, I have an online backup account with Mozy. Any changed or added file is immediately copied over to Mozy.
The cost of an online backup service is so affordable these days. Depending on the amount of data you have, it can be as low as $5.99/month. For a business with a server, the price rises, but still very affordable. It usually costs in the ballpark of fifty cents per GB of data per month. It is a very small price to pay to ensure your data is backed up and protected.
I urge you all to consider what would happen if you lost all your valuable documents, photos, customer files, etc. If you are a small business, this is an event that you most likely not be able to recover from.
As always, I am here to help put your backup strategy into place.