Find Sporting Goods on eBay
Video and Audio], Broadcasting and podcasting Real Time Media On The Net

[description], Story, any other text you want to use.

The Seven Golden Rules Of Data Backups

 by: Keith Edmunds

Backups of company data are carried out for two main reasons. The first is to cater for those times when a document is inadvertently deleted or damaged and you wish to recover the original document; the second is as part of a disaster recovery plan in case something catastrophic happens to your computers (e.g., victims of a fire or theft).

Backups cost time, money and effort to implement, and they are of no value right up until the time you need them. This means they tend to be given a low priority, but ultimately they may easily represent the difference between your business surviving and failing. In this TipSheet, we look at the most common mistakes businesses make with backups.

1. Backup often

Re-entering data is tedious and frustrating. Backing up your company data once a week means that the most you should ever have to re-input is one week's worth Backing up your company data once a day means the most you should ever have to re-input is one day's worth. Frequent backups lessen the impact of data loss.

2. Don't keep any volatile data on desktop PCs

In many organisations, documents are kept on the hard drive of desktop PCs. It is unlikely that this is backed up regularly, if at all. A PC can easily be replaced: last week's quotations may not be so easy to replace. In particular, check that email is not stored on the local hard drive (this is very common in small to medium size businesses). All documents, spreadsheets, email, etc should be kept on a central server, which is in turn backed up regularly.

3. Automate the backup process

Backups are tedious to do. At 6:30pm, most people would prefer to set off home or join colleagues in the bar rather than stay in the office to find the correct tape and start a backup. Automating tedious tasks means they get done.

4. Monitor the backup process

While automating backups is a good idea, do check that they are running correctly. Make sure new files are being backed up; make sure the files of new users are being backed up. A quick check once a week could avert a much more serious problem later.

5. Keep backups offsite

If your business premises suffer a fire or flood, it is likely that backup media will be lost as well. Fireproof safes only protect media for a given time, typically one hour - if you use one, check the manufacturer's specification. If you always keep your backup tape in the server then when it is stolen the thief will probably throw the tape away. It's worth nothing to him, but it could represent bankruptcy to you.

6. Produce a "backup recovery" manual

A major disaster is not the time to try to remember how to recover data from your backup media. Have an idiot-proof, step-by-step procedure written - with a copy stored off-site - detailing how to reinstate your company data.

7. Test the recovery procedure periodically

Without warning, give the backup recovery manual to a member of staff and see how long it takes them to recover data. Many organisations never do this! No one involved with creating the manual or the backups themselves should be involved in the test. The results of the test should be analysed and the manual updated accordingly. A recovery test should be carried out at least twice a year. This proves both that the backups themselves are usable, and that your organisation understands how to use them if necessary.

About The Author

Keith Edmunds has been helping companies get the most from their IT investment for over twenty years. He is the Managing Director of Tiger Computing Ltd (http://www.tiger-computing.co.uk) and may be contacted at keith.edmunds@tiger-computing.co.uk


dish network satellite vcm coupons

Real Time Media On The Net
This is one of the best resources for information on Real Time Media On The Net you can possibly find. Follow our links to find more information on Real Time Media On The Net. We hope that we have all of the Real Time Media On The Net details that you could need.
Real Time Media On The Net

By buying through our recommend links you can also rest assured your dish network satellite vcm coupons will be of the highest quality. How do we know? Because when we're shopping for dish network satellite vcm coupons ourselves it's where we go.

You might wonder why we're suggesting you click on some outside links rather than stay on our dish network satellite vcm coupons site. Well it's because we've only just put this site up and haven't yet got it fully operational. Our aim is to be the best site for dish network satellite vcm coupons info on the net, and I'm sure that one day soon we'll achieve it. So please bookmark us and come back soon. Meanwhile please follow one of the links.

Main Menu
Real Time Media On The Net
Site Map

Affiliate Ads, Links, news, etc.

News for 25-Jul-10

Source: BBC News - Home
Health gap 'wider than 1930s'

Source: BBC News - Home
LHC closes in on massive particle

Source: BBC News - Home
Man charged after Belfast raid

Source: BBC News - Home
Senator makes plea over Lockerbie

Source: BBC News - Home
Microsoft gets at chip blueprints

Source: BBC News - Home
Lib Dem MP attacks 'toxic Tories'

Source: BBC News - Home
UK nanotech centres 'may be axed'

Source: BBC News - Home
Call for rethink on universities

Source: BBC News - Home
Spoof Newport video becomes web hit

Source: BBC News - Home
Six charged over cash van robbery


Links
Links
Links
Google

Present On The Net | Listen On The Net | Kids Meet | Take Medicine Correctly
Copyright © 2005. Name of Site here. Last Updated: Sunday, 25-Jul-2010 00:02:11 MDT.
fantasy-sports-directory   Internet Meetings   Medical Meetings On The Net