Computer hardware can go down anytime. This is something inevitable and can and will happen at some point. The loss of data can be stressful and costly. It not only reduces revenue, but also creates a lot of mental stress. The most important question anyone can ask these days is how can we backup our computers? Bad luck can happen, but what is more important is that you have a plan to restore your valuable data. Having a backup and disaster recovery plan is something you need to do if you want your business to survive a failure successfully.
What is the difference between Backup and Disaster Recovery?
Both of these elements are necessary to ensure safe and uninterrupted work but they are different in terms of definition and services. Let’s take a look at them one by one to clear the confusion.
- Backup
In simple words, backup is a process of creating a copy of your precious data at a separate storage location so if you lose your data somehow, you can retrieve all the files you have stored. This can be a managed cloud storage system, a physical solution, or both. Having a backup is very important so that you can restore the data in case your computer gets stolen, gets infected with malware or ransomware or hardware crashes. Lightbulb Networks backup solutions will save all changes for up to 1 year, with multiple save-points able to be reloaded anytime.
- Disaster recovery
Disaster recovery solutions allow you to recover all of your data without having installed the operating system. It is mainly used for bigger problems or data. Managed disaster recovery replicates the entire system you want to restore in no time. You or your employees can start working just like before the crash without installing anything else.
A backup system is very important for your business to run smoothly, but disaster recovery allows you to get back to work without any worries and provides complete protection.
Types of Data Backup
- Full Data Backup
In this type of backup, a full backup of files and folders is stored as it is. This step is used as a primary step in backing up the data and only stores the selected data. When the next scheduled backing up will occur, it will copy all the selected files and folders again regardless of the fact that any changes were made or not. This takes a lot for storage space and a lot time to complete.
- Differential Backup
This process is quick and backs up the selected data along with the changes being made since the last full backup. This is a more efficient form of data storage but takes time if restored.
- Mirror Backup
As the name suggests, it backs up the data as it is. If a file is deleted at the original location, it will also be deleted from mirror backup. This is not a perfect way of storing your files because if a file is mistakenly deleted or destroyed at the original location, the same will happen with the mirror back up file. Many organizations do not prefer to use this type of backup.
Key Elements of a Disaster Recovery Plan
- Establish a Disaster Recovery Team
It is recommended that you should establish a disaster recovery team for seamless recovery in case of emergencies.
- Identify The Disaster Recovery Risks
The disaster recovery team should be well equipped to deal with any kind of emergency and should be able to deal with it in the given time frame.
- Specify The Backup Procedure
This procedure specifics the important files and folders to store. It also clarifies where and how to store these files and how frequently they need a backup.
What Can We Do To Prepare for Data Recovery?
All organizations need to develop a modern disaster recovery and backup plans to avoid any mishap. If you have any questions about your current BDR plan, please reach out so our network consultant can evaluate your current risk level and create a technology roadmap for your business.