Counless individuals and companies rely on data storage methods that simple don’t work. Others wouldn’t know how to restore their data from the backups that they make.

Let’s look at some traditional methods used to back data up:

• External Hard Drive
• Tape Data Storage
• Burning data to DVD
• Zip Drives
• Network Storage Device
• Online / Remote Backup Systems (THE BEST!!!)

Each of these has their own area of vulnerability or point of potential failure.  The reason online backup systems are the best option (in my professional opinion), is because not only is your data backed up, but it is usually backed up a second time by the storage facility.

If you are using a tape backup system here is an interesting statistics:

34% of companies fail to test their tape backups, and of those that do, 77% have found tape backup failures. - Source (Mozy.com)

If you are not 100% sure that you can access your backed up data AND restore your system with it, you might want to check into a remote backup solution.  Here are the providers we recommend:

For Home, Home Office, and Solo Practitioners - Carbonite
For Mac Users - Mozy
For Small, Mid-Sized, and Enterprise Level User - First Backup

You can read the full story here, but the moral of the story is to take a simple step right now and discuss your data backup strategy.  At a minimum, if you have physical backups they should not be located on site.  Ideally, you should employ a remote backup strategy so that if your building were to literally blowup, your data would be safe.

If you don’t have a solid online backup strategy in place, make plans to get one sooner rather than later.  If you need assistance, you can contact us or visit our corporate backup partner, First Data.