It is not surprising that most people in the business world are not eager to spend time discussing their data backup strategies. We rely on IT quite a bit, and we need to ensure that all the data we are using is protected and backed up. None of that makes it an interesting topic to converse about however, and that is why you will often find that people are not willing to spend much time having a conversation about the process. But we think that you should have all the information if you are thinking of making changes to your data backup methods.
Here are three innovative approaches that we believe will improve your data backups.
Snapshots to Backup Files and Settings
The concept of snapshots to backup data has existed for quite some time, but it is being used a lot more now. The idea behind snapshots is that you are going to take a “picture” of your computer’s files and settings at any moment. When you take this snapshot, you are then allowed to go back to it at any time, so long as it is still saved.
If there is a small loss of files or settings, the snapshot is more than enough to get you back to a stable position. But if the entire system fails, you would lose the snapshot too. In such cases, what happens is a flat backup of the snapshot, which is used if the first part of the process fails. This ensures that you can always use snapshots as a reliable way to get your old settings and files back.
Hybrid Cloud Backups
The concept behind a hybrid cloud backup is that you are going to use the best of both worlds. If you are getting services from a VPS provider like IO Zoom, then you will be able to easily set up a cloud backup for all your files and data. But you will also want to think about how you can leverage local backups for extra protection.
Backups are created and stored locally using this method, but they are also replicated on the cloud. That way you have two copies of the backup that you want to create. Why does that help? It gives you a backup in case your backup fails, and it also gives you easier access if you want to get that data quickly. For instance, if your physical backup is located in a different location, but you need access to the backed up data right now, you would just need to sign into the cloud platform and you are good to go.
Many business owners may think that going to such extremes is not worth the effort. But ask yourself how much valuable company data is currently at stake for you. Whether it is your website and all its data that is unprotected, or your company’s internal files and documents, you need proper backup methods. And you can never assume your backup method is fool proof, which is why the hybrid cloud setup is so useful.
Instant Virtual Machine Recovery
Around for many years, the instant virtual machine recovery setup is still one of the best ways to backup data. With instant VM recovery, an organization does not have to wait for ages to access the backed up data. They get an instant recovery, which is so priceless in the business world. Say you have your site up and running, but something goes wrong. Now you have an instance VM recovery, and you can still get your site up, even if your original setup is compromised.
What happens is that your company will use disk-based backups to protect your virtual machines. The disk-based backup is always online, which allows for instant recovery. You just run the virtual machine from the backup storage solution, and you are all set. And your virtual machine uses snapshots to keep backing up data, so the version of the data that you are accessing as a backup is the latest one.
There are always issues that can arise with data backups, and the process of setting everything up is not so exciting. But it is so important for a company to have a proper method in place, whether you are using a VPS or you have physical servers that you want to protect.