Data is what informs your business decisions and helps you steer your company in the right direction. It’s one of the most powerful assets an organization has. But a single emergency could wipe all of that data away if you aren’t prepared.
Why Data Backup Is Important for Your Business
Data loss is something that can happen to anyone at any time. Regardless of how big or technologically advanced your organization is, it’s not immune to this threat. There are many factors that can lead to data becoming inaccessible, so it’s important to take measures that keep your information safe in the event of a disaster.
Saving your information on your computer or an external hard drive can help, but that alone isn’t enough to keep your data fully protected. If all of your files are stored locally and your network is hit by a ransomware attack, you’ll still lose access to your data. The best way to prevent data loss is by having a data backup solution.
What Is Data Backup?
Data backup is an information protection strategy that’s offered by a managed services provider (MSP). This strategy involves creating and storing redundant copies of your information in an offsite data center. The goal is to preserve your information in case you experience a data loss event. If emergencies like a natural disaster or hardware failure ever occur, your data stays safe and sound with your vendor, and you can quickly restore anything that was lost after the incident.
How Often Should Backups Be Made?
You and your team create vast amounts of data on a daily basis. An effective backup and disaster recovery program must back up your files frequently to keep up. Regular backup of data is necessary to ensure there’s always a copy of your latest information. Otherwise, you’d end up stuck with old and possibly irrelevant data after recovery is finished.
What Are the Consequences of Not Backing Up Your Information?
Losing access to your company’s data could be disastrous for multiple reasons. Depending on the cause and what data was lost, there could be legal ramifications, or your organization could find itself in hot water with its partners. Other serious consequences include:
- Disruption: Lack of data can greatly impact the productivity of your staff. If your workforce doesn’t have access to the data they need, it may be impossible for them to work.
- Lost Revenue: Product information, research, and reports all take time to gather. It may take an equal amount of time to restore whatever was lost. As you waste time salvaging what you can, you lose valuable time that could’ve been spent maintaining your revenue stream and finding new business opportunities.
- Ruined Reputation: When your customers choose to use your products or services, they expect you to do what’s necessary to protect their information. If they find out you lost your data, they could lose trust in your brand.
- Regulatory Issues: Some industries, like the healthcare sector, are subject to strict data regulations. Data loss could put your business in violation of those regulations, which could lead to your company being forced to pay expensive fines.
- Data Recovery Costs: The financial danger of losing data isn’t limited to fines and lost revenue. You’ll have to pay someone to recover the data you lost.
- Business Closure: The degree of data loss caused by an emergency can range from a small amount to everything you have. If enough of your data was lost to the point you are unable to run your business, it could force you to close your doors permanently.
Start Backing Up Your Data Today
At Americom Imaging Systems, we understand how important it is for businesses to always have access to their files. With our data backup and disaster recovery services, we can shield you from the dangers of data loss. If an emergency happens, our team can get you back up and running in no time.
Contact us today to learn more.
