Backups are useful in different ways: if the extra sardine does not change your life, a backup of your company data, on the other hand, could well save it.

Now let’s see why; if you haven’t already done so, you should immediately implement a backup policy for your data.

“Sorry, Boss, My Finger Slipped.”

Do you know the saying that “in computing, the problem is often between the chair and the keyboard “?

People are not infallible. Emails containing viruses are accidentally opened every day. Not to mention important files that can be accidentally deleted.

You’d probably sleep better knowing that an image of your disks is waiting to be called upon to restore your data to a point before the dumpling.

Do, Then, Redo.

How nice to get it right the first time and never have to go back after the job is done, isn’t it? If you experience some kind of “sorry boss, my finger slipped “type failure, and you don’t have backups, you may be able to recover some bits of your work, but which ones and, more importantly, where did the rest go?

In almost every case, whether it’s putting systems back together or recreating spreadsheets that you or your employees have been working on for months, you’re going to have to roll up your sleeves.

In some of the most severe cases, if you suffer a major data loss, you may well end up redoing everything you’ve already done over several years – it’s a situation that few companies survive.

Multiplication of Terminals

As the use of laptops, smartphones, and tablets continues to grow, so does the amount of data created and stored in these devices.

We can also mention, of course, the advent of the Internet of Things worldwide, which leads to an increase in the volume of data on terminals.

Laptops, smartphones, tablets, and all other connected objects are all data contained in things that can be lost at any time and which must therefore be backed up. So even if those devices are lost, your data is safe somewhere else, like the cloud, of course.

Hello, Reputation!

While financial losses can be calculated, it is difficult to quantify the true consequences of data loss. The loss of reputation (and productivity) is often catastrophic.

Indeed, we understand them consumers are turning away from brands that have been exposed to this kind of problem. Damage to the reputation of companies that do not protect their personal data can result in a sudden loss of business.

The icing on the cake is that you might even be worried about a lawsuit from consumers or authorities concerned with computer data.

Audits, Taxes

All businesses are required to keep their business records for a variable but significant period (often several years). This is due either to tax reasons or to various regulations of the relevant industry. The tax authorities or the regulatory commissions do not care that you have had a computer problem. You will not escape a fine for being careless with your data.

A final example: what if you decide to conduct an audit of your company based on data from several years?

It’s easy to assume that your PC (or PCs) contains the information you’ve gathered over the years, but as you know by now, having just one copy of your documents in one place is a huge mistake. By ensuring you have an external backup of critical information about your customers, your employees, your suppliers, and your business, you can really save yourself if something goes wrong. A fire happened so quickly.

Turn-Key Solutions (TKS) is the best IT solution provider that provides you with data backup solutions and document management services.

The post Why Back Up Your Data Right Away? first appeared on TKS.

Businesses reduce the risk of data loss and lower their IT costs. They don’t need to invest in expensive infrastructure and staff while meeting the retention requirement. The managed services provider is responsible for maintaining the backup equipment and application software and managing the backup process.

6 Key Benefits of Managed Backup

Companies today face several challenges in complying with security standards. Companies, therefore, need a new approach to protecting their data. The solution is to adopt an outsourced backup and data protection model. We have summarized six main benefits of outsourced cloud backup as a service:

1. The reduced total cost of ownership: There is no need to purchase or install expensive hardware, as the backup and recovery platform is vendor-managed.
2. Improved data recovery speed: A cloud backup and recovery solution instantly restores data regardless of your location. The restore includes individual files. By working with a managed service provider, you can select your RTOs and RPOs to best meet your business needs.
3. More secure file transfer method: Unencrypted on-premises data backup and recovery systems are not secure. In a cloud backup solution, files are encrypted before they are transmitted to a cloud server and remain encrypted until they reach their destination. The only decryption key resides with the client.
4. Better use of IT resources: Redirect your IT resources to more strategic initiatives within your organization. Cloud backup’s built-in scalability can accommodate the growth or evolution of your data environment.
5. Stronger compliance guarantees: A managed service provider uses multiple geographically diverse data centers, giving you a more reliable backup solution. Managed backup offers more reliability and redundancy than tape backup.
6. Eliminate tape storage: Tape backups are vulnerable. Recovering data from a tape system can be a difficult and slow process.

By migrating to a managed service, your business can free up IT resources, reduce expenses, and simplify the process of protecting its critical data. Choosing a managed service provider for your business means a team of experts will take care of your data for a small investment. 

Turn-Key Solutions (TKS) provides its clients with the best IT services in Alabama, like data backup solutions and document management services.

The post 6 Benefits of Managed Backup first appeared on TKS.

In exponential growth and constant questioning, IT in business is a key subject. Showing a white paw in this area is imperative. In order to ensure the proper functioning of the information systems and the security of the data of the company and its customers, several solutions exist. It starts with the maintenance and outsourcing of your IT equipment! 

The Help Desk: 1st Company IT Insurance

Even before talking about maintenance and outsourcing, there is a first level to ensure the operation of simple computer systems in business. To respond to software or hardware issues, the Help Desk is dedicated to remote assistance – by telephone contact, chat, or e-mail. Depending on the contract in place and the degree of difficulty of the action, this service may be required to refer to a more qualified service provider.

The Help Desk, therefore, lays a first milestone by plugging specific gaps without providing viable and lasting solutions. Its episodic and surface action cannot be included in deploying long-term IT infrastructure. In order to do this, it is necessary to guarantee the proper functioning of the equipment (hardware and software) used via ongoing maintenance and/or optimized outsourcing.

Maintenance: The Basis of a Good Computer System 

Like the foundation stone of a building, quality maintenance provides a solid foundation for the network. Its main objective? Allow the operational functioning of the computer park within the structure. Maintenance is an internal or external service essential to more complex computer systems. It ensures the free flow of information by resolving any malfunctions. As the first step in developing and deploying a computer network optimization strategy, maintenance responds to concrete needs by correcting failures.

Maintenance delivers a perfect curative action by intervening on an ad hoc basis and after the arrival of the problem. However, the costs generated by computer malfunctions in companies are still extremely high today. It is estimated that 100 hours, or two weeks of work, per year are lost due to equipment undergoing maintenance. But then, how to act in prevention to avoid them?

Outsourcing: The Solution for Better Anticipation

We often speak of gaining height or stepping back to accomplish a task or a mission optimally. Outsourcing is outsourcing part or all of a company’s IT infrastructure. This is a more “evolved” service than maintenance because it questions the exploitation of the current state, its securing, and its future development.

For VSEs and SMEs, this “tool” ensures the proper management of information systems and contributes to their organizational optimization. With the COVID crisis or the proliferation of cyberattacks, companies want to remain proactive and anticipate the various issues to come. 

Visit the Turn-Key Solutions (TKS) website to get the best IT Services in Alabama. We are an IT Solutions Provider company that provides Secure Managed Services. Contact us for more information!

The post IT Maintenance or Outsourcing? Which Solution Is For My IT Services Company? first appeared on TKS.

More companies are abandoning local backup and turning to online backup to back up their data. This backup strategy is indeed much more practical and reassuring. It allows them to keep and protect their computer data in a single remote and secure space via an Internet connection. All users can then access the saved information from any device and easily share it.

Cloud backup is currently recognized as the best backup solution for critical business data. And this is because of its multiple advantages that we will present below.

A High-Quality Solution with Online Backup

The traditional backup, the use of internal or external hard drives and USB keys, is not always safe from an unfortunate accident. These physical data storage devices are highly exposed to computer viruses, electronic failures, or disasters (fire or flood). This can lead to the loss of the data they contain. Under these conditions, restorations of lost data can be very expensive, if possible. With a remote backup strategy, things are different.

One of the greatest benefits of online file backup is the ability for disaster recovery. Thus, you are guaranteed to see your company files intact even in the event of an incident. The Cloud is also equipped with a data encryption feature during their transfer and storage in your host’s data center. This encryption consists of converting all readable information into incomprehensible cipher texts. Thus, a third party cannot read all the data that passes between the company’s workstations and the servers’ external files. Only the holder of the decryption key can access the transferred information.

A Simple and Practical Solution with Online Backup

Online data backup is simple to use and easy to access. It has an intuitive and user-friendly web interface. Thanks to an ultra-comprehensive range of features, your teams gain in productivity.

• Data accessibility

Cloud backup also allows you to access your backed-up data from any device, anywhere, anytime. As long as you have Internet access, you must log in to your Cloud account to view your files. No need to carry an SD card, a USB key, or an external hard drive everywhere you go. Whether at home, in the office, or even on the road to your client, you benefit from quick and easy access to your stored data.

• Ultra-fast file sharing

Backing up information online allows you to share your files easier and faster. It is very convenient for remote work since each user can access the data he needs wherever he is. Import your documents into the online backup server, edit them to save time, and strengthen teamwork. Your collaborators can then exchange the modified files in a few minutes.

• Automated backup

Outsourced backup has an automatic backup feature at regular intervals or real-time synchronization for ease of use. Just define a computer’s key folders, which will be backed up online at the desired time (daily backup or weekly backup) or each modification.

A Solution Accessible To All with Online Backup

Making a cloud backup meets all needs. This backup policy is suitable for companies of all sectors and sizes. In addition, it allows you to save all types of data essential to your activity:

• Office Suite documents: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• Multimedia files: videos, images, etc.
• Databases: MySQL, Oracle, Exchange, etc.
• Operating systems: Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS, Linux, Ubuntu

With online backup solutions, businesses can save money. No need to invest in a NAS, external disks, or CDs, which have a limited capacity and lifespan. Your cloud service provider takes care of infrastructure maintenance and updating operations. You pay only for the storage space you use, representing a considerable reduction in your operating budget. In addition, the storage capacity is infinitely expandable according to your needs.

A Large Capacity Solution with Online Backup

The digitization of companies and the rise of new technologies exponentially increase the size of the data to be backed up. The quality of multimedia content, such as photos and videos, is constantly improving, and applications are integrating more innovative features. It then became difficult for structures to save all their data on traditional disk space, such as a hard disk or a USB key.

Back up your data online means opting for a larger storage capacity. Flexible, you can extend it according to the volume of your backups. This online storage space can also be used for archiving documents you no longer use daily. You can thus free up space in your cupboards and your information system.

Conclusion

Any business can experience critical data loss, so organizations need to set up a robust, efficient, and secure backup. Online backup is now the most appropriate method for VSEs, SMEs, and large groups. It offers many significant advantages compared to local backup: quality, simplicity, practicality, economical solution, and large storage capacity. Many service providers are now available on the market, offering a Cloud in a free or paid version. It’s up to you to find the solution that best suits your needs!

Visit the Turn-Key Solutions (TKS) website to get the best IT Services in Alabama. We are an IT Solutions Provider company that provides Secure Managed Services. Contact us for more information! Our trustworthy team is there to provide you with tailor-made IT solutions adapted to your digitalization and growth objectives while considering your current and future organization.

The post Online Backup: The Best Solution for Your Business Documents first appeared on TKS.

Without wishing to be alarmist, it is good to remember that 82% of unprepared companies do not recover from a computer crash involving the total loss of data. As a preventive procedure, the IT disaster recovery plan is built well in advance of the occurrence of the incident.

Let’s take a look at the challenges of setting it up!

What is an IT Disaster Recovery Plan?

An IT activity recovery plan is a document describing the measures to be taken, step by step, to restart the operation of the information system in the event of a disaster (cyber-attack involving or not the theft of critical data, hardware failure, error human, fire, etc.) Its role is crucial because it contributes to minimizing the losses of productivity and related turnover.

The IT PRA is drawn up by the information system department (or an expert service provider in this field) in collaboration with the other departments. The PRA must adapt to the organization’s specific needs and environment. It considers, in particular, the nature of the data processed, the technologies used, and the business processes.

The main elements of the IT DRP are:

• Audit of potential risks (of types: cyber threats, hardware failure, software failure, backup failure, network problems, natural disaster)
• Prioritization of critical IT activities;
• The definition of backup IT solutions and their instructions;
• The definition of a data backup and restoration plan;
• User authentication procedures;
• Test and validation plans;
• Regular updating and adaptation to changes in the information system.

Why Is It Important To Have An IT Disaster Recovery Plan?

The disaster recovery plan makes it possible to minimize the risks linked to a computer breakdown and to reduce the time needed to restore the systems. A good DRP requires considering all aspects of the business, including internal processes, data, and software solutions. It should also be updated and tested regularly to ensure that it works properly.

As seen previously, data backup is one of the essential components. These should be backed up regularly and stored in a safe place, such as a data center or a safe, and they will be restored from backup copies.

The DRP also provides measures to limit the risks of incidents upstream by implementing adequate security policies and procedures, training staff in good practices, and setting up systems for monitoring and detecting anomalies.

Visit the Turn-Key Solutions (TKS) website to get the best IT Services in Alabama. We are an IT Solutions Provider company that provides secure managed services. Our trustworthy team is there to provide you with tailor-made IT solutions adapted to your digitalization and growth objectives while considering your current and future organization. Contact us for more information! 

The post The Challenges of an IT Disaster Recovery Plan first appeared on TKS.