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Think Your Data is Safe? Nine Points to Remember.

August 27, 2009

One of the challenging tasks for any company is making backups for their files, particularly their older archives and the hard copies they possess.

Backing up is never fun. It is part and parcel of the notion of being prepared. It is like the idea of wearing a seatbelt when you drive, or wearing helmets when skateboarding. You can always say “Accidents are never going to happen,” but it may already be too late when the time comes. The next time a massive power blackout or a viral attack strikes the company, nobody wants to end up realizing that they were not prepared.

Such a scenario is not altogether uncommon. Statistics revealed that lost data amounts also to lost revenues – businesses in the United States alone lose close to some $12 billion a year due to data loss. 78% of all data loss comes from hardware or system failure, with another 7% from software corruption. 40% of all computer users have been infected with a virus, and another 75% have not updated anti-virus software.

What about backing up? Well, studies have also revealed that more than half of all computer users at work do not personally back up their data at least once a month. This underscores the even greater need for assistance in ensuring that data stored in computers around the office is kept safe and secure.

There are some key steps that can always be taken in order to keep data safe and sound. These steps are not altogether new – they begin with common sense guidelines to live by.

1. What’s in the office must stay in the office. What’s at home is for the home.
We know the type – they love to put a CD of music files (not an audio CD, mind you) in their computers to listen while they work. Or they like to plug their portable music players to their computers, either to charge them or to update libraries. This is bad, and in careless hands, very risky.

2. Keep a logbook of what you download.
See if this fits your profile: You probably like certain applications more than most. You probably like to keep your Instant Messenger programs updated. You probably aren’t a big fan of a computer’s built-in web browser. You like trying out Flash games during your five minute breaks.

If you’re like that, take some caution. Try starting a logbook of all the things that everyone in the office downloads. They can be anything from the latest music player to the upgrades for your operating system, it doesn’t matter. Policing inbound downloads help keep entire networks and more safe.

3. Portable hard drives must be scanned before use.
The portable hard drive key has replaced the diskette as the offline virus vector of the world. All the same, the rules have not changed: these storage devices – along with others like external hard drives – must be scanned and disinfected before any use.

4. Keep anti-virus software up-to-date. All day, everyday.
As mentioned earlier, only so much can be done to keep viruses at bay should a computer get infected. This is made worse when you consider that everyday, programmers are releasing new strains of programming designed to fight malignant computer code. Keeping your anti-virus programs current can help in this greatly

5. Proper hardware maintenance of hardware is a big help.
Hardware failure is hard to predict. As a general rule, keep computers clean, inside and out. Computers that are poorly kept can overheat and break down. Worse, they can be home to pests, and nobody wants creepy bugs causing, well, bugs.

6. Count your terabyte-sized blessings.
It may seem like overkill, but more space means less buying you’ll need to do later. Back files into a large hard drive, and properly compartmentalize your data according to user, date, and function.

7. Redundancy is good
Make sure to make backups of your backups. Standard practice is always to have a redundancy plan in place in case something happens to your backed up storage drives or disks.

8. Keep backups in multiple locations
It’s always good practice to have backed up drives or disks at an offsite location. In case of natural disaster or fire your data and backups can be lost in an instant, so make sure you have a plan to keep backups at someones home, other office or co-lo.

9. It still pays to get expert help.
Because they know what they’re doing in case nobody does. They’ll be able to tell you what to buy, how to transfer files, and how to protect it from harm. When unsure, why not trust someone who is?

If you need more help with a good back up and security plan or you need broader help with an IT strategy please call us at 866-446-1133 or visit us at All Covered.

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