is_it_time_to_upgrade_or__74541_140565The potential for a system failure of a business’s digital storage system weighs heavily on many IT professionals. Your data storage system is vulnerable to a number of different disasters, ranging from physical destruction like floods and fires, to website hosting issues and employee mistakes or omissions. A loss of data can be a catastrophe from which a company may never recover.

With so many options now available to consider when reviewing your need for an upgrade or replacement, it makes a lot of sense to look at your current system to see how it could be improved. Making a proactive move now will secure your data, streamline the process of routinely storing the information and reduce the anxiety both of your tech department and of your management team.

The Multi Option Approach

Since the data you are storing are vital to your continued success as a business, many security and technical experts will recommend an approach to backup and storage that uses both on site and remote storage to reduce your exposure in any one area. When deciding upon storage options considerations of several different approaches alone and in combination may be the most responsible solution.

Local or Onsite Storage and Backup

Businesses want to make the most of the backup and recovery systems available on their in-office devices and external hard drives. These systems do not need to be expensive but they do need to be maintained on a regular basis. Your tech team can manage this, but it is usually best to use automated systems that ensure the backups are done on a schedule that will keep crucial data covered. This type of a system requires the actual drive or tapes containing the data be stored off site or at least be secured in a fire and water proof safe.

Even careful plans for safe onsite storage can be upset by disasters severe enough to compromise the safe. In addition, human error in stashing the physical drives or tapes can spell ruin as well as the possibility of sabotage or theft by disgruntled employees or others either onsite or during transit from the office to a more secure location.

Online Storage

Cloud data storage options are becoming more common and if configured correctly can avoid many of the onsite storage modalities your business may have in place. Although your internal IT team will need to have a thorough understanding of the storage system held elsewhere, shifting the storage capabilities to a remote site frees your staff to handle day to day business tech issues without the constant stress of onsite storage.

How To Design The Best System For Your Company

As storage options for business continue to change and improve the wise business owner will keep all the options open for a properly sized and secure storage system. Checking out a number of different vendors and the plans they can offer is a sensible approach. Keep your own IT department involved in the selection and set up of both on site and remote options so that the transition from your previous system to the new one is seamless.

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