A backup is a copy of data. The copy is produced with the aim of enabling data to be recreated in the event that it is lost. In simple cases, it is sufficient to copy the individual files from their original location to another storage medium. With a backup, you ensure that you always have a copy (or backup) of your data in case of an accident.
It is important to back up systems, including computers, databases, etc. Many people take a PC with them everywhere and risk losing it. Something that many people do not consider is that these are fragile devices which can unfortunately fail. In the worst-case scenario, you will not get your PC back or it may not be possible to save the data on it. What happens then? If you do not have a backup copy, you will lose all the data on your PC. This could be not only e-mails and photographs, but also large amounts of business-critical data, which is suddenly no longer available. However, there is no need to worry if you have a backup copy.
It is especially important for businesses working with large quantities of data to have a clear procedure regarding how they should back up their databases. Backing up databases helps to ensure that you back up operating state, architecture and stored data in database software. This will enable you to create a duplicate occurrence or copy of a database if the primary database crashes, becomes corrupted, or is lost.
There are various options available as regards the storage of data. You could for example create an online backup to the cloud or an on-site backup to a hard drive.
Online backup
Online backup means that you store your data on an offsite server, which can be accessed via the internet, e.g. in the cloud. Backing up to the cloud means that you are making a backup over the internet to an external storage device. Most of the time, your backup will end up at a data centre, which you will always have access to if you need it.
By having an online backup, data is stored on multiple servers in different locations, which provides protection against loss, as the backup can always be retrieved without any problems. In addition, data is encrypted by an application on the system before being sent for storage on a remote server.
Cloud-based backup systems also offer unlimited storage capacity with a fixed or usage-based pricing model. Online backup is often an automated process and automatic data backups will be performed once it has been set up.
On-site backup
On-site backup means you store your data on a local storage device, such as a hard drive, CD or magnetic tape. This is often a manual backup, which allows faster access to the stored data without any need for a fast internet connection. In addition, hard drives are cheap storage devices, which means they can be purchased in large quantities and provide enough space to store additional data.
This can be particularly advantageous for small businesses which need to store a limited amount of sensitive data. Furthermore, hard drives are easy to install and manage. By using a software manual for backup copying, companies with limited professional expertise can also easily back up their data without needing external assistance.
On the other hand, hard drives, magnetic tapes, CDs and other storage devices which are located on site are more vulnerable to data theft. Financial or sensitive data can thus more easily fall into the wrong hands, with potentially serious consequences.
Backup and GDPR
In order to meet the requirements of the GDPR, it must be possible to delete personal data from backups, etc. if this is technically possible. This may be the case if a backup consists of an uncompressed copy of a database, where deletion can be performed in the same way as for the system that is in operation. If you are responsible for this, you should relate to the personal data that is stored in the backup, but which has been deleted from a system that is in operation, e.g. due to a deletion deadline or a request for "the right to be forgotten".
Find out more about the deletion of personal data here (Info in Norwegian) >
We has a strong focus on backing up both our own data and our customers' data. Systems and databases are constantly changing, and it is too late to discover that a backup is not working when it is needed. Cegal therefore offers the operation and monitoring of systems, along with a Disaster Recovery service, which is a planned security procedure aimed at protecting companies from system crashes. The aim is to get the company's critical systems and procedures up and running as quickly as possible after an unforeseen critical incident.
Find out more about our services for operating and monitoring IT services >
Find out more about our Basecare Discover™ monitoring service >