Backup’s – I know I need to, but…
| It’s common knowledge that you should backup your data, but there is more to doing backups than just storing an extra copy of your data ‘some where’. The most common questions usually asked (by retailers about backups) are more than just ‘can I backup my Retail Stock Ledger data or my Open-to-Buy spreadsheets’ but are more typically like…
Retailers also need to consider thing such as…
Backup media comes in a lot of different types: CD’s, DVD’s, Tape, Flash Drives, External Hard Drives or even Internet Backups. Media is more a choice of size and preference than which is best. Each type of media has uses they suited for and ones that will not work with. CD’s are great for backups up to about 700 megabytes, Flash Drives can be used for backups up to 8 gigabytes, DVD’s are can also store around 8 gigabytes and if you need more space for your backups, Tape or External Hard Drives can handle much larger data sets.
The overlooked part of most backup solutions is not what to backup, when to backup or how to backup, but is ‘How do I get my data back’. Tapes go bad; CD’s get scratches or will melt if stored in heat, external drives should not be stored near magnets, etc. If you cannot get your data restored, your backup solution has failed one of the most important functions – Allowing you to recover your vital business data in the event of an emergency. Every backup solution should be checked periodically to see if it can be restored. |
