In the previous article we explored Data backup and how essential it is in the modern world. Our businesses are coming under attack more often than ever before, due to our reliance on tech growing and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic that offered a unique opportunity for cyber criminals (with teams working from home, alone, with little to no knowledge of how to navigate the cyber environment safely. This is one of the main reasons that Data backup has become more essential than ever before.
What is local data backup?
Also known as on-premise backup, local backup is the saving of applications and data to a device. The device is most commonly a server but can be a disc or a tape, all of which is located at the same place as the original data source.
Advantages of local backup
- Speedy recovery of large amounts of data – Unlike Cloud backups you are not dependant on an internet connection, and you can backup larger amounts of data than you can on Cloud backups.
- Greater security and access control – This is a bit of a two-sided coin. As we said in the previous article, the Cloud offers state of the art security measures, but if the data is saved on a disc on premise, for example, and you place that in the safe, only you have the keys, and only you can access that data. For some, the ability of physically seeing their backed-up data is very calming.
- Confidentiality – By managing your own data backups on site, as we said in the previous paragraph, only you can access that data, and no third party will be able to.
Disadvantages of local backup
- Cost – It can be expensive buying hardware, and the infrastructure for that hardware to work from. The implementation of both requires a large capital investment, and a lot of time.
- Risk of disaster – In the eventuality of a disaster (like a flood, for example), your data – both the master copy and the backup – can become damaged.
- No control over downtime – You can’t guarantee uptime, and Local backup recovery can sometimes take considerably longer than you would think.
- Not easy to scale up – You could potentially spend a lot of money on hardware and implementation of a backup server and then have your business go through a period of growth. Of course, we aren’t saying growth is a bad thing, but if your backup requirements increase then additional hardware and software are needed, which means even more investment. If your volume of business fluctuates – as it undoubtedly did during the height of the pandemic – you could find yourself constantly changing hardware.
- Unable to access data remotely – Remote working is impossible; your users need to be on-site to access backups if systems fail. Modern working must have a remote option. Again, if you have a flood in the office, the master copies of data are gone and the backup is gone, what are you going to do?
- Human error – We are only human, and sometimes we forget, but by forgetting to process backups your team are leaving the survival of your business to chance in the eventuality of a disaster.
The type of businesses most likely to benefit from local backups
Sole traders and Freelancers would benefit from . As they don’t need to store huge amounts of data they can have their data on premise with them.
A hybrid approach to data backups
As we have highlighted in both articles, Cloud and Local backups offer both pros and cons, and, with this in mind, it is possible to offer a hybrid of the two. Cloud backups offer a way to continue working no matter the circumstances which cannot be ignored, but if a Cloud provider’s infrastructure is compromised then a local – visible – backup can supply the bare minimum required to keep working. So, if possible, it may be best to have a form of both.
It can be difficult – even upon knowing the pros and cons – to assess which is the best option for you, the Cloud, Local, or a hybrid of both. But don’t worry, get in contact with our expert team and we will guide you down the right path for your organisation.
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