Protect what’s yours- Best practices for backing up data in Canada

Finding ways to protect your data? This is the perfect time to do so. On World’s data backup day, you need to know how to safeguard what’s yours. Whether you are a business or an individual your privacy is something that matters most! So, do not think more and go ahead to shield your ultimate right to data security with our best practices for backing up data.

According to World Backup Day:

• 21 % of people have never made a backup 
• 113 phones lost or stolen every minute 
• 29% of data loss cases are caused by accident 
• 30% of all computers are already infected with malware 

With the statistics mentioned above, don’t you feel a bit intimidated? If not then read further to know, what is data backup, data loss, the importance of backing up data, and the responsibility you have if certain data is misplaced.

What’s data: Known but misunderstood

The term has never gained popularity until recent years when all of its kind was exploited. So today, you must consider data as an increasingly valuable commodity.

Technically, data refers to 

• Any collection of facts, statistics, or other pieces of information that can be processed by a computer or other digital device. 
• It can take many forms, including text, images, audio, video, and numerical values, and can be stored and manipulated in various ways depending on its format.
• Data is an essential component of modern computing and is used in a wide range of applications, from basic spreadsheet calculations to complex machine learning algorithms. 
• It informs decision-making, provides insights, and facilitates communication and collaboration across different domains and industries.

Many organizations collect and analyze large amounts of data to gain a competitive advantage or improve their operations. As a result, data privacy and security have become increasingly important concerns, with regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) designed to protect individuals’ personal information.

Note: Even your digital footprints, websites you visit, and things you shop online are your data and must be secured. 

What is a backup?

A data backup is a copy of important digital data that you create and store in a separate location or on a different device in case the original data is lost or becomes inaccessible. The purpose of creating a backup is to provide a way to restore the original data in the event of hardware failure, accidental deletion, cyber-attacks, natural disasters, or other unforeseen events that could result in the loss of data.

Data backups can be created manually or automatically and can be stored in various locations including external hard drives, cloud storage, or dedicated backup servers. There are also different types of data backup methods such as full backups, incremental backups, and differential backups. We will discuss each of them in detail.

Do you need backups?

The answer to this is undoubtedly YES! Backups keep you protected from a wide range of threats. Vaulting your information will never harm you, but not doing so could be a reason for damage. 

• Cyberattacks: Cyberattacks such as malware, ransomware, and phishing can cause data loss or corruption. Backups can help restore data in case of a successful attack.

• Human error: Accidental deletion, overwriting, or corruption of files can happen to anyone. Backups can provide a way to recover lost or damaged data.

• Hardware failure: Hard drives, servers, and other hardware can fail unexpectedly, leading to data loss. Backups can ensure that you have a copy of your data in case of hardware failure.

• Natural disasters: Floods, fires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters can destroy or damage hardware and data. Backups stored offsite or in the cloud can ensure that you can recover your data even if your physical location is affected.

• Regulatory compliance: Some industries have legal and regulatory requirements that mandate data backup and retention. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in legal and financial consequences.

• Business continuity: Data is critical to the operation of many businesses. Backups can help ensure that operations can continue even in the face of data loss or corruption.

Data used in business that needs backup

Businesses typically back up a wide range of data to protect against potential data loss or corruption. Some common types of data that businesses normally backup include are:

Financial data: This includes accounting records, invoices, payroll data, tax filings, and other financial documents.

Customer data: Customer contact information, purchase history, support requests, and other customer-related data.

Employee data: Contains contact information, personnel files, performance reviews, and other HR-related data.

Sales and marketing data: Covers sales reports, customer demographics, marketing campaigns, and other sales and marketing-related data.

Product and inventory data: Tracks product catalogs, inventory records, and other product-related data.

Operational data: Accounts production schedules, shipping logs, inventory levels, and other operational data.

Intellectual property: Have proprietary software code, patents, trademarks, and other forms of intellectual property.

Communications data: Carry emails, chat logs and other forms of electronic communication.

10 best data backup techniques you must adapt

SMEs can choose to back up their data by utilizing their expertise as they have a low budget. On the other hand, huge enterprises usually outsource data backup to companies. Here are some points businesses must consider when choosing to backup:

Identify what data needs to be backed up: Determine which files, databases, and applications need to be backed up. Consider the size and complexity of the data, and whether it needs to be backed up regularly.

Choose a backup type: Decide which backup type you will use, such as full, incremental, or differential backups. 

Select a backup media: Choose the backup media that best suits your needs. This could be an external hard drive, tape drive, cloud storage, or a combination of these.

Set a backup schedule: Determine how often you will back up your data. This will depend on the type of backup you choose, the amount of data you have, and how often your data changes.

Decide on a backup retention period: Determine how long you need to retain your backups. This will depend on regulatory requirements, industry standards, and business needs.

Choose a backup software: Select a backup software that suits your needs, such as Pure Encrypt.

Configure backup software: Set up the backup software to include the files, databases, and applications that you identified in step one. Choose the backup type and schedule that you set in steps two and four.

Test backups: Regularly test your backups to ensure that they are working correctly and can be used to restore data if needed. This involves restoring data from your backup media and verifying that it is accurate and complete.

Encrypt backups: If you store your backups offsite or in the cloud, consider encrypting them to protect against unauthorized access.

Store backups securely: Store your backups in a secure location to protect against theft, damage, or loss. This could be a fireproof safe, an offsite location, or a secure cloud storage provider, such as PureKeep and PureEncrypt.

Data used by individuals that need backup

Individuals have different data ranges to back up. Some of them are:

Personal documents: Important documents such as birth certificates, passports, social security cards, marriage certificates, and other important personal documents.

Photos and videos: Personal photos and videos that are not easily replaceable, such as family photos, videos of special events, and other memorable moments.

Music and other media files: Music collections, eBooks, and other media files that are important to the individual.

Contacts and calendars: Important contacts and calendar events that are necessary for daily life.

Financial data: This includes bank statements, tax documents, and other financial records.

Emails and other communications: Includes important emails, chat logs, and other forms of electronic communication.

Personal projects and work: This includes personal projects, work-related documents, and other important files.

Backup strategies to rely on

For sustainability, there is a need to backup data. Loss of data is not just harmful but your failure too. Consider these techniques:

On-premises data backup

On-premises data backup is a type of data backup strategy in which data is backed up and stored on physical devices located within the premises of an organization or individual. This approach involves using dedicated hardware or software.

Pros:

• Security: On-premises backups are generally considered more secure than cloud-based backups because the data is stored on-site and is not accessible over the internet.

• Control: Organizations or individuals have more control over their backup and restore processes when they are performed on-premises.

• Cost: The backups can be less expensive in the long term than cloud-based backups, especially for large amounts of data.

• Speed: This can be faster than cloud-based backups, especially if the internet connection is slow or unreliable.

Cons:

• Risk of physical damage: They are vulnerable to physical damage, such as fire, flooding, or theft, which can result in the loss of the original data and the backup.

• Limited scalability: On-premises backup systems are typically limited by the capacity of the local hardware, making it difficult to scale up as data storage needs grow.

• Maintenance and upgrades: They require regular maintenance and upgrades to ensure they continue to function properly.

Cloud-based backup solution

Cloud data backup refers to the process of backing up data to a remote cloud-based storage system, typically provided by a third-party service provider. Instead of storing data on physical storage devices, cloud backup stores data on servers hosted by the service provider, which are accessible via the internet.

Pros:

• Convenient access: users can access their backup files from anywhere with an internet connection, making it easy to restore data when needed.
• Cost-effective: cloud backup eliminates the need for physical storage devices, reducing costs associated with hardware maintenance and replacement.
• Scalable: allows users to increase or decrease storage capacity as needed.
• Automated backups: most cloud backup providers offer automated backup solutions, ensuring that important files and data are always protected.
• Offsite storage: provides offsite storage, protecting data against local disasters or physical theft or damage.
• Reliability: typically offer reliable and redundant storage systems that protect against data loss, hardware failure, or disasters.

Cons:

• Security risks: introduces new security risks, such as data breaches, unauthorized access, and data loss, which can compromise sensitive data.
• Dependence on internet connection: relies on a stable and secure internet connection, which can be impacted by slow speeds, outages, or interruptions.
• Limited control: limited control over their backup data, as it is stored on remote servers owned and managed by third-party service providers.
• Privacy concerns: raises privacy concerns, as users may not know where their data is stored, who has access to it, or how it is being used.
• Bandwidth limitations: can be impacted by bandwidth limitations, particularly when backing up or restoring large amounts of data.
• Subscription costs: cloud backup typically requires a subscription fee, which can add up over time and may not be cost-effective for all users.

PureEncrypt: Encrypting your data, for local & cloud storage

PurEncrpyt uses open-source protocols so that your data is never compromised. It comes as a one-stop solution to cater to individual and business backup needs.  Some of the key features are:

• encrypt your Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Mega drive, or iCloud.
• Only you can access your data, and no one else will be able to read it
• Multi-factor authentication ensures that only authorized users can see your data
• It offers the ability to sync information across all devices, whether Windows or Mac.

Hybrid data backup approach

A hybrid data backup approach is a strategy that combines both local and cloud-based backups to provide comprehensive data protection. This approach involves storing some backup data locally on physical storage devices, such as external hard drives or network-attached storage (NAS) devices, and other backup data in the cloud.

Pros:

• Faster backup and recovery times: Local backups can be faster to create and restore than cloud backups, as they are not limited by internet connection speeds.

• Cost-effectiveness: Local backups can be less expensive than cloud backups, as they do not require ongoing subscription fees and can be stored on existing hardware.

• Offsite storage: Cloud backups provide an offsite storage solution, protecting data against local disasters or physical theft or damage.

• Diversity: Hybrid backups provide redundancy and backup diversity, as they store data in multiple locations and formats, reducing the risk of data loss due to hardware failure or disasters.

• Flexibility: Allows users to customize their backup strategy to fit their specific needs, such as backing up mission-critical data locally and less important data in the cloud.

Cons:

• Complexity: Hybrid backup systems can be more complex to set up and manage than single-location backups, requiring more technical expertise and resources.

• Security risks: Can introduce new security risks, such as the need to ensure that data is encrypted and protected both locally and in the cloud.

• Compatibility issues: They may require different hardware and software components to work together, which can lead to compatibility issues and technical difficulties.

Keeping data safe in the cloud using a VPN?

The most important thing is ensuring that the data is encrypted before being uploaded onto the cloud. This can be done using PureVPN, which offers unbeaten encryption that will make sure that your data is safe from any threats.

How do I set up PureVPN on the cloud?

1. Go to the VPN page in the Cloud Console
2. Click on Create VPN connection when creating your gateway for the first time

the wizard will guide you through the VPN setup process

3. To select the Classic VPN option, click the button.
4. Continue after clicking Continue.
5. You will be prompted to select the following gateway settings: Once the VPN connection page has been created, click Create VPN connection.

Corporate social responsibility when it comes to data security

Organizations that collect and store data have an ethical responsibility to protect that data from unauthorized access and to promptly notify affected individuals in the event of a breach. 

Individuals who become aware of a data leak also have an ethical responsibility to report it to the appropriate parties, such as the affected organization or regulatory authorities. 

It is also important for organizations and individuals to take steps to mitigate the impact of data breaches. This might include 

• providing affected individuals with identity theft protection services, 
• conducting a thorough investigation of the breach to determine the cause and scope of the incident, and 
• taking steps to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Taking proactive steps to prevent breaches, promptly reporting breaches when they occur, and taking steps to minimize the impact of breaches on affected individuals and organizations is what we all must do.

World backup day

The growing role of data privacy and security is what we all must understand. Keeping our data protected should be our priority and World backup day on 31st March, every year is selected as the constant reminder.

So, let’s take a pledge today that on this day or from today, we will take steps to back up our data. Keep it secure and will make sure that it is not leaked for any unethical motives. 

Understand, where there is a will, there’s a way. Just step out of your comfort zone and take the initiative to protect what truly belongs to you.

Frequently asked questions

Concluding thoughts – Nodes to play in the end

Backing up data did not carry much importance previously but today it is crucial. Cyber intruders today are always in search of data leaks and information to plan something for their evil acts. It is you who should decide who gets your information. 

Using 3-2-1 as a common practice to store every piece of information will help. Keep three copies of your data on two devices/mediums, with one off-site storage option.

Start today to protect tomorrow!