When running a business, having a reliable backup system is critical. If your data gets lost or damaged, your business might not survive the downtime. That’s why it’s essential to know about on-site backup, off-site backup, and cloud-based backup solutions.
An on-site backup is a backup that is stored on your premises. Data is usually backed up to local storage or media such as NAS (Network-Attached Storage). It is one of the three core elements of business continuity and disaster recovery. Every business needs on-site backup in case its computers are stolen, damaged in a fire or flood, or exposed to ransomware.
Off-site backup is a form of data recovery whereby data is copied from primary storage and stored in a separate location from the original media. The direct benefit of off-site backup is that it protects against all threats, including natural disasters and human error while minimizing downtime due to network outages or other issues.
In terms of business continuity, off-site backup provides the most protection. Off-site backups are typically performed over an encrypted connection to ensure confidentiality while allowing administrators to manage backups like any other file system on their network.
Cloud-based backup means your data backups are stored on a third party’s remote servers. By keeping your data backups far away from your primary location, you have an extra layer of protection in disasters such as fires, floods, break-ins, etc.
A cloud-based backup (a form of off-site backup) is a form of data recovery whereby data is copied from primary storage and stored in a separate location from the original media. This is one of the three core elements of business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR). The other two BCDR elements are risk assessment, which involves assessing your organization’s IT infrastructure concerning its ability to withstand disasters, including natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, and testing, which includes simulated or actual tests that examine how an organization would respond to any given situation.
On-site and off-site backups are critical for safeguarding your data and ensuring business continuity.
On-site backup is a common practice for businesses. Off-site backup is more efficient than off-site backup, as it provides an extra layer of protection in case something goes wrong with the office or building. Off-site backup is more expensive than on-site backup because it involves storing data at a remote location or on remote servers maintained by third parties. However, this form of data recovery offers the most protection.