Backup & Recovery: Are You Really Covered?

Data is the backbone of every business, whether it’s customer records, financial data, or operational files, losing this information can be devastating. According to research almost half of Australian Small Businesses have no backup in place at all (Cyber Wardens 2024), leaving them vulnerable to cyber attacks, hardware failures, accidental deletions, or even natural disasters.

Understanding Backup and Recovery

Backup refers to creating copies of data to ensure its availability in case of unexpected incidents. Recovery involves restoring the backup data to resume operations. Without a proper strategy, data loss can lead to downtime, lost revenue, and major setbacks.

Are you really covered?

Many small businesses assume they are protected simply because they back up their data, but that doesn’t mean you are covered at all. Without a tested recovery process, businesses may face unexpected delays, data corruption, or complete data loss when they need their information the most.

• How often is your data backed up? If you haven’t backed up your data in weeks, critical data could be lost.
• Where is your backup stored? If your only backup is on the same system as your main data, both could be lost.
• Have you tested your recovery process? A backup is only valuable if it can be restored quickly and effectively.
• Is your backup protected against cyber threats? Cyber criminals target backup data, taking security measures like encryption and access controls are essential.

Why Recovery is Critical to a Backup Strategy

Many businesses focus on backing up their data but fail to plan for how they will recover it. Without a tested recovery process, businesses may experience delays, data corruption, or even complete loss of information.

Recovery ensures:

• Minimal downtime and the quick restoration of data
• Protection from Ransomware with secure backups
• Customer trust and being able to restore data quickly to prevent disruption
• Regulatory compliance

The 3-2-1 Backup Rule

A simple and effective approach to data protection is the 3-2-1 backup rule.

• Keep three copies of your data
• Store them on two different types of media
• Keep one copy offsite

Best Practice for Small Business Backup and Recovery

To ensure your business is protected, consider these key steps.

• Regular Testing: A backup is only valuable if it can be restored successfully and without regular testing businesses may discover that their files are incomplete or corrupted.
• Automation: Manual backups increase the risk of human error so running automated, ransomware-resistant backups reduce the chance of data loss.
• Security: Backups must be protected from unauthorised access, using encryption and access controls to prevent this.
• Documentation: Clear backup and recovery procedures ensure that businesses can act quickly in an emergency.
• Compliance: Data protection laws impose strict requirements on backups and non-compliance with all business aligning their solution with industry regulations.

Why Cloud Storage Platforms Are Not A Complete Backup Solution

Using platforms like Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive can create a false sense of security when it comes to backup and recovery. While these services offer file synching and storage, they are not true backup solutions and here’s why.

• If a file is deleted or corrupted, those changes are generally synced across all connected devices. Unless version history is enabled and available for a long period of time, the lost data may be unrecoverable.
• Some platforms only store limited versions of files and if an issue isn’t caught in time, older versions may be automatically erased.
• Ransomware can encrypt files stored in cloud sync platforms, and those files will sync across all devices, locking you out. A proper back up solution offers immutable backups that can’t be altered by malware.
• Cloud storage solutions only save selected files, not full system backups. If a device crashes, you won’t be able to restore operating systems, applications, or configurations.
• If something happens, how quickly can you restore files? Cloud storage services don’t prioritise rapid recovering, leaving small businesses waiting longer than expected to get back to normal operations.

For true data protection, cloud storage should be used alongside a dedicated backup and recovery solution.

Cloud vs On-Premise Backups

Common Backup Mistakes That Leave you Exposed

Many small business owners assume they are covered when in reality they have major gaps in their backup and recovery strategy. Some of the most common mistakes include:

• Not backing up frequently enough
• Relying on a single backup location
• Not testing your backups
• Thinking cloud storage is the same as a backup

Backup Strategies and Methods

A strategy is essential for protecting data and ensuring rapid recovery. Understanding the different back up types can help businesses choose the one that suits their needs.

• Full – copies every file in the system
• Incremental backup – captures only changes since the last backup
• Differential backup – captures all changes since the last full backup

Why External Hard Drives Are Not A Safe Solution

External hard drives may seem convenient but they pose some significant risks including physical damage and theft, limited scalability, and no off-site protection. Cloud-based solutions do provide off-site storage with enhanced security and this makes them a reliable solution. Typically external hard drives are plugged into a device on the network, consequently they are infected by malware and end up being useless for recovery.

The Role of a TSSP in Backup and Recovery

For small businesses, managing backup and recovery can be overwhelming, especially without an in-house IT department. A Technology Services and Security Provider (TSSP) ensures your backup and recover strategy is reliable, secure, and stress-free.

Benefits of using an TSSP for backup and recovery include:

• Proactive monitoring to detect and fix issues
• Automated backup management
• Faster recovery times
• Cyber security protection
• Regulatory compliance
• Cost-effective solutions
• Stress-free, as the TSSP does the work for you

What does a Robust BackUp and Recovery plan look like

An effective plan should include:

• Automated backups to protect data can be performed daily or more frequently depending on the business requirements
• Encryption and access controls to secure backup data
• Multi-factor authentication for additional security
• Regular disaster recovery drills to test for effectiveness

How HNT4B Can Take Care of the Backup and Recovery

We understand that a backup is only as good as its recovery process. That’s why we implement a regular test strategy to ensure our customers can restore data quickly and efficiently when needed. Our team conducts scheduled recovery drills, testing backups for integrity and speed to minimise downtime. By continuously monitoring and refining the process, we ensure that your business is prepared.

We specialise in providing small businesses with reliable backup and recovery solutions, including:

• Automated backups
• Fast and secure recovery to ensure minimal downtime
• Protection from cyber threats
• Compliance and security