I've already emphasized the importance of quality backups in a previous Insights column, but you need to determine the right backup system for your company, and they are not all created equal.
 
The type of backup system your business needs greatly depends on your expectations. The first question to answer when picking a backup system is: What do I want my recovery plan to look like?
 
It's a safe bet to say that all businesses rely on technology and would be negatively impacted if they lost access to data and applications. The biggest question to answer is how long can you afford to be down?
 
For example, I have clients who could be down for days without significant financial implications. I have others, however, who would encounter major problems if they were down for just one hour. You have to know your business.
 
Once you honestly answer that question, your backup system can be designed and implemented to support your recovery needs. There are two different routes you can take:

• For those with less demanding environments, a quality cloud-based offsite backup system is sufficient. We've had great luck utilizing Amazon's cloud services but there are many others. The basic offsite cloud backup system is inexpensive and most have features, such as email alerts, so you can ensure that your system is running correctly. 
  
  The one major disadvantage of a simple cloud backup system is the amount of time needed to restore your data and applications. Even average amounts of data can take a day or more to download and restore, not to mention the time it takes to reinstall a server.
• For those with faster recovery needs, there are image-based backup systems. Every aspect of these is focused on a speedy recovery. Instead of simply backing up the data, this technology takes snapshots of the entire server – applications and all. The images can then be restored to any PC, not just the server they were taken from.

Our implementation of image-based systems includes local storage as well as offsite storage. With the proper setup, it’s possible to take a system that has failed and have it up and running within minutes. For a site conducting online sales, for example, this can be critical.
 
Defining your recovery expectations can help you find the best backup system for your company, and the best budget. Many providers can set up a system in way which will keep your upfront hardware and licensing costs down. At ACS, we work with our clients to make sure they have a plan to meet their unique needs.
 
We will help you take inventory of what backup systems you already have, guide you in answering the question of what you really need, and help you implement the best system for your business. 
 
There’s a reason why so many organizations look to Atlantic Computer Services for the IT support they need to grow their business, and that’s because ACS provides honest, reliable, knowledgeable and friendly service. The company's goal is to serve as a technology partner, offering solutions that are affordable, uncomplicated and in the best interest of each individual client. Learn more about ACS, its services and its people at www.acs-ilm.com, or call (910) 799-6538.