PCA's Hudson Valley computer technology support blog discusses how technology impacts businesses, business owners and their support staff. New articles are posted every Tuesday.

Do-It-Yourself Computer Backup Plans

21 April, 2009 07:41

There are several options available to a business owner that wishes to handle computer backups in-house.  These include backing up on a tape drive, CD, DVD, or removable backup device.  The important thing to remember about DIY backup systems is that having a written plan in place to make sure those back-ups are being created consistently and correctly is vital.

Remembering to Back Up Data
Keep in mind that if you or your staff is responsible, backing up doesn't happen by itself.  You'll need a written plan to keep each person clear on his or her responsibilities.  Answer these questions as you're developing that plan:

  • Who is in charge of backing up what?
    • Do you ask each employee to back up their work station?
    • Is someone in charge of backing up the server?
  • Is there a tracking system to confirm backups have been run, such as a written log sheet?
  • Who will confirm that the backups are error-free?
  • Is there an established protocol for removing the backups from the office?
What are you going to backup?
The server is the most important computer in your network. There are many places on your server where data is stored. Your data not only includes files, databases and emails, but also your software and settings files.  
  1. Do you know where all of your information is on your computer? If you only backup the "My Documents" folder, you will find that critical information is missing when you attempt to restore your data.
  2. Make sure you have all of your software install CDs, in a place you can retrieve them. You should also keep your software license codes in a safe place.

Verifying Data Integrity
How do you confirm that your backup system is doing its job?  Here's a typical nightly procedure for verifying that a tape backup drive is working correctly:

  1. Start the backup system (this can only be set up to happen automatically if you leave the tape in the drive, which means you're leaving your backup in your office).
  2. Go about your business while the drive does its job.
  3. Once backing up is completed, 45 minutes to several hours later, check to make sure that no errors occurred.
  4. Correct any errors to the backup.
It's not uncommon for a backup to fail without explanation - in those cases, the only option is to do it again and hope for the best.

Where do you keep your data?
Backup media shouldn't be kept in the same location as the computers being backed up - what if there's a fire, flood, or other disaster?  The backups are no help if they're destroyed.  Is someone taking your backup drive home each night?  Even that is fraught with problems, such as:
  • The backup isn't in the office when it's needed, resulting in lost productivity.
  • Your office manager forgets to take the tape home one night - is that the night that the water main breaks over the server room?
  • The backup gets lost or stolen when it's not in the office.

There is a better way.
Many of our clients have elected to place their in-house system with Remote Vault Pro, which eliminates the human factor in backing up data.  Remote Vault Pro:

  • Backs up new data every fifteen minutes
  • Secures the data in two locations, just to be sure it's there when you need it
  • Is checked for errors automatically - if something goes wrong, PCA will address the issue long before it becomes a problem.
  • Can restore your data files in minutes, an entire server in about an hour.

Whether you choose a do-it-yourself option or an online backup solution, always make sure you have a plan to guarantee that your data are secure and accessible when you need them.

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