Data backup does not get a lot of consideration when it comes to IT best practices. Part of the reason is complacency – companies don’t feel the need to create backups for what seem to be perfectly working equipment. However, the true importance of a backup surfaces only when there is a system crash – good backup practices can make sure that the system is back online with minimum disruption to business continuity.
But that’s not all. There are certain other very important reasons for taking regular backups and making sure these are properly archived:
- Accidental data loss: It happens more often than one would want. Whenever a system is being upgraded or repaired, it’s possible that the admin may forget to back data up before formatting the hard drive. As businesses know only too well, this can lead to loss of critical and confidential data.
- Physical damage to storage: Unlike the RAM, storage disks are mechanical devices prone to wear and tear over long use. This means that at any given time, there is a probability, no matter how small, that the disk may crash, at times rendering data recovery impossible.
- Internal threats: Sometimes the threat is internal, as employees can attempt to destroy sensitive data, perhaps in an act of hostility. Businesses need to make sure that they have considered and guarded against this possibility.
The benefits of data backup are not seen without continuous vigilance. However, when something does go wrong, properly backed data will come to the rescue and help restore business workflows as soon as possible.
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