Backing up your data is critical for ensuring business continuity. It is the only way to protect your data from hazards such as fire, flood, theft, malware infection or hardware failure and ensure you are prepared for the worst-case scenario.
The 3-2-1 backup rule is the best foundation for your business’ data backup. It works for any virtual environment, regardless of your business’ IT infrastructure. It is a common approach to keeping your data safe in almost any scenario.
The 3-2-1 Rule
The 3-2-1 rule is an easy-to-remember acronym:
- Keep at least THREE copies of your data
- Store TWO of those copies on different devices or storage media
- Keep at least ONE of those backup copies offsite
Keep at least three copies of your data
Having less than three copies of your data is a recipe for disaster. Countless incidents could cause data loss: theft, fire, water damage, vandalism, or simply failed hardware. One backup is therefore not enough, especially if it is kept on the same site. Having three copies of your data, the primary data and at least two backups, is the safest way to ensure that no critical data is lost.
Store two copies on different devices
Keeping data backups on the same device defeats the purpose of backups – if that device fails or is damaged, both sets of data are lost. Similarly, if your backups are kept on similar devices, the risk of them both failing at the same time is far greater. Therefore, if you store your primary data one way, make sure that your backup data is stored on a different storage media. For example, If your primary data is on an internal hard drive, store your backup copies on an external hard drive.
Keep at least one copy offsite
When your primary data and backups are kept on the same site, any disaster affecting the site, such as fire or flood, means that all the copies are at risk. Therefore the 3-2-1 rule calls for at least one copy of data to be kept in a remote location, such as offsite storage or on the cloud. Onsite backups are good to have as they allow for quicker disaster recovery, but for security purposes, you should always have at least one copy offsite.
The 3-2-1 backup rule helps keep your data safe and protected. While we often think to protect against natural disasters such as fire and flood, which are unlikely to happen, we often forget to protect against more common attacks such as malware and viruses. Following the 3-2-1 backup rule means your data is protected against all circumstances.
Cardonet have been working with businesses for the past twenty years to help them overcome their technological challenges. Our group of highly experienced engineers are available 24/7 to assist and ensure that your IT infrastructure is running seamlessly.
If you need help with backing up your data, call us on +44 203 034 2244 or +1 323 984 8908. Alternately, you can contact us online. We will be happy to help you overcome your IT challenges so that you can focus on what you do best during the downturn.
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