Photo by Can you imagine the absolute peace of mind you will have from knowing that your information is safely kept and can be easily restored as soon as something goes wrong? Your memories and business documents kept well out of harm’s way. This harm can be an unfortunate incident such as a virus attack on your device, a malfunction of your hard disk/storage space, or any unforeseen incident that threatens your data.
What Does Backing Up Data Mean?
Backing up data involves archiving or creating copies of data with an aim of retrieving it in case of a data loss. In every organization, data backup planning stands out to be one of the most critical areas in the running of the organization. It is very important to have a viable, solid, and successful data prevention plan. There are several questions that pop up when one considers a good data loss prevention plan.
How Many Backups Should I Have?
For a successful data recovery plan, there ought to be at least two locations to back up your data. Preferably three. One copy of the data should be kept onsite while the other is stored offsite in a remote location. The onsite backups created should have duplicates for each copy. One original copy will be stored in your personal computer while its duplicate is stored in another separate storage device. Keep these in the same physical location. In case of a hard drive crash or unintentional information deletion, the restitution of the lost data is rendered easy by means of a local backup device. A third duplicate stored in a cloud-based storage archive adds to the efficiency.
How Frequently Should I Create Backups?
It is very important to have regular backups or a system that will update the data as changes occur. ABS (Automatic Backup System) provides different increments at which data recovery can be done. Most businesses find it convenient to run the back-up once per day and varyingly at night in order to reduce the impact on the server. A real-time data backup plan is ideal if you have a powerful server or use a reliable cloud storage service.
Unforeseen Events That Compromise Data Storage
Offsite data storage facilities are efficient in cases where any of these were to affect the state of your location and compromise your data:
Virus Attack Natural disaster Fire Theft
How to Prepare a Good Disaster Recovery Plan
This is an approach that is documented and structured with guidelines for responding to unexpected occurrences. This is a plan whose main objective is to provide instructions on solutions that minimize the effects caused by a certain disaster to enable quick restoration of the normal working conditions. This plan normally involves an assessment of the business process as well as its continuity needs. It is favourable to keep the ABS or automated data backup offsite that is immediately accessible to you to avoid the compromise of your data, and enhance the speed of recovering it if it becomes necessary to do so. Before coming up with a disaster recovery plan, a business has to undertake a business impact analysis, risk analysis, recovery time objective, and finally, the recovery point objective. There are several elements of a good recovery plan.
Possible Impact Scenarios, Threats, and Risk Analysis
This procedure is vital for disaster recovery planning. It entails risk analysis which involves evaluating physical as well as environmental systems. It also includes the evaluation of control systems and the efficiency of their performance whenever a disaster strikes.
Classification of Threats With Scripts of Action
This involves the formulation of a disaster recovery plan after the identification of potential risks. The classification of threats creates the basis for the creation of the disaster recovery plan where a simple tone ought to be used in order to ensure that everyone understands it thoroughly. Bullets should be used rather than paragraphs to make reading easier.
Accurate Communication Channels
It is important to have good communication in the organization. Mostly between the administration and the employees. Lack of effective communication leads to the failure of the whole system. Intra-organization strategies need to be implemented. For instance, creating a list of employees who will come in strong amid the disaster restitution is advisable.
Planning Directions
Appropriate infographics, current network diagrams in addition to simple and effective recovery planning direction are very essential in coming up with a successful disaster recovery plan.
Good Business Continuity Planning
A business continuity planning (BCP) involves coming up with a strategy by means of identification of threats as well as risks that face an organization with an end goal to ensure that the personnel, as well as the assets, are safe and in a position to function in case of a disaster. The main activities in this process include:
The identification of potential risks and ways in which their extent can affect business operations. Executing safeguards as well as the alleviation of those risks put in place. Testing of procedures to ascertain if they are viable and reviewing the process periodically to ensure it is updated.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. © 2022 Uriel Kushiel
