Data backup mistakes most enterprises make
There are so many reasons that could expose your company to data security issues. Knowing that business owners have been vigilant in taking up data backup techniques to prepare for a data recovery situation. While you may think everything is going smooth, several mistakes can be fatal to the entire backup and recovery processes. For some, you may not realize them as mistakes, until they actually hurt your enterprise. Here are several data backup errors you must beware not to make:
Having just one backup
When relying on technology, the systems can fail at any given point. For most businesses that use one backup technique, it is so easy to compromise their data. Ideally, having just one backup is an ideal solution at first, but with time, you realize that you need different reserves.
The best technique is to have 2 or 3 backups, both in different locations. You can shift from drives to cloud services, depending on which one works for the amount of data you want to backup. Overall, the chances that both backups will fail at the same time will be very slim, given that the backups models are different as well.
Having all your backups in one place
Figure 1 offsite backups
Just like having one backup, having several of them but in one place is equally as bad. The whole point is to have different ways you can recover your data in times of trouble. For example, if you have three of two backups that are connected to the same machine, should a malware mount into your computer, then you lose all your data. In the same way, if your backups are stored in one physical location, any catastrophe that strikes your business, say fire, will rid you if all data, including your archives.
Not encrypting your data
Figure 2 encryption
In this era of high-tech activities, there is no telling how much security vulnerabilities you are open to as a business. It is in the way you store your data, the activities you have online, signing in to your accounts, downloading files online, among others, that can expose yours to malware and hacker threats.
Although there isn’t much you can do to stop hackers from launching a threat on your business; you can do a lot to prevent them from getting to you. The encryption process is basically a measure to prevent third parties from accessing your information on the backups without authorization. This step is particularly necessary when you are using cloud backup services. Given that the cloud operates on the digital space with the use of the internet, you must be vigilant that your material is well catered for when on the cloud.
Not testing your backup plan in advance
Trusting that you have handled all the backup process well is not good enough. Devices and gadgets can fail at any time. If you wait until there is a need pushing you to retrieve information from your reserves, you may not know whether or not they are effective.
For this reason, for every backup solution you consider, be intentional about testing them. You also want to be mindful of the amount of time it will require to download your information if and when you have to retrieve it. This way, you can plan for the downtime that might come with data recovery.
Not training your staff
Much as data backup is a way to safeguard your information from landing in the wrong hands, you cannot go at it alone and be successful. Proper backup entails consistent backing up of information, and updating the existing records in case of any changes. That said, you must have a support system that works along with you to ensure that data is well secured at every time it is produced.
The bigger part of the data you generate comes from your staff. As they are working to achieve your organizational goals, the information they produce requires to be added to the initial backups you have. If you have not let them in on the basic proper data backup practices, then some of your files will end up not being uploaded on the backups. This means that you may have some part of your information backed up, but some left on the laptops. Again, not training your staff means leaving a loophole for which applications and data are susceptible to security threats. You need to make sure they are trained in all elements of security, from changing passwords regularly and using two-factor authentication to using a reliable VPN like Avast.
Data backup has grown a lot over the years, thanks to technology. However, your mistakes can be the reason your enterprise gets compromised. Learn more on how to back up your MySQL binary logs in this tutorial https://ottomatik.io/blog/tutorials/mysql-binary-logs-backup/.
