World Backup Day is here, what are you doing to protect your business from data loss or even worst a serious hit to your business when a crisis hits.  Trust us to protect your business from any data loss.

Backing up company data on the Internet is becoming more popular with each passing day. In many ways, Internet, aka cloud, storage is much safer than using external hard drives or memory sticks. And as companies grow, the amount of data that needs to be backed up grows, too. Cloud storage providers can easily accommodate the needs of growing businesses, and if anything unexpected should happen, such as a fire or natural disaster, the company data can be recovered, sometimes, within minutes. But not all backup and recovery providers are the same. Business owners need to shop around to find the ones that work best for their businesses.

To assist you and other small-business owners with the not-so-easy task of choosing the right backup and recovery provider, BUMI (Backup My Info!, Inc.) has written a white paper with nine things you should consider while conducting your search.

  1. Disaster Recovery. Every small-business owner should have some kind of disaster recovery plan. Quality cloud storage providers will work with you to create a disaster recovery plan that’s tailored to your business’ needs before entering into discussions about backup.
  2. Customized Backup and Recovery Solution. No two businesses are exactly alike, even businesses in the same industry. So, the backup and recovery plan for your business should be as unique as your fingerprints. Make sure that your backup and recovery plan is designed to recover mission-critical data and applications first. This reduces downtime and maintains productivity.
  3. Monitor Backups. There are lots of small-business owners who have horror stories to tell about data that disappeared because no one checked to make sure the data was backing up properly. A good backup and recovery provider will have regular monitoring with alerts and problem solving as part of the solutions package.
  4. Reliable Support. It’s always nice to know that whenever you have a question or want to make changes to your backup and recovery service, you can get in touch with someone who is not only knowledgeable about the services in general but also about your company’s particular needs.
  5. Money Matters. There are so many different cloud storage providers out there that choosing one of the “bargain” firms seems like the best way to save money. Think again. Anyone can become a cloud storage provider. You want to go with a firm that specializes in backup and recovery, has a knowledgeable staff of IT professionals and a reputation for providing quality customer service. That may cost a little more, but in the long run, spending extra for quality could end up saving you money should the worst happen.
  6. Location, location, location. BUMI recommends learning as much as you can about potential backup and recovery providers’ data centers, where they’re located, what kind of hardware they use, etc. Just as it’s a good idea to have a mechanic check out a used car you’d like to buy, it’s also a good idea to consult an IT professional about the backup and recovery providers you’re considering.
  7. Time is Money. You need to know how long it will take your backup and recovery provider to recover lost data, whether you need to recover it at 11 am on a Wednesday or at midnight on a Saturday. You’ll also want to know what procedures the provider will follow should you have data that’s too large for an online recovery.
  8. Get References. Don’t discount testimonials, case studies or solution broadcasts on a potential provider’s website. They help. But you should still get the names and contact information of clients who aren’t mentioned on the website. In particular, request references who have companies of the same size as yours in the same industry.
  9. The Devil is in the Details. It’s just as important to know what types of security and encryption a backup and recovery provider will use to protect your company’s data as it is to know about the data centers where that information will be stored. Don’t be afraid to ask. You need to know that your data is safe at all times.

If it seems like a lot of work goes into finding the right backup and recovery provider, you’re right. You don’t want to entrust your company’s mission-critical data and your customers’ personal information to just anyone. You want to entrust them to a team you can trust.