ConnectBackup – Online Backup & Disaster Recovery for Business
Many companies are realizing the advantages of online data backups over the unreliability of tape or CD storage systems. By allowing your crucial data to be automatically backed up and securely stored off-site simply makes good business sense. The issue then becomes which online data backup service to choose?
There are many online backup systems available that you can choose from but selecting the right service can often be a daunting task. Here at The ConnectIT Group we consult with small to medium sized businesses to help them select the right data backup service that best fits their particular needs and budget. We represent multiple online backup services and can explain the features, pricing and benefits that each service provider has to offer.
How to Choose the Right Data Backup Service
When choosing between the various online data backup services there are several features you will want to take into consideration. Here are some questions you should ask before making a decision on which data backup service to use:
1) Will your data be encrypted and at what point during the backup routine will the encryption take place? What level of encryption is used? You should ensure that your data is encrypted before it is backed up off site. The encryption methods used by our service providers will insure that you meet compliance with HIPPA and Sarbanes-Oxley regulations. Your data is completely secure and nobody will be able to see your data once it is encrypted -- before it is stored offsite.
2) Will your data backups be monitored every, Monday thru Friday, and will you be notified if there is a problem? At ConnectIT we monitor your backup routines every business day. If there is an issue or problem we will notify you and help correct the problem. This proactive monitoring service sets us apart from many other online data backup providers.
3) Can your data be backed up to a local drive at the same time that data is being transferred and stored off-site? Automatically saving your data on one of your local drives as well as backing up to an offsite facility is a feature not normally offered by many online backup services. This is a service available thru ConnectIT. This feature allows you to more rapidly restore your files and application software (from your local drive) if required and also provide you the assurance that your data is safely stored off-site as well. An additional benefit with this feature is that you can store your most critical data off-site (keep in mind you only pay for what is stored off-site) and store your less critical data on a local drive which is all done automatically, every day.
4) Do you pay for the data that is backed up or the data that is stored? Some services require that for every GB of data that you backup up you pay for that GB of storage. Other services only charge for the data that is stored and offer storage saving features such as up to 4 to 1 data compression or In-file Duplication. In-file Duplication has the ability to store one copy of the same file or document that multiple users on the network may have on their PC, so that you don’t have to pay to store the same file/document multiple times. This can save you a great deal on data storage costs.
5) Can you backup data from both servers and PC’s with no limitation on the file size or the number of computers that need to be backed up? Some online backup services restrict the size of documents or files that they will store. With others the file size is unlimited.
6) How long will my data be stored? Many providers will only store earlier versions of a particular file for 30 days before it is deleted from the off-site storage server. Other services will store your files by generations allowing you to select the number of generations you want to store.
7) Can application or temp files be stored? For some, being able to store application files is an important requirement. Many online backup services will not store application or temp files.
8) Will you need to load a backup agent on every PC or server on your network that needs to be backed up? Loading and managing backup agents on every PC or server can be time consuming. Not to mention that you will have to pay for a license fee for each PC or server that you back up. ConnectIT offers a service that requires you to load an agent license on just one PC or server on the network and yet you can backup every computer on your network. Plus you only pay for the data you backup, not license fee for every PC or server that you backup.
9) How often will my data be backed up? With some service providers they limit the number of backups per day while others will backup nearly constantly if that is what you want. In most cases it is best to backup during off business hours so that you don’t increase the load on your network. With some service providers you can set how much of the networks bandwidth you want dedicated to backing up data. Also, to reduce the network load, only the changed or new files are transferred off-site.
10) Once my data is backed up off-site, is my data mirrored to a second facility for redundancy? With ConnectIT’s service providers the answer is “yes.” Many service providers only maintain one facility to handle all of their storage for their customers but what happens if that facility has a natural disaster? All of ConnectIT’s service providers maintain at least a second facility for data storage.
So now that you know what questions to ask, what should you do next? Ask for a quote, of course. Call or email us at: ContactUs@ConnectITGroup.com Our phone number is 800-734-3921, ext. 101, if you prefer to speak to someone in person.
Depending upon how much data you backup or which service you select you may be eligible to receive our ConnectSecure (anti-spam, anti-virus) service, powered by McAfee SaaS, for free. Ask a ConnectIT representative for details.
Be sure to ask about our free trial offer as well.
Contact us today and see how much we can save you on a reliable data backup and disaster recovery solution.
800-734-3921, ext 101
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