Why backups matter
Files can be lost through hardware failure, accidental deletion, theft, fire or a cyberattack. Without a backup, a single bad day can mean losing customer records, accounts and years of work.
The 3-2-1 rule
This simple rule is a good starting point:
- 3 copies of your data: the original and two backups
- 2 different types of storage, for example a local drive and cloud storage
- 1 copy off-site, so that a fire, theft or ransomware at the office cannot reach it
Test your restore
Many businesses discover a backup was not working only when they need it. Every few months, restore a few files and an important system to confirm that everything comes back as expected.
What to back up
Start with what would hurt most to lose:
- Accounting and billing data
- Customer and project records
- Email and shared documents
- Website files and databases