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Cybersecurity Network Administration Managed IT Cloud & Microsoft 365 Backup & Recovery IT Consulting Camera Security Installation PA Systems Employee Time Clock Systems
Our Work Resources Contact 269-621-4884
Backup & Recovery

What Should a Small Business Back Up?

A useful backup plan starts by identifying what the business actually needs to recover—not simply installing backup software.

5 min read

Start with the business, not the backup product

Before selecting a backup system, identify the information and systems the organization needs in order to operate.

That may include file servers, cloud files, Microsoft 365 data, accounting information, line-of-business applications, databases, virtual machines, configuration files, and important workstation data.

Decide how much data you can afford to lose

A business that can recreate a day of work has different requirements from one that cannot lose more than a few minutes of transactions.

Decide how long recovery can take

Recovery time matters just as much as backup frequency. Restoring several terabytes across a slow internet connection may technically be possible but operationally unacceptable.

Protect backups from the systems they protect

Ransomware and compromised administrator accounts can sometimes reach connected backups. A resilient design should consider separation, immutability, offline copies, or other controls appropriate to the environment.

Test recovery

Successful backup jobs do not automatically prove that the business can recover. Periodically verify important restores and document the recovery process.

Include cloud systems

Using a cloud application does not eliminate every backup and retention concern. Understand the retention and recovery capabilities of each important cloud service and decide whether they meet the business requirement.

Build a practical recovery plan

Create verified backups, document recovery procedures, and establish a practical incident playbook. Those Computer Guys can help evaluate backup requirements and design recovery options around the systems your business depends on.

Need help?

Talk with Those Computer Guys.

We can help turn general guidance into a practical plan for your environment.

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