Even home-based businesses can create an enormous quantity of data that needs to be stored somewhere. Government regulations require businesses keep
records for all transactions for a minimum of five years. Some records may need to be kept for longer. So what are the options when you need to
back-up vital data?
Regardless of the fact that the Government legislates that all companies must maintain accurate records, many small to medium sized businesses don’t
have any storage system in place at all. They rely on scrappy bits of paper, or computer files that haven’t been backed up.
There are several secure storage options available, and it’s not as expensive as one might think.
If you are a sole trader or own a small to medium business you might benefit from the following storage options:
•Direct attached storage (DAS): There are devices that can be connected to computer or servers, usually via a USB port (portable hard drive
or a number of carefully stored USB sticks. These are great when you constantly need to refer to that information on a daily or weekly basis.
•Network attached storage (NAS): This connects directly to you computer network and function as a server. This comes in handy when you are storage
large files, like high quality images or graphic design proofs.
•Cloud storage: Stored on several online servers that you can access anywhere in the world. Ideal for those who need access to their files anywhere,
anytime.
•Offline storage: Backing up data on to tape drives, DVDs or CD ROMS sounds so outdated, but believe it or not, Google still stores Gmail onto
tape and Facebook relies on Blu-ray. This is a good option for filing information, you probably won’t need again, but it’s there just in case.
How to choose your storage strategy
For smaller to mid-sized businesses, an amalgamation of the above storage solutions will meet your needs. You need to assess your storage requirements
carefully, considering which applications create the most data, how rapidly and from where most data needs to be accessed from. You will need to
work out how old the data is, if there are double-ups.
Data your business relies on like system software, apps and your website, are the most important things you need to back up, irrespective of how big
your firm is. Companies should consider having two separate backups of each – with one offline to safeguard you can continue to operate when your
main computer system fails you.
Ultimately, your budget and amount of data will assist you in determining the type of storage solutions your business requires. If you need further
help assessing what sort of storage would suit you better or assistance in setting it up, Conford IT Solutions are happy to help. Servicing clients
in Sydney, Castle Hill, Norwest and Parramatta. Contact them today.
