Threats to data abound these days. Data loss caused by hardware or software failure is even more common than malware attacks, so backing up computer data is essential. With words like business continuity and disaster recovery being bandied about on a regular basis, companies are aware of the importance of avoiding business disruption.
However, individual computer users rarely back up their data because backup and disaster recovery are viewed as expensive and time consuming – and many businesses avoid implementing these solutions for the same reasons.
Maximising business continuity while protecting critical data can be especially challenging for SMBs. Most data protection systems are designed for large enterprise environments, which don’t work for SMBs.
However, Lutz Blaeser, MD of Intact Security, says that there are solutions available that can make the process simpler, less time-consuming, and far more cost effective.
One of these is ShadowProtect from StorageCraft, a set of products that provide innovative backup, disaster recovery, system migration and data protection solutions for servers, desktops and laptops.
“Performing a backup doesn’t have to be tricky, as long as you’re using the best software. ShadowProtect is the best software in its class, and is all you need to perform a high-quality enterprise backup and disaster recovery solution,” explains Blaeser. “ShadowProtect is not only easy to use, but can help to guard your servers and machines so that worry about data-loss becomes a thing of the past.”
He points out that many data protection solutions overlook the critical component of recovery time objective (RTO), which is the maximum amount of time systems can be out of commission.
“Minimising the time from when a disruption occurs to the moment your system is available again is essential, but most backup and recovery strategies are bound by technological limitations. When your server has many terabytes of data that must be recovered, this can take many hours,” Blaeser says.
In addition, IT administrators in SMBs rarely have the time or the resources to manage complex backup systems that require extensive certifications or hours of training. Cloud-based solutions can help this situation, but again, these types of solutions are usually out of the reach of SMBs due to their high costs.
“Information-loss on a grand scale can be enough to put a company out of business, and is often considered to be one of the biggest concerns of those who keep all of their important information in one area. Having a clear picture of your backup resources, knowing whether backups are successful, and minimising the resources required for ongoing data protection are imperative.
“ShadowProtect makes it easy and cost-effective for businesses to ensure that they are covered and that backup and recovery is no longer a headache,” Blaeser concludes.