World Backup Day: What is it?

JOHN CAVANAUGH | Vice President of the Chief Technology Office 

A backup, or data backup, is a copy of computer data taken and stored elsewhere to restore the original after an event that results in data loss. Backups can be used to recover data after its loss from data deletion or corruption or to recover data from an earlier time.  As such, backups provide a simple form of disaster recovery; however, not all backup systems can reconstitute complex computer systems, such as computer clusters or database servers. 

So, what is World Backup Day? 

World Backup Day began in 2011, originating from a Reddit post by a user who lost his data and wished someone had reminded him to back up his data. It was initially focused on personal computer backup. 

Some Facts: 

Focusing on personal computing, consider the following: 

• 21% of people have never made a backup 
• 113 phones are lost or stolen every minute 
• 29% of data loss cases are caused by accident 
• 30% of all computers are already infected with malware 

What should be done for personal computers and other BYOD devices? 

Many platforms support some version of native and even cloud backup. The most complete of these is from Apple Computers. Users can attach a USB Drive and use the native Time Machine backup system, but they can also subscribe to Apple’s iCloud service. This can include iPad, iPhone, and even MacBook devices. Lost or stolen devices can be wiped remotely, and new devices can synch with user data by simply logging them back into the user’s iCloud service. 

For non-Apple users, similar systems exist from Google, Microsoft, and others. 

This remains important for corporate users because of the trend of using Bring Your Own Devices (BYODs) to access corporate data. Your laptop, PDA, and/or smartphone directly or indirectly interact with corporate DCs and services. So, a backup strategy that does not include such devices could leave key employees out in the cold after an outage. 

What About the Enterprise? 

A lot has changed on the enterprise side since 2011. At that time, most corporate data was covered by enterprise disaster plans, stored in on-premises data centers, and controlled by corporate information technology (IT) teams. Today, many key employees use BYOD systems to access corporate data, which is no longer centralized. Applications can now be based in Corporate DCs, Cloud instances, Software as a Service (SaaS), locally on the users’ devices, and in any combination. This type of environment is often referred to as a Hybrid Cloud. 

Does Security Play a Role Here? 

Absolutely. One of the most common attack vectors is for the bad guys to use ransomware to encrypt a user’s data. Creating a schedule of backups that are stored using a safe and uncorrupted methodology is called immutable storage. Having these secure backups is critical to mitigating ransomware. 

So, what about Hybrid Corporate Data? 

First and foremost, Executives should examine their Disaster Recovery and backup strategies holistically. This will involve looking for synergies to establish a ‘Whole of Enterprise’ approach to backing up critical data and systems.  

This requires a thorough knowledge of where corporate data is stored and an understanding of the systems that access and process it. Creating a thorough backup plan that includes immutable storage is central to establishing a recovery strategy. 

Backup Your Data with BlueAlly 

BlueAlly consultants have a long history of working with clients in regulated industries such as utilities, healthcare, and the financial sector. We can work with your teams to identify and mitigate your firm’s risks cost-effectively and comprehensively. 

To learn more, contact us about the assessments we can perform to address any concerns, improve your DR Plans, and enhance your overall security.