No More Portable Data

Victor Lue-Yat has seen the gamut of data-conscious computer users. Most back up their data and remove back-up tapes or other media - when they remember to do so. One was concerned what another Hurricane Wilma would do to his data. But it was a 30,000-gallon flood in the office that trashed the back-up tapes that were forgotten in his PC one weekend.

"Hurricanes seemed to wake everyone up, but it's the mistakes and accidents that cause more damage and losses to computer data," said Lue-Yat, founder and CEO of DocuBlue Corporation, a Sunrise, Fla.,-based creator of the DocuBackup.com document back-up solution.

IT professionals only half-jokingly divide computer users into two camps: Those who have lost data, and those who will. Of 185 business people surveyed last year, 69 percent of respondents said they had experienced data loss due to accidental deletion, disk or system failure, viruses, fire, lightning strike or some other disaster, according to Carbonite Inc., an online back-up and storage service.

Business owners, home users and even college students who carry course work on their laptops are growing aware of the possibility of losing critical data from computer theft, viruses, failure or loss due to natural disaster. As a result, they're discovering data back up solutions.

Historically, tape drives, USB flash drives or writeable CD-ROMs or DVDs were the back-up solution of choice. Today, online back-up and storage services are emerging as key solutions. Google and Microsoft have announced online storage and access plans. AOL in 2005 acquired XDrive Technologies, providing discounted back-up and storage service for its members.

Online back-up serves several key needs. Back-ups most often fail because users forget to perform them - and then leave the media behind in the computer. For back-up to be effective, it has to be a simple, automated function scheduled to occur regularly - without any user involvement beyond the initial set up. Using an online service, a broadband connection - like a T-1, DSL line or cable modem - transfers selected data files to a server hosted elsewhere (programs and applications, like Microsoft Office or QuickBooks, typically aren't part of a back-up regimen, as that software should be easily replaced with the original CD-ROM).

A back up works best if scheduled for overnight so the event doesn't interrupt workers with slowed computers or hogged bandwidth. Most services allow for data encryption before transmission; this can help allay fears of users concerned about hosting all their data on a shared server. With all solutions, users select which files or folders to be backed up, and can omit financial information or customer data, for example.

Once backed up, users have reliable data protection; most - but not all - services provide password-protected access from any remote location. Most of those with Web access allow for disabling of the feature as an added security measure. Web access can eliminate the need for a user to travel with a laptop loaded with documents. Moreover, ubiquitous access from online back up provides access to data and sharing of files from any remote location; this can be critical if a business is inaccessible or employees have to leave due to a hurricane or other natural disaster.

As data becomes more important to home and business users, capacity needs have grown. Today, music and picture files can easily consume gigabytes - atop any storage needs for business data.

"People are indeed worried about losing their photos and other documents," said David Friend, CEO of Carbonite. "They're willing to pay a few dollars a month to make the problem go away."

by Jeff Zbar
www.chiefhomeofficer.com

• by Jeff Zbar
• Email this page
• Printer-friendly version
• Sphere: Related Content