Collett Systems - Reliable IT & Cybersecurity for Growing Businesses

Data is the lifeblood of modern businesses. Whether it's customer records, financial data, or proprietary designs, losing critical information can bring operations to a halt. Yet many businesses still rely on outdated or incomplete backup strategies.

Here are five backup best practices that every organization should implement today.

1. Follow the 3-2-1 Rule

The 3-2-1 backup rule is a time-tested framework:

3 copies of your data (the original plus two backups)
2 different storage types (e.g., local NAS and cloud storage)
1 offsite copy (cloud or a geographically separate location)

This ensures that no single event — whether a hardware failure, ransomware attack, or natural disaster — can wipe out all your data.

2. Test Your Backups Regularly

A backup that hasn't been tested is a backup you can't trust. We recommend:

Monthly restore tests for critical systems
Quarterly full disaster recovery drills
Documenting recovery times so you know what to expect in a real emergency

Too many businesses discover their backups are corrupted or incomplete only when they desperately need them.

3. Automate Everything

Manual backups are unreliable. People forget, get busy, or make mistakes. Automated backup solutions ensure:

Consistent daily (or more frequent) backups
No gaps in protection
Detailed logs for compliance and auditing

4. Encrypt Your Backups

Backup data is just as sensitive as your live data. Always use:

AES-256 encryption at rest
TLS encryption in transit
Separate encryption keys managed securely

This is especially important for businesses subject to HIPAA, CMMC, or other compliance frameworks.

5. Include Cloud and SaaS Data

Many businesses assume Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace data is automatically backed up. It's not. Microsoft's shared responsibility model makes it clear: they protect the infrastructure, but your data is your responsibility.

Make sure your backup strategy covers:

Email and calendars
SharePoint and OneDrive files
Teams conversations and channels

Don't Wait for a Disaster

The best time to improve your backup strategy is before you need it. At Collett Systems, we design and manage comprehensive backup and disaster recovery solutions tailored to your business needs.