Common Causes of Data Loss
Everything you need to know!
First things first, what is data backup? In IT, data backup means to make a copy of all your users and server data and store it somewhere else so that it may be used to restore and get your business up and running to its original state after a data loss event.
Now you may find yourself asking, what data should I backup? What is a data loss event and How do I prevent Data loss? Heres’s what you need to know.
What Data Should I backup?
The data you want backup includes, Emails, word documents, signed contracts, pdf documents, presentations, invoices, payments, files and folders of software used in your business.
What is a data loss event?
A data loss event can occur in many forms. In the event of this happening to your business, you could find yourself losing time and money trying to recover and restore your lost data if it is at all possible. So what is a data loss event?
- Human Error
As humans, we all make mistakes. Sometimes these little mistakes have big consequences. These mistakes can include permanently deleting files, folders or even text in important documents. Other causes of human error could be dropping a drink on a device which results in the hard drive or device failure, users may also format hard drives or corrupt software.
- Viruses and Malware
In any business, viruses can steal or delete information without you even knowing bringing your business to a standstill through email attachments, phishing attempts or external storage devices such as a USB or external hard drive. Malware can completely wreck(encrypt) all your data and systems. While a good anti-virus software may keep you safe, I find that backed up data is the only way to recover data lost from malware or viruses.
- Hard drive damage
Most data loss events happen because of hardware failure, and 90% of the time it is because of the hard drive which has failed. Did you know that:
- Approximately 140 000 hard drives crash every week.
- 60 % is due to mechanical issues
- 40% is due to human misuse or mishandling of devices
Hard drives have a limited lifespan and will eventually stop working and can result in data loss.
- Power outages and surges
Power outages can result in data loss because:
- Systems and computers can shut down without warning and you can lose unsaved work.
- It can cause existing data to become corrupted.
- Improper shutdowns and power surges can reduce hard drive life span causing it to crash.
- I urge you to ensure you have power surge protectors, generators or even battery backups to save you. A data backup is the only way you can recover from a data loss caused by power outages or surges.
- Theft
In today’s world, lots of businesses are allowing their team members to work remotely, be it at home or any remote location such as restaurants and other public spaces. Device theft can happen to any of us, resulting in us losing all our hard work. Keeping a data backup will ensure your data is safe and can be restored immediately to a new device.
- 25% of theft occurs in cars, buses, trains, aeroplanes, taxis.
- 23% takes place in the office.
- 15% in airports and hotels.
- 12% in restaurants.
How do I prevent losing my data?
The best way to avoid losing your business and user data is by backing up your data(files and documents), ensuring you have at least one copy of your data stored somewhere safe that is not close to your devices or hardware.
I highly recommend cloud backup for the following reasons:
- It is stored remotely, you can access your data from any device so long as you have an internet connection.
- Cloud is more cost-effective as it offers more space.
- You eliminate the risk of external storage crashing, being lost or theft.
I urge you to make sure that you are backing up your data before you become a victim of data loss.
Still unsure, get in contact with one of our who will give you a free assessment on your current data loss prevention strategies and find out more about our Synetics365 managed backup solution for you, your users and your business.