The worst has happened: a ransomware attack. You calmly reach for your trusted data protection recovery plan and are set to begin the process. Imagine your horror as you discover the files are corrupt, outdated, or missing entirely.
This, unfortunately, is not an unrealistic scenario. A data backup strategy is essential, but simply setting it up and forgetting about it isn’t enough.
Understanding the vulnerabilities in your current system helps you to build toward solid business continuity. Here are the seven most common reasons backups fail and the steps you can take to prevent them.
1. The “Silent Failure” Phenomenon
The trap many businesses fall into is relying on automated software to handle their daily saves. While automation is great for efficiency, software is never 100% reliable. It can glitch, hang, or lose connection without anyone noticing.
If you aren’t keeping an eye on your logs daily, a “silent failure” might occur. Your system might report that a job is running, but no data is actually being written. You might go weeks or months thinking that you are protected, only to find an empty data backup when you need to restore a file. Monitor your systems regularly to ensure your data is being saved correctly.
2. You Never Test Your Recovery Plan
Having a backup is not the same as having a recovery. If you haven’t simulated a disaster scenario, you don’t know if your files are restorable or how long a full restore will take.
Testing proves that your software works, your keys unlock the encryption, and your team knows the procedure. Without regular data backup testing, you are playing a risky game.
3. Data Corruption and Incomplete Files
Sometimes the backup process completes, but the data inside is unusable. This can happen due to network interruptions, hardware faults on the storage drive, or software bugs.
A panic-inducing “error” message may pop up when you try to access the data, stating the file is corrupt. This renders your data backup safety net as good as useless. Ensuring your solution includes integrity checks is vital to verify that the data stored matches the data sent.
4. Critical Data Was Left Behind
It’s difficult to know when something isn’t there. Especially if it is a smaller piece of information. Often, businesses fail to update their backup configurations when they add new software or change workflows.
Furthermore, employees frequently save files locally on their desktops or separate drives rather than on the central server. If that local machine dies, that data is gone forever because it was never integrated into the central backup loop. Take time at the end of each week to ensure all new software and workflows are added to recovery configurations.
5. Storage in the Wrong Location
If your primary server and your backup drive are sitting in the same room, then a single fire, flood, or electrical surge can destroy both your main computer and the backup drive sitting on top of it.
Relying solely on local storage leaves your business vulnerable to physical disasters. Keep multiple copies of your data, and store them in different locations (or in the cloud).
6. Vulnerability to Ransomware
Modern cybercriminals are good at what they do. Ransomware developers know that your data backups are your get-out-of-jail-free card. Consequently, many newer strains of malware specifically target backup files first.
If your backups are connected to the main network without proper protection in place, then the ransomware can encrypt your live data and your safety net. You need immutable storage options that prevent unauthorized users from altering or deleting files.
7. Delays with Restoration
If your server goes down, how long can your business survive without access to its data? This is your Recovery Time Objective (RTO).
Some cloud solutions are ideal for storage but slow for retrieval. If you have terabytes of data and a slow internet connection, it could take days or even weeks to download everything. If you want to be able to bounce back from server failure, then you need to minimize downtime.
Make a Safety Net That Actually Works with Unity IT
A crisis will make the holes in your strategy painfully obvious. So, plan ahead and create a powerful data backup and recovery plan that will bring you through any disaster.
By addressing these seven common stumbling blocks, you move from hoping your data is safe to knowing it is secure. A secure data backup plan requires constant vigilance, regular testing, and professional management. If you aren’t 100% confident in your ability to recover from a disaster, then it’s time to reassess your approach and bring in an IT partner.
Contact our team at Unity IT today to bring all your continuity goals into action.