subject: Disaster Data Backup Solutions: An Indispensable Part Of Business [print this page] Business data backup is a serious issue that concerns every company, considering that organizations rely so heavily upon technology to assist in running operations and analyze information.
Every day, critical decisions are made by organizations, companies and businesses of all sizes, based upon the data that they collect and use. If that data becomes compromised or lost, it can impact companies in many negative, even disastrous ways.
Weather and other natural catastrophes such as a flood, fire, earthquake and tornadoes occur regularly, which can cause data losses such as server or hard drive failures.
More often than not, companies that do not have adequate onsite and offsite data backup in place end up suffering the consequences. Therefore, businesses must have a business data backup and disaster recovery plan in place to safeguard their businesses adequately.
The following statistics demonstrate the importance of data backup and how it relates to disaster recovery:
An estimated 31% of all PC users have lost all of their computer files as a result of events that occur which are beyond their control.
Mozy Online Backup has reported that approximately 140,000 hard drives crash on a weekly basis in the United States alone.
There were approximately 4.6 million data loss episodes annually, in recent years, which translates to 6% of all PC systems, according to "The Cost Of Lost Data," by David M. Smith.
Cost Factors
There is an undeniable effect on costs whenever a business experiences a data loss or, worse yet a disaster. Consider these factors concerning the expenditures associated with business data backup and disaster recovery:
A simple drive recovery effort on average, can cost over $7,500, for which success is never guaranteed.
Computer Economics has reported that American businesses typically lose over $7.6 billion due to viruses annually, on a regular basis.
U.S. businesses lose approximately $11.8 billion annually due to those losses.
Within a year, 93% of the companies losing a data center connection for 10 days or more file for bankruptcy. Around 50% of companies without data management during that period actually file bankruptcy immediately, according to the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington.
Documentation and Testing
Regardless of whether businesses a) manage their own data recovery or b) utilize an off-site IT business data backup and recovery system, it needs to be documented properly. Additionally, data backup solutions require that both initial and ongoing testing occurs to assure that any flaws are discovered and rectified quickly.
Often, users back up the data, but never ensure that testing is completed and performed adequately. As a result, many companies find that the data is corrupt, will not restore, or is even lost. Most businesses cannot function without their data. In fact, it is estimated that out of 34% of businesses that do not fail-test their tape backups, 77% experience failures.
Consider these statistics concerning business closures as a result of business data backup failures:
Strategic Research Institute has indicated that businesses unable to continue operations within ten days of a disaster often close, due to losses sustained.
Home Office Computing Magazine has reported that 70% of all businesses which have a fire disaster fail, while 30% go out of business within just a year.
Approximately 60% of all firms that suffer data loss are forced to close their businesses within around 6 months of a data disaster.
Based upon what has been covered here - can your company really afford not to ensure that the information you rely upon so heavily has business data backup in place?
