Stop Using OneDrive As Your Backup | Birmingham AL. Managed IT Support | Digital Micro

 OneDrive is Not a Backup Service.

We see this everyday with new customers. They're either told by their ex-support company or a "geek" in a big-box-store that OneDrive can keep their data safe. OneDrive is a great way to share files with clients, co-workers or even family, it's quick and easy. It's also just as quick and easy to lose all of your files. OneDrive is not perfect. We have seen people locked out of accounts for many odd issues, and they're never able to get back in. Ransomware is also a major cause of data loss because OneDrive offers zero protection from it. To make matter worse, ransomware has the ability to jump from your computer to someone else's PC you have shared a folder with.

Onsite Data Backups

The long-standing rule for data protection is to have an onsite backup and a cloud backup. Benefits of onsite backups are quick restorations if you need to get a large number of files back and you have a copy if you're cloud solutions is inaccessibly. Like when you forgot to pay for it for over six months and the company purges your data. That actually happens. So, what's the downside of onsite backups? The first is they are almost guaranteed to be hit with ransomware if your device is connected to a PC or the network. Secondly, if your actual building is destroyed by natural causes, so is the backup.

Cloud Backups

Cloud backups are mandatory today. They ensure your data is protected in multiple locations across the United States, so the data is protected from natural disasters. Cloud backups also protect you with what's called retention. You can setup a cloud backup to keep 3, 5, up to 20 copies of a file as it's changed. This protects against ransomware or user changes that need to be undone.

Conclusion

So, what should you do for a backup? This all depends on what you need for your business. Do you have industry compliances that must be followed? Do you want quick restore times? If this something you want to approach yourself, start with a solid cloud backup. For this we recommend Carbonite. They have been around a very long time, have an easy-to-use system and they're affordable. After that you should at least buy a USB external hard drive to make physical copies of your files and put them up somewhere.

If this something you prefer not to face yourself, we are here to help. The IT experts are Digital Micro can come onsite and design the best solution to protect your business and its company data. We provide On-Demand and Managed IT support across most of Birmingham, Alabama, Atlanta, Georgia and all areas between. You can reach us online at www.DigitalMicroIT.com or call us at (256) 405-9150.

Disclaimer

Your data is important. It's always best to speak with a professional IT provider when selecting a backup solution. This blog is just a short guide, every business is different. Digital Micro takes no responsibility if you choose to design your own backup solution based off this blog post.