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I see data backup as being like an insurance service. There are different ways of doing it which effectively represent different levels of cover.
For example using CDs, DVDs, tapes and so on. Each method has it's own strengths and cost implications so which do you choose?
If someone buys an expensive car, or has an expensive item in their house, they may well opt for the highest level of cover. I switched my household insurance to a higher level of cover after discovering I wasn't covered when my Gucci watch slipped into the Thames.
I value my own critical data as being absolutely necessary for my business. I believe I would lose customers and days of hard work if it was lost. Contemplating the chances of a disaster can be difficult, especially fire or theft within someone's office. "Surely it will never happen to me", etc. Nonetheless I have been seriously run over by a car TWICE (am lucky to be alive - someone was killed literally 10 yards from where I was run over the first time) and so have an adjusted attitude to risk.
At the end of the day that's what it comes down to - risk. I recently heard of one person who lost her laptop but had backed up. I heard of another who hadn't. The latter is likely to have an adjusted attitude to risk. Likewise a friend of mine had his house broken into for the first time in over 20 years. He went out and bought an alarm costing a few hundred pounds - price was suddenly no issue. Many more haven't experienced any data loss to date, although a contingent feels nervous given what they stand to lose.
How much do you pay for house and car insurance? These are replaceable but data isn't unless backed up. Many are realising this now which is probably why automated online backup is becoming so popular. Data is compressed, encrypted and backed up over the internet to a secure offsite location.
So I would recommend you understand your attitude to risk, level of discipline and choose your level of insurance. In this context fire and theft cover (off site backup) represents the higher level of cover.
I hope this article has proved useful food for thought.
Olu Odeniyi
"44% data loss is due to hardware failure or system malfunction..." You next? Help is here
www.newprospect-bs.com .
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