Data backups are a fact of life in business in Western Australia, but there are still many companies that do not seek professional help when it comes to implementing their backup strategies. This leads to bigger problems, such as weak backup policies and poor user education. Such problems are a common theme in companies that instead rely on do-it-yourself (DIY) backup plans.
What are managed backups?
Managed backups are backup services performed by third-party providers that typically offer other IT solutions and specialise in information security and data management. These providers typically offer other IT solutions and specialise in information security and data management. With managed backups, every step of the backup process is strategised and overseen by the backup provider, leaving your IT staff free to manage their usual IT tasks.
| Related article: Important things SMBs need to know about backing up data |
What’s wrong with do-it-yourself backups?
DIY backups may seem simpler and cheaper, but the reality is that they are prone to incurring unwanted complexities and additional costs. DIY backups give businesses an illusion of control, because most DIY backups are conducted with existing equipment and stored at the business’s headquarters on regular storage devices.
However, it isn’t safe — nor cost effective — to rely on DIY backups if these are handled by IT staff with little experience. Backup systems must be implemented and maintained correctly to make sure that data is stored safely, otherwise, you risk losing critical data or making costly implementation mistakes. As it often turns out, companies end up spending more money rectifying DIY backup problems than they would have if they had professional assistance in the first place.
Many business leaders fail to realise that backups aren’t as simple as copying files and setting them aside. Backups need to be carried out in a way that minimises downtime and business disruption. In many cases, DIY backups are accomplished by inexperienced and/or ill-equipped staff, resulting in a bad backup strategy, poor execution, and major mistakes. When these happen, businesses are forced to either redo their backups or spend on something that should have been done in the first place, such as getting the proper equipment and relying on managed backups services.
It’s also important to identify any regulatory and legal data retention requirements that may affect a company’s data backup strategy. DIY backups often fail to take these into consideration, which hurts the business’s regulatory profile and puts it at risk of penalties or fines.
What are the benefits of managed backups?
Since managed backups are handled by a third-party professional, your business benefits from the expertise of a specialist at a fraction of the cost of hiring one. Also, you won’t have to worry about inadvertently deploying a subpar backup strategy, you’ll be assured that your information system is given thorough, enterprise-level backups for your peace of mind.
| Related article: The differences between data backup and disaster recovery |
With a managed backup service provider, you will benefit from diverse backup technologies and distributed data platforms without having to invest heavily in on-premises infrastructures. Managed backup service providers are typically well-versed in disparate technologies and equipped with the necessary tools and experience to maximise your existing hardware and software.
Another significant benefit of managed backups is the time it saves your business. Your in-house staff will be free from the burdens of backups — which can get tedious, not to mention technical — and thus have more time to spend on value-generating activities. For any business, time is money, so you are well within your rights to seek a solution that will help optimise employee productivity.
Leave your backups to the professionals! Our backups specialists are here to help simplify your data management for you. Contact us today to learn more.
