Backups and the 3-2-1 Standard

What is a backup?

A backup is a copy of your production data stored on a separate device. It could be full images captured using a piece of software, such as Datto or Veeam. It could also be stored on the cloud. It could also be done using the Windows image backup which is prebuilt in Windows and then stored on a separate storage device.

Why are backups important?

Backups are a critical piece of disaster recovery. There are multiple good reasons to maintain backups. The first reason is to circumvent ransomware – to not have to pay the ransom and still have functioning data that can be accessed in a reasonable time frame. The second reason is to eliminate downtime in the case of hardware failure. Third, it can prevent data loss from human error. Sometimes an employee may remove a file or files on accident, and these backups can retrieve the information in no time.

How and when do I backup my data?

There are three types of backups, full, incremental, and differential:

Full backup: Backing up ALL of your data
Differential: Backing up anything that has changed since your last full backup
Incremental: Backing up anything that has changed since the last backup of any kind

You will likely use a combination of all three. They provide different speeds and backup points to restore from.

The standard is 3-2-1. Three copies of your production data, two backups that are stored in separate locations (physical vs cloud for example), and one needs to be offsite.

What service does IT Insights recommend?

These are all providers worth checking out in your research for a solution.

• Datto
• Veeam
• Backblaze
• Acronis
• Carbonite

Do you have questions or need help in setting up backups in your organization? That’s what we’re here for.