Is your backup business important? Is it of equal importance to the core business yours or are you just concerned about making copies for time’s sake? In any case, the backup business is one of the most important services provided by cloud computing today. Cloud storage is a technology that stores files in multiple locations, offsite. This helps you keep track of files across different locations even if the servers, which host your data, crash, go down for one reason or another.
So, how important are endpoint backup and archive to your company? What are the implications of losing all the important data and documents stored on your servers? Well, to put it simply, data loss can lead to severe financial losses; not only for the business but for every user as well, who access your files on their machines.
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Cloud Storage Technology:
Fortunately, cloud storage technology provides some options to deal with this issue. Depending upon the nature and volume of your business (or individual file storage requirements) cloud storage can be elastic, enabling you to increase or decrease storage as required. You can store your files on-demand in a cloud storage facility that charges you per GB of storage. Or, you can use a pay-as-you-go model where your business is charged on a month-to-month basis for unlimited amounts of cloud storage. One option that appeals most to most businesses is the pay-as-you-go model, which is cost-effective and convenient, especially for small businesses with limited data storage requirements.
Methods to Resolve Backup Issues:
Apart from these two main cloud storage models, there are several other models available that help you deal with backup issues. The ‘attached’ storage option enables you to access your files from another computer on the internet without having to store them on your local hard drive. The internet connection needed to access files on this type of cloud storage is free, whereas, in the case of an attached hard drive, you would need to rent your own data storage device. The ‘cloud trail’ method is another method that lets you backup important files to a remote location, as long as you’re physically connected to the system. This works well if you need to recover a critical document, but not if you need to store files in a data center that is off-site and inaccessible.
There are several other methods of backing up your business documents, which come in very handy when disaster strikes. Fire alarms let you know about a fire outbreak in the office before it spreads and alerts all the people in the building to evacuate the area. Emergency phone systems provide an immediate alert and transfer voice messages to the relevant departments. Such backup business services are essential, as they give your company a much-needed false sense of security.
Data Deduplication:
Another option that helps you deal with backup issues is data deduplication, which stores duplicate files on different locations so that when a certain file is changed, the copies are not affected. The importance of this kind of service cannot be understated, as it allows you to make backup copies of all important business files, irrespective of whether they are on your desktop or in a remote data center. In case the original copy is accidentally overwritten, you can restore the data from backup, thereby ensuring that no damage is done.
