In my last post about backups, I wanted to address online backups.  While not for everyone, I believe most businesses would benefit greatly from using them.

In this post I will address the common misconceptions regarding backups, the positives of using them, the downfalls, and what services I recommend.

Common Misconceptions
I regularly recommend online backups to clients.  Almost as often as I recommend it, I hear a concern about it.  While it’s great to be thorough and ask questions to understand what’s being recommended to you, the concerns are generally based on inaccurate data they have received.

1. It’s not secure enough for my business.  I can understand why someone would have this concern, but it’s generally unnecessary.  Most backup solutions use an encrypted connection to their server, and are encrypted on the server.  Further, if an employee of that backup company were to crack the encryption and access your data, the company would be liable for damages.  The backup company has far more to loose by accessing your data then an employee of your own firm has.  Further, if an employee of your own firm looses your data if they are responsible for taking it off-site more people could gain access then at an online backup company.
2. My industry can’t use online backups due to compliance issues. This may be true for some industries, but most have gotten with the times.  It’s important when looking for an online backup that you check that the backup provider is compliant for your industry.
3. I don’t want to spend money monthly when I can pay for everything upfront.  I remember talking to a customer who had spent THOUSANDS on a local backup system for a relatively small network with a relatively small amount of data.  The backup system wasn’t working.  Sound’s horrible, huh?  Actually, it’s not uncommon.  Good local backup systems are not cheap, and even the best systems need to be monitored and managed.  At the end of the day, it’s rarely cheaper to get a local backup solution unless you have a HUGE amount of data.

Online Backup Pros

There are many benefits to online backups.  My top favorites include:

1. Little to no cost of entry, and generally low reoccurring costs
2. Lower failure rate
3. More automated monitoring and management
4. Automatically puts your data off-site
5. Easy to use

Online Backup Cons

1. While rarely a concern anymore, there is still a chance that it’s not compliant for your industry
2. Slower to recover data
3. Slower to backup

Recommended Online Backup Solution Providers

1. MozyPro
2. iBackup

Excuse the brevity of this post, but I’m out the door for a weekend away. If you have any questions, or you would like more details on the backups, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Michael Curnutt, President

Need help with the above article? Looking for a geek that has turned consultant? Let Expedient Technology be your IT department. Serving the greater Everett area, we are happy to be your partner for all things tech. Contact us.

I’ve talked before about how much I love outsourcing services, in a continuation of this love affair, I thought I’d speak today on outsourcing your File Servers.

There are a few ways to do this depending on your needs, but for a small network with multiple remote users, your best solution is something similar to what Egnyte provides:

• The ability to create a desktop shortcut to the hosted file server
• Secure access that meets HIPAA compliance
• An easy to use web console
• A relatively small monthly fee

For those who have heard of Sharepoint or FTP, Egnyte is somewhere in between the two.

For pricing and trial information, go HERE.

Hope that helps!

Michael Curnutt, President

Need help with the above article?  Looking for a geek that has turned consultant?  Let Expedient Technology be your IT department.  Serving the greater Everett area, we are happy to be your partner for all things tech. Contact us.