Regardless of the type of work you do, the information stored on your computer is vital to everyday operation. If you run a business, all your employee and customer data needs to be protected at all costs. Should your computer suffer a crisis, this information could be made public in a matter of minutes. Or, you might lose your documents and data altogether and never be able to retrieve them. Disaster situations such as these are one reason why both individuals and businesses are opting to back up their systems to the cloud.
How Do Cloud Backups Work?
When you backup your systems to the cloud, a copy of all your data is made and sent to a secure location. This will be a server in a different place to your computer. These servers are maintained by independent companies, from whom you can purchase cloud backup space and services. The final cost of your cloud backup will usually be determined by the size of storage you require, data transmission charges, and how often you’ll need to retrieve a copy of your data.
What Are the Advantages of Cloud Backups?
Cloud backups can seem like just another pocket to pay your money into. But, in actuality, they are a smart investment for the long-term protection of your information. Aside from the ability to retrieve your important data should a crisis occur, there are several poignant benefits to cloud backups.
Free Backup –
Many cloud backup solutions will offer a certain storage allocation for free. This is perfect for individuals who don’t have much information they need to backup. All you’ll need to pay is the standard monthly or yearly subscription fee to your chosen service.
Encryption of Copied Data –
Any data that is transferred to a cloud backup is often automatically encrypted. This prevents any malicious attacks on your data and you can be stress-free with the knowledge that your copied data is fully protected.
No Need for In-House Systems –
Having a remote backup to the cloud means you won’t have to shell out on making sure your computer is backed up manually. This also means that cloud backups are usually much more affordable than other backup solutions.
No Extra Strain on IT Support –
Since your data will be stored out of the office, your IT Support in Barnsley won’t have to worry about protecting or maintaining it. Instead, they’ll be able to rely on your handy data backups should they ever need them.
Management is Taken Care of –
Any general clean-up or data protection tasks will be carried out by the experts at your chosen cloud backup service. You won’t need to worry about backup server health or encryption because this is all done for you.
Continued Support –
As your computer network grows, so will the amount of data you need to store. Most cloud backup services allow you to backup whatever you need to, whenever you need to. This means you can add to your existing backups consistently, and protect any new data.
Anytime, Anywhere –
As long as you have the correct credentials, you’ll be able to access your cloud backup whenever and wherever you please. This means you can retrieve any data you need quickly and quietly in times of crisis.
How Can You Make the Most of Cloud Backups?
There are many cloud backup services out there, so make sure to do your research and find one that suits your needs. If you need to backup large amounts of data, perhaps opt for a cloud backup service that has solutions for faster restoration during times of crisis. Since it can take many days to restore large amounts of data, some backup services will even send you a separate hard drive of your data in the mail. This will greatly expedite the time taken to get you back up and running.
Remember, the cost of your cloud backup is often determined by the amount of data you need to replicate and store. To save on this cost, remove any unimportant data from your systems before you back them up. If information becomes redundant while you already have a cloud backup in place, avoid simply piling it on and increasing your costs by reviewing the data’s importance every few months.
