Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud, commonly known as file sync and share services, are popular places to store files. When used for their intended purpose, they are a useful and valuable business tool, however they are not to be confused with offsite backup.
FILE SYNC AND SHARE SERVICES
The intention of file sync and share services is to aid productivity by allowing multiple people to collaborate on a project through file synchronisation. If these services were to be used instead of backup, the user wouldn’t know what files had been synced and when.
File sync services, like the name suggests, only sync files; they’re unable to sync dynamic documents like databases, let alone your whole machine! This means than in an event of data loss, such as a fire, flood or a lost laptop, you’d be unable to restore your data from scratch. This is due to the many restrictions that file sync and share services have – they restrict the type of files, the size, and the devices you can sync to.
The restoration itself would be another issue. Firstly, if you don’t know what files have been synced, you won’t know what you’re restoring. You would also have to select each file that you want to restore individually, resulting in a time-consuming, frustrating task that’s subject to human error.
OFFSITE BACKUP
In contrast to a file sync and share service, a professional backup solution will provide flexibility, reliability, and perhaps most importantly, security.
It can backup your servers as well as your desktops and laptops, and provides a comprehensive log stating exactly what’s been backed up and when. Notifications are sent to confirm successful backup or alert us to any issues, ensuring they can be solved promptly.
Our solution also works without restriction. You can backup any amount of any type of data from numerous devices in a secure, encrypted format. You pay per gigabyte of data, and it’s easy to scale your storage amount, so you’ll only pay for what you use.
DON'T MAKE A BAD DAY WORSE!
Many companies make the mistake of using file sync and share services as backup. A simple online search will show countless articles about failed restores, lost files and the inability of file sync and share services to assure data safety.
If your day involves file restoration, you’re probably having a bad one. Don’t make your bad day worse by realising too late that you’ve lost your data. Get in touch today to discuss Offsite Backup.