A2X Consulting

Businesses crunch through huge amounts of data every day, some of it relatively inconsequential while much is more drastically important than we may even realize. It is vitally important to make sure that all business related data is safe and secure, and back-ups are absolutely necessary. In the past, data has been backed up onto floppy discs, optical media, or external hard drives. These days there is a growing trend up backing up data online. It is important to understand this new technology and its benefits in order to appreciate its importance.

The forms of data back-up we’ve seen in the past are becoming increasingly obsolete. Floppy disks are practically fossils now, and who knows how long it will be before CD-Roms go the same way? Your backed up data is essentially worthless if it’s burned onto these dying storage platforms because you’ll need to keep copying everything every time a new format pops up. Also, these portable media storage discs are not very durable. In fact, they are very prone to damage and lost data for any number of reasons. Online back-up defeats these downfalls by storing your data in a place that is not susceptible to technological aging or potential real-world damage.

Often, data is backed up onto external hard drives and servers. These are more reliable than small writable disks, and much better suited to storing large amounts of data. Hard drives have been experiencing exponential growth in storage capacity over the past several years. Yet there is, of course, a downside to the hard drive as a storage device–hard drives can crash. Most hard drives operate on a spinning optical disc, and when this internal mechanism fails, the hard drive is worthless. Plus, if your storage drives and servers are kept on-site, then you run the risk of destruction if any disaster should befall your business. A fire or flood could take out your office space and all of your stored data along with it. Online data back-up is much safer and more reliable.

Also consider the benefits of accessibility. If your data is backed up on external hard drives, it is accessible only when those hard drives are accessible via a local computer. If you need to access this data from home or while on a business trip, you will be out of luck. Data stored online is accessible at any time, from any place. It is also entirely secure, as reliable providers such as Zetta backup services provide top-notch protection to keep your stored data safe from prying eyes.

Online back-up can keep your data safer and more accessible than any other currently available storage platform, and it can save your business loads of money as well. Consider the costs of hardware, storage space, IT staffing, and digital media. These can add up to quite a large amount, especially if your business has large amounts of data to work with. Imagine what life would be like if you could eliminate these costs from your business. Does it sound appealing yet? Online data back-up has undeniable benefits over conventional data storage. Give it serious consideration.