“But we have backups!”
We hear this all the time. And then we ask to see them restore a file, and… well, let’s just say it doesn’t always go well.
We’ve helped businesses recover from hard drive failures. They had backups, automated ones running every night. The problem? The backup software had been showing errors for weeks, but no one noticed. When the drive failed, they discovered their backups were corrupted and unusable.
The thing about backups is that having them isn’t enough. You need the right backups, set up correctly, tested regularly, and monitored properly. Here’s what actually works.
What Actually Needs Backing Up?
First, let’s figure out what matters. You don’t need to backup everything. That’s expensive and unnecessary. But you absolutely need to backup the stuff that would hurt if you lost it.
We always start by asking clients: “If your computer died right now, what would you need to keep your business running?” Usually, the list includes:
- Customer data: Contact lists, customer databases, order history. This is often irreplaceable.
- Financial records: Your accounting files, invoices, receipts. The taxman will want these, and you’ll need them too.
- Important documents: Contracts, legal documents, insurance papers. The stuff that proves you own things or have agreements.
- Email: Especially if you use email for customer communication or order processing.
- Business-specific data: Product databases, inventory systems, project files, whatever makes your business unique.
What you probably don’t need to backup? The operating system (you can reinstall that), applications (you can reinstall those), and temporary files. Focus on your data.
The Backup Strategy That Actually Works
We’ve seen every backup strategy under the sun, and here’s what we’ve learned: simple is better. Complicated backup systems break. Simple ones work.
For most small businesses, we recommend a two-pronged approach:
1. Cloud backup for your important files. Services like Backblaze, Carbonite, or even OneDrive work well. They’re automatic, they’re offsite (so protected from fire/flood/theft), and they’re relatively cheap. Set it and forget it.
2. A local backup for quick recovery. An external hard drive that backs up your entire system. This is for when you need to restore quickly, maybe a file got deleted and you need it back in five minutes, not five hours.
The cloud backup protects you from disasters. The local backup protects you from “oops, I deleted that file” moments. Together, they cover most scenarios.
Automation: Set It and (Actually) Forget It
Manual backups don’t work. We’re sorry, but they just don’t. People forget. They’re busy. They’ll do it “tomorrow.” And then tomorrow becomes next week, and next week becomes never.
Automated backups are the only way. Set them up once, and they run in the background. You don’t think about them until you need them.
For cloud backups, most services have desktop apps that automatically sync your files. Install it, point it at your important folders, and it handles the rest. For local backups, Windows has File History, Mac has Time Machine. Both are free and built-in. Just plug in an external drive and turn them on.
Set it up once, then check on it occasionally. We recommend a monthly check. Just open the backup software and make sure it’s still running, still backing up, no errors.
The Test That Saves Your Business
Here’s where most people fall down. They set up backups, they see them running, and they think “great, I’m protected.” But they never actually test if they can restore anything.
We’ve seen this go wrong so many times. The backup looks fine, but when you try to restore, something’s broken. Maybe the backup file is corrupted. Maybe the restore process doesn’t work. Maybe the backup wasn’t backing up what you thought it was.
Here’s what we do with all our clients: every quarter, we do a test restore. Pick a non-critical file, delete it, and restore it from backup. If that works, you’re probably okay. If it doesn’t, you’ve found a problem before it becomes a disaster.
We also recommend doing a full system restore test once a year. This is more involved. You’re testing if you could recover from a complete system failure. But it’s worth it. Better to find out your backups don’t work during a test than during a real emergency.
Version History: Your Safety Net
One feature we love about modern backup solutions is version history. This means if a file gets corrupted or accidentally changed, you can restore an earlier version.
We’ve worked with businesses whose staff accidentally saved over important files. They’d been working on them for weeks, and suddenly all that work was gone. But because their backup kept version history, we were able to restore the file from the day before. Crisis averted.
Most cloud backup services keep versions for 30 days or more. Some keep them longer. Check what your service offers. It’s a feature worth paying for.
Backup Frequency: How Often is Enough?
This depends on how much your data changes. For most small businesses, daily backups are fine. If you’re working on critical projects or dealing with lots of customer data, you might want hourly backups for your most important files.
But more frequent backups aren’t always better. They use more storage, they can slow down your computer, and if you’re backing up corrupted files, you’re just backing up corruption more often.
We usually recommend daily backups for most files, with real-time sync for critical folders (like your accounting files or customer database). That gives you a good balance between protection and performance.
What About Ransomware?
This is important. If ransomware encrypts your files, and your backups are connected to your computer, the ransomware can encrypt your backups too. We’ve seen this happen, and it’s devastating.
This is why cloud backups are so valuable. They’re not directly connected to your computer, so ransomware can’t reach them. And if you’re using a local backup, make sure it’s not always connected. Plug it in for backups, then unplug it and store it safely.
Some backup services also offer ransomware protection features. They detect unusual file encryption activity and alert you. It’s worth looking into.
Getting It Right
Setting up proper backups isn’t complicated, but it does require some thought. You need to figure out what to backup, choose the right tools, set them up correctly, and then actually test them.
If you’re not sure where to start, or if you want someone to review your current backup setup, get in touch. We can help you figure out what you need, set it up properly, and make sure it actually works. Because the best backup is the one that works when you need it.