2021-10-06
Online backup, what to choose?
Working on your computer requires good practices but also good protection of your data and your IT equipment against any unforeseen circumstances. This is essential insurance, especially in recent years when the number of computer hacks has been steadily increasing and "backup" or (online) backup has naturally become a must.
There are 3 main categories of decentralized backups (online). These methods have above all the advantage of not being in the same place as the machines to be saved and this is important because in the event of breakage, fire, flood, natural disaster or simply theft or even a cyberattack, your backups will be protected, secure and accessible quickly!
- The first and easiest solution is to back up your files in real time without history. This is a copy of your files (which you will have previously selected and filtered by directories). Be careful, if you delete or “overwrite” a file, it could also be deleted or overwritten in your backup. It is always possible to save data in one direction only, so that nothing is erased. This is more secure but also increases the number of saved files. It’s an ideal solution for your laptop, computers at home or even at work. It is a simple solution to implement and it is also the cheapest.
- This second alternative is an improvement on the first, but with the ability to go back in time and recover older versions of your files, either because they have been deleted or simply because you want to revisit an older version of your files. job. This retention also has a cost and a time limit as well as a maximum number of retention per file. This is often limited to 30 to 180 days ... This solution is also very simple to implement but offers a little more than the previous one and in turn is also a little more expensive.
- This last option is the most attractive and the most efficient. It will protect you practically from all the unforeseen. File loss, “cryptoware” (ransomware), cyber attack, broken, stolen or crashed computer, deletion of files by mistake, etc. “Smart virtual backup” is a bit more complicated to implement the first time around, but offers a lot more. It allows you to reassemble an entire machine in record time without loss of information. Indeed, the backup not only keeps your files in copy, but it virtualizes the contents of your entire machine, to back it up and recopy it with all its software. Victim of an attack, have you lost the data and 10 years of work? With this solution, you will only lose the last day of the tragic event and you can get back into business quickly. Of course, file or folder recovery services are also available at all times.
There are, however, a few things to consider when implementing online backup solutions:
- Where are the backup servers located? (Some government institutions, professional associations, etc. will require that the servers be located in Canada in order to meet their security standards)
- Are they located on public and / or free platforms? (What is "free" always has a quid pro quo, and this goes against security in general)
- What redundancy does this server offer? Logical Redundancy? Physical? Geographical?
- Can the data be encoded and therefore secured against indiscretions?
- Can data be filtered against viruses, malware and other malicious software?
- Will the bandwidth of your internet properly support this additional speed?
- Are the backups updated overnight?
- Are the backups "incremental", a technique which allows to reduce the data rate in the network to save only new information)?
- Is there a user-friendly interface or a personalized service to quickly retrieve my information?
- What is the average time for any information retrieval?
Before setting up such a process, he therefore has to think about your environment and the rules of good practice to apply in your company. To make a wise and informed choice, you have to ask the right questions and we are here to help you and make you benefit from our expertise. A good backup strategy is a smart investment!
