Quick question: Is your data backed up?

Data center services and solutions for three common scenarios that can lead to major data losses

By Tim Pritchett

If your company’s data were suddenly compromised, are you confident you could restore the most vital data right away, and the rest soon after? How painful would it be? How many days would your business have to close?

If you’re not sure, you’re not alone. In the day-to-day operations of any business, data center maintenance often gets pushed aside for more urgent IT needs.

While cyberattacks cost companies billions of dollars in lost revenue, simpler, more routine IT mistakes can also lead to lost data. The good news is that these issues are easy to detect and fix – and the payoffs for your company and peace of mind are immeasurable.

Here are some common issues leading to data loss, and what you can do about them.

Issue 1: IT employee turnover

The problem: Employee turnover in the IT department can lead to half-completed work, poor records being kept, jobs passed along, and data not being backed up.

The solution: Don’t just make recordkeeping a priority and a habit – make sure your recordkeeping system transcends any single employee who may leave. That way you’ll always have current information on how backups are being handled for each set of data. Updated records also make it much easier to onboard new employees and outside IT data center services consultants and contractors.

Issue 2: End-of-life equipment

The problem: We see this often as managed IT services providers – old equipment kept working far past its end-of-service date.

The solution: Inventory systems should keep track of equipment – when it was purchased, how long service agreements last, and when that equipment will need replacing. Old servers can fail at any time. If you can’t sacrifice that data, better records can help you replace equipment before it fails.

Issue 3: Expired software

The problem: Just like hardware, software can cease to function or lose manufacturer support.

The solution: Put software on your list of “things to manage closely.” Most companies remember to update their security software to protect themselves against cyberattacks. But failing to patch and update server software or application versions can be just as damaging – if that server goes down and there are no backups, the impact on your data center could be just as bad as a cyberattack.

Your experience in data center management

What is your IT recordkeeping system like, and do you think it could prevent data loss? Are you comfortable with your backup plans? Is your backup plan aligned with your organization’s business goals?

At Matrix, we design data center managed services plans and backup plans all the time – whether it’s routine maintenance or building a new data center and disaster recovery plan from scratch. Contact us for a free consultation or to learn more!