How to Choose Between Online Backup Service Providers
No matter what your business or the size of your company, your computer data is valuable and your back up data should be stored in a location that is remote and secure. Online backup services work by monitoring your company's computers and making an encrypted off-site copy when new files are created.
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Instructions
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Ask what free services are available such as a free trial period or free storage up to a specific capacity. Ask about costs, such as whether or not there is an annual cost, a cost per capacity usage or both. Inquire if the backup service will support both Mac and Windows servers and if it will support multiple computers.
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Ask where your data is being stored and whether it is stored in more than one location, preferably locations that are far apart. Request to see the provider's SAS 70 certification that verifies a third party has inspected the security controls and protocols. These deal with the actual security of the data center, privacy of the data and can extend to the financial stability of the service provider. If your company is in the medical industry, look for a provider that has HIPAA compliance, protecting the transmission of medical data. All data should be protected during transmission by encryption, preferably both 256-bit AES and SSL encryption.
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Ask how your data will be restored, if necessary. The best providers will offer several methods for restoration such as via the Internet or by using portable media. Ask about the provider's services if you do not have a machine to restore your data to. Critical data storage might require a replacement hard drive being shipped to you overnight.
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Ask what testing is done to ensure that the backed up data is viable and uncorrupted. Ask to be shown what backup reports are provided, such as a notification that the backup failed or that there were errors during the backup. Inquire about the frequency of the backup. For example, is the backup done one a day after business hours or is the provider constantly monitoring your servers and PCs?
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