My Local Forums, Business Discussion, Help & Assistance My Local Forums, Business Discussion, Help & Assistance

Go Back   The UK & USA Business Forums > The Business Forums > General Business News, Help and Discussion

General Business News, Help and Discussion General business news, discussion, help, advice and information.


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 03-03-10, 10:20 PM
amphis's Avatar
Growing Business
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Somerset
Posts: 39
Thanks: 5
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default How good are your backups ?

I'm often amazed by the lack of backups / disaster recovery that I see at businesses large and small that we deal with.

so here's a challenge....

pretend your PC has been stolen. now see how long it takes to start with a clean Windows install (or other operating system that you use) and get completely back up and running with all your software installed and all your business data set up again and without any data loss.

if you are back up and running in no time, congratulations !

if not, you might want to give some thought to backups.

you can get a 500Gb external disk these days for less than £50 so there's no excuse for not having backups of all your data. and with Vista you can backup your entire PC at the click of a button.

also, just imagine that your office building has burned down overnight.... hopefully you didn't have your backups in there....

Tom

CRM Software, Contact Management Software, Quotes, Invoicing and Billing, Contact Database for Small Business
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 03-03-10, 10:23 PM
Kip FX Design's Avatar
Senior Entrepreneur
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: England & Cyprus
Posts: 752
Thanks: 6
Thanked 31 Times in 30 Posts
Send a message via Skype™ to Kip FX Design
Default

Was discussing this the other day! Very important, should be written into procedure manuals as standard!
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 03-03-10, 10:49 PM
sjr4x4's Avatar
Forum Admin - Play nice!
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bills Town, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 1,826
Thanks: 181
Thanked 71 Times in 63 Posts
Default

Only required business applications running on the PC's and laptops are Outlook, and full office suite. Pop into PC world and be up and running in no time

No business data is stored on any PC or laptop, everything is accessed via the LAN, and our office servers.

File, Exchange and Intranet servers backed up daily to an extenal USB drive, and then a nightly incremental backup to an off site server. Slow, but runs through the night, so doesn't matter.

By the same token, as we live in a digital age, I now keep all personal data, photos, music etc on a home server, and that backs up incrementally to the office

Most of us have growing digital photo or video collections, do you back this priceless data up? No point having a stack of CDR's with your photo's on next to your PC if your house goes up in smoke while your on your hol's!!

How many times in my IT days did I see the collection of backup tapes sat next to the file server it was backing up

Very good point though Tom, and hopefully this thread makes a few people have a little think.

Put a Disaster Recovery plan in place now, and save yourself a lot of heart ache and possibly your business!
__________________
cheers
Steve

Forum Rules FAQ's & Help | UK Business Listings | Free USA Advertising | MLF on Twitter | Steves Blog


If you're here to spam, then expect a ban
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 04-03-10, 10:35 AM
Stavros's Avatar
Entrepreneur
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 386
Thanks: 22
Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts
Cool

mulitple backups.
Local usb HD + duplicate to USB key (so I can carry them in my pocket) + cloud storage.
__________________
JobsVitae.co.uk | Careers Advice
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 04-03-10, 10:51 AM
sjr4x4's Avatar
Forum Admin - Play nice!
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bills Town, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 1,826
Thanks: 181
Thanked 71 Times in 63 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stavros View Post
mulitple backups.
Local usb HD + duplicate to USB key (so I can carry them in my pocket) + cloud storage.
you trust business data to a 3rd party Clown sorry Cloud outfit?
__________________
cheers
Steve

Forum Rules FAQ's & Help | UK Business Listings | Free USA Advertising | MLF on Twitter | Steves Blog


If you're here to spam, then expect a ban
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 04-03-10, 10:56 AM
Stavros's Avatar
Entrepreneur
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 386
Thanks: 22
Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts
Default

Yep.
They are called Google you may have heard of them. >;OP
__________________
JobsVitae.co.uk | Careers Advice
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old 04-03-10, 11:38 AM
sjr4x4's Avatar
Forum Admin - Play nice!
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bills Town, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 1,826
Thanks: 181
Thanked 71 Times in 63 Posts
Talking Now I'm even more worried!

__________________
cheers
Steve

Forum Rules FAQ's & Help | UK Business Listings | Free USA Advertising | MLF on Twitter | Steves Blog


If you're here to spam, then expect a ban
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old 04-03-10, 11:42 AM
Stavros's Avatar
Entrepreneur
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 386
Thanks: 22
Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts
Default

Did the sprogg keep you awake again last night ya stroppy get.
__________________
JobsVitae.co.uk | Careers Advice
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old 04-03-10, 02:15 PM
TRENA FITZ2KLEEN's Avatar
Growing Business
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Coventry
Posts: 144
Thanks: 30
Thanked 12 Times in 10 Posts
Default

ohhhhhh somebodys over tired lmao.
__________________
www.fitz2kleen.com
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old 04-03-10, 04:08 PM
Kip FX Design's Avatar
Senior Entrepreneur
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: England & Cyprus
Posts: 752
Thanks: 6
Thanked 31 Times in 30 Posts
Send a message via Skype™ to Kip FX Design
Default

Yeah Steve at least with Stavros we know he is ALWAYS p*****d off!

Love ya really Stav's
Reply With Quote
  #11 (permalink)  
Old 04-03-10, 05:41 PM
sjr4x4's Avatar
Forum Admin - Play nice!
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bills Town, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 1,826
Thanks: 181
Thanked 71 Times in 63 Posts
Default

Quite frankly, I think I have the makings of a web designer

Sorry Stavros, couldn't resist it

But not to detract from the OP, backing up your data is a serious issue!
__________________
cheers
Steve

Forum Rules FAQ's & Help | UK Business Listings | Free USA Advertising | MLF on Twitter | Steves Blog


If you're here to spam, then expect a ban
Reply With Quote
  #12 (permalink)  
Old 04-03-10, 05:43 PM
Stavros's Avatar
Entrepreneur
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 386
Thanks: 22
Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts
Default

its ok everyone he has had his afternoon power nap he is back to his normal less grumpy self.

and I concur backup and then back it up again.
__________________
JobsVitae.co.uk | Careers Advice
Reply With Quote
  #13 (permalink)  
Old 05-03-10, 01:55 PM
Nick's Avatar
Growing Business
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Bishops Stortford
Posts: 20
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Send a message via ICQ to Nick
Default

It's relatively cheap to buy a 500gb external hard drive and something like Norton Ghost these days. No excuses for not backing up a complete Windows system. Some computers now come with an extra hard drive that just slots in so you can easily take it with you at the end of the day.
Reply With Quote
  #14 (permalink)  
Old 05-03-10, 02:11 PM
Mark Pitts's Avatar
Growing Business
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Orpington in Kent
Posts: 139
Thanks: 3
Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts
Cool Back Ups

I was concerned about losing my data, so recently purchased a 2nd hard drive which cost less than £50 including Vat and backed up all my files and data.

Just got to hope i do not burn the house down.

Mark
Reply With Quote
  #15 (permalink)  
Old 05-03-10, 03:49 PM
sjr4x4's Avatar
Forum Admin - Play nice!
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bills Town, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 1,826
Thanks: 181
Thanked 71 Times in 63 Posts
Default

Like Nick says, an external drive is peanuts.

If its business data (or irreplaceable personal data), regardless that you are in a home office, get it saved off site.

This can be leaving an external disk once a week with Frank 5 doors down, Mum, a mate, or online backups with a 3rd party.

In this day and age, with so many low cost solutions theres no excuse for data loss. IMHO
__________________
cheers
Steve

Forum Rules FAQ's & Help | UK Business Listings | Free USA Advertising | MLF on Twitter | Steves Blog


If you're here to spam, then expect a ban
Reply With Quote
  #16 (permalink)  
Old 08-03-10, 11:35 AM
VirtuallyMary's Avatar
Entrepreneur
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 382
Thanks: 26
Thanked 34 Times in 33 Posts
Send a message via Skype™ to VirtuallyMary
Default

My laptop died last summer.

Time to check that the most critical files were safe and sound on USB stick: about thirty seconds.

Time to check that the more general backup (which included additionals of the files on the stick) on the server was okay: maybe ten minutes.

Time to buy a new laptop: including research and shopping around, about 24 hours, plus another 24 hours for delivery.

Time to get laptop out of the box, up and running, open up a couple of files to check they'd transferred across okay: couple of hours.

Time spent swearing at Vista: still going.............
Reply With Quote
  #17 (permalink)  
Old 08-03-10, 11:36 AM
Stavros's Avatar
Entrepreneur
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 386
Thanks: 22
Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts
Default

Lol lmao :d
__________________
JobsVitae.co.uk | Careers Advice
Reply With Quote
  #18 (permalink)  
Old 08-03-10, 06:29 PM
rabicamail's Avatar
Growing Business
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 67
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

There are lot of suggestion by all the members of forum about backups thanks for all the wise suggestion.
Reply With Quote
  #19 (permalink)  
Old 20-03-10, 12:54 PM
amphis's Avatar
Growing Business
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Somerset
Posts: 39
Thanks: 5
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

also worth mentioning that some of the online storage options are free or at least so cheap you don't have to think about it too much.

eg BT Digital Vault - 5Gb included with all BT Total Broadband Options

Dell - 2Gb Free - 5Gb £5.99

these options provide automatic backup facilities to backup just the files you have changed.
Reply With Quote
  #20 (permalink)  
Old 21-03-10, 01:01 PM
sean44mc's Avatar
Growing Business
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 113
Thanks: 0
Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts
Default

I dont know the workings inside my magical box on the floor next to me

I dont have to many files to back up as my home pc is for home, the one i have at work, is mainly for invoices. and statements. i also print 2 copies, one for customers and one for there boxfile.

anyway, my mother has many many files on her comp as she teaches computers as her job. she has many different classes and writes her own work books.

so when buying her new pc, she had 2 extra hard drives fitted, one to back up, and another to back up weekly, its does it automaticly.

thats the jist of it i think from what i know, so when bying a pc, when its important for your daily work. you dont do the same.

sean
__________________
http://www.fishandseafooddirect.co.uk
Fresh & Frozen Fish & seafood delivered to your door
Reply With Quote
  #21 (permalink)  
Old 21-03-10, 06:29 PM
rabicamail's Avatar
Growing Business
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 67
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Default

I am using a server where my backup files are save
Reply With Quote
  #22 (permalink)  
Old 22-03-10, 10:32 AM
sjr4x4's Avatar
Forum Admin - Play nice!
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Bills Town, Warwickshire, UK
Posts: 1,826
Thanks: 181
Thanked 71 Times in 63 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by sean44mc View Post
anyway, my mother has many many files on her comp as she teaches computers as her job. she has many different classes and writes her own work books.

so when buying her new pc, she had 2 extra hard drives fitted, one to back up, and another to back up weekly, its does it automaticly.
Thats the sort of thing that would make me nervous. She obviously has a lot of important data on the PC, but the backup is kept on the same PC

Think Disaster recovery. Or in simple terms, what if one day that PC was no longer there, how much of a problem would that be?

I think we are in an interesting period of history, we are becoming more and more dependant on computers, for home (digital photos, music) and business, but the tools we are using aren't really that far down the evolutionary tree.

I wonder if in the future, backing up the data will become part of the buying process. ie I need a computer, MS Office, and online back area etc. Maybe it will be home insurance companies that will become the guardians of our data, and you get xyz storage space when you take out your home policy...
__________________
cheers
Steve

Forum Rules FAQ's & Help | UK Business Listings | Free USA Advertising | MLF on Twitter | Steves Blog


If you're here to spam, then expect a ban
Reply With Quote
  #23 (permalink)  
Old 23-03-10, 02:25 PM
Stavros's Avatar
Entrepreneur
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Bromsgrove
Posts: 386
Thanks: 22
Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts
Default

TIP:
If you doe use a usb stick as part of your backup dont pull it out in a hurry as you will be sorry.

Trust me I just found out.
__________________
JobsVitae.co.uk | Careers Advice
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
twitter good for SEO? iriad SEO, Webrankings, Google, Yahoo, Bing etc 34 25-08-10 11:02 AM
Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. VirtuallyMary Introductions - Come and Say Hello! 19 27-02-10 10:55 PM
Good news for UK targeted online businesses sjr4x4 General Business News, Help and Discussion 6 17-02-10 08:41 PM
Good Afternoon WebMaintenancesolutions Introductions - Come and Say Hello! 8 29-01-10 10:01 AM
V good adwords article. Stavros On and Offline Sales, Marketing and PR 1 07-12-09 12:06 PM

List your business for free with Qype    My Local Services the Online Business Directory


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:22 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.3.1
This Business Forum is owned and run by Lowi Ltd | 50 High Street | Henley in Arden | Warwickshire | B95 5AN | UK | Reg: 5542028 | VAT: 871389294