Data has become the lifeblood of our digital society. In business, data drives decision making, operations and innovation. However, the risk of data loss looms large over companies of all sizes, posing a significant threat to revenue and reputation. This underscores the critical importance of implementing a robust backup strategy. Each year on March 31^st, World Backup Day serves as an opportunity to explore data backup, and in this blog, I’ll discuss why backup solutions are of critical importance to any business.

Ransomware Protection

Ransomware, yawn!! I know it’s not a new topic, but nor is it a topic that is going away. Ransomware continues to plague companies, and by 2031, will be used every 2 seconds¹. With this threat looming heavily over businesses, maintaining backups is essential for disaster planning. By ensuring a robust backup strategy and utilising best-of-breed backup solutions, businesses can recover swiftly from ransomware attacks without the need to succumb to extortion. Data is the most valuable asset within a business, so it must be protected at all costs.

Compliance Adherence

With the critical role that data plays in our daily lives, it is no surprise that it is something that is widely regulated. Whether it be GDPR, HIPAA or PCI DSS, regulatory frameworks govern the way businesses must protect their data. Failure to do so can result in hefty fines, and significant damage to a brands reputation. By leveraging backup solutions, businesses can establish robust data management practices that align with regulatory standards, thereby reducing compliance risks and ensuring data security and integrity.

Data Integrity

Immutability sounds like a superpower, and I guess for backups, it is. Immutable backups are copies of data that cannot be altered, modified, or deleted once they have been created. Immutability maintains the integrity of data to protect against malicious activities or accidental changes. Using technology such as WORM – write once read many – backup solutions enforce strict access controls and encryption to keep data intact. When shopping for backup solutions, immutability should be a feature that is top of the list of must haves.

Business Continuity

Backup solutions are essential for reducing downtime in the event of data loss or breaches, ensuring business continuity and minimising financial losses. According to research, the cost of downtime for a business can be as high as $9,000 per minute². Backup solutions enable quick restoration of critical data and systems, allowing companies to resume operations promptly. With automated backups and efficient recovery processes, businesses can significantly reduce downtime, mitigating the risk of lost revenue, damage to reputation, and productivity disruptions. Implementing reliable backup solutions is crucial for maintaining resilience and ensuring uninterrupted operations in today’s digital landscape.

Back It Up.

World Backup Day provides a timely reminder of the importance of backup solutions in safeguarding corporate data. But with the increasing number of data breaches, backup must be a critical element to any organisations’ data protection strategy, not simply something to think about once a year. By procuring robust solutions, and taking a proactive approach to backup, businesses can minimise their risk of data loss, and maintain business continuity. Back it up to ensure data protection and resilience in a data-driven era.

Sources

1 https://cybersecurityventures.com/ransomware-will-strike-every-2-seconds-by-2031/

2 https://orangematter.solarwinds.com/2023/07/12/true-cost-of-downtime/