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How to Choose a Business Backup Solution Provider?

business backup solution

With more and more businesses recognising the benefits of backing up their data to ensure it is safe and complies with current data protection regulations, knowing which provider to choose for this task is becoming increasingly important. Here are some things to think about when you require a business backup solution in the UK.

Privacy and Security

When choosing a business backup solution in the UK, most people will be looking for a provider that offers robust privacy and security, so that their data is safe at all times. Not all solutions are created equally when it comes to privacy and security, so you need to ask all the right questions related to this. Look for providers who offer a two-step verification process when you login, to give that extra layer of security in case someone tries to access your data. Find out whether a provider offers a secure encryption process, and if your data is compromised by an unauthorised user, can you disable the login to prevent access to your data?

Backup Frequency

Backing up your data keeps it safe and secure, not just from theft but also in situations where you might lose data through fire, system malfunction or human error. In the event that a disaster recovery is required, businesses will want to have the confidence that the provider they use has the most up-to-date information backed up so nothing is lost. Surprisingly, this can vary when choosing a business backup solution in the UK, so make sure that you find a provider that offers automatic backup, preferably where you can customise it to suit your own requirements.

Downtime

It is important that you can access your backed up data when you need it, so choose a provider that offers high levels of accessibility. Inevitably, there is bound to be some downtime that providers need for essential maintenance to their services, but this should be kept to a minimum. Find out what level of downtime you can expect from a provider before you make any decisions.

Cost

There are variations in what you can expect to pay when choosing a backup solution provider, so give careful attention to this aspect. While you might not get the best services, quality and security if you opt for the very cheapest provider, by the same token, it might not be a cost-effective decision choosing the most expensive supplier if this is surplus to your needs. Think about what you want from a backup provider according to your business requirements, taking into consideration any changes to growth that may occur in the future. When choosing a provider, some offer unlimited storage options while others set prices according to gigabytes of storage. Work out which is better for you.

By spending time weighing up your options, this increases your chances of choosing the most appropriate business backup solution provider for you.
 

Online Data Storage – Things to Know!

We all know that data is an important asset for all companies and business houses. The protection of data is therefore, one of the main concerns for all the enterprises. A single data lost can lead to heavy damage to the company which is absolutely undesirable. Previously, we used to store all essential documents in external hard discs which carried the risk of getting misplaced or lost. So, what’s the best way to store and safeguard data? Have you heard of online data storage? Well, online data storage has shaped the lives of companies and business houses for the better. Do you know what online data storage is? It’s the storage of all the vital documents on the cloud, or in other words, the internet. With the online data storage facility, you can enjoy security, accessibility and the sharing of all important data in your corporation. Nowadays, all business houses, irrespective of their size, are depending heavily on this latest invention.

Online data storage has gained prominence in today’s world for its unique features. To know more, keep reading below:

Security

As we all know, data is the biggest asset of a company, and in no way can it be lost. We should also find ways in which it can be stored in a safe and secure manner. One such ways is the online data storage system. In this you can store as much data as you want,without the fear of losing them. If you store vital data in external hard discs,they have more chance or being lost or damaged. On the other hand, once you store all files on the cloud you can be rest assured with the security it provides. So, what are you waiting for? Try online secure data storage now.

Accessibility

This is the second most important feature of online data storage. The files stored on the cloud can be accessed at any point of time and from any corner of the world. This acts as a major advantage for the employees of organisations as they can access their work at their own convenience in their own space. However, you need to make sure you have a proper internet connection to reach out to the important files at any time.

Easy sharing

It’s really tasking to make a change in a document and go about sharing the same document with all the employees of the organisation individually through e-mails. Well, online data storage makes your life easy by providing various platforms to share the files in order to modify them in unity with the other co-workers. Isn’t it convenient? Of course, it is.

Now, I’m sure you know why secure data storage solutions are the best and gaining momentum in the market. There are more than one service providers offering best online secure storage facilities to one and all. Get in touch with any one of them and start enjoying their service for a smart and smooth business today.

Things to Consider before Subscribing to Secure Online Storage Services

The internet has taken our lives by storm. You can now make video calls to your distant friends who are sitting in some other part of the world in the most convenient way. You can actually keep a tab on the lives of your loved ones who are away from you. Yes, that’s the power of the internet. It has made the impossible, possible. I’m sure none of us could have imagined such technological advances.

Well, as days will pass more technological advancements will develop and shape our lives fora better future. Nowadays, we are heavily dependent on the internet for every aspect of our lives. From shopping to ordering food to making video calls, anything is possible with the help of the internet. When the internet has made everything so convenient then, how can online storage services lag behind? Okay, so, do you know what online storage is? If not, not to worry…

What is secure online storage?

Secure online storage is the latest advancement in the market providing backup services to the business houses. Online storage literally means stocking up of files on the internet. Gone are the days when you had to use external hard drives for storing important files. Online storage services serve the purpose of securing and safeguarding important data from getting lost or from getting corrupted. Once you install your important files with the online storage services you can be reassured with the limitless space and automatic updates. All the business houses, irrespective of their sizes are dependent on the secure online storage services for protecting their important data.

I’ll give you a proper picture of the things to consider before subscribing to secure online storage services. Read below to know more:

Security

This is one of the most important aspects that need to be taken care of before subscribing to online storage services. All companies have data that contain important information about the company, its client details, suppliers, share brokers and so on. Any kind of cyber crime can steal company assets, especially if the online storage service is not safe. You have to make sure that the online storage service which you are looking for must be well-secured and protected. You should always doresearch on the type of protection the service provider will offer you. Also ensure whether the protection is secured enough. Once you’re sure about this service line you can go ahead with it.

Safety

Data corruption is one of the most deadly issues that all companies must be ready to face.There have been instances where an unfortunate situation occurs and all the important files get corrupted without any warning. Though data can be restored there have been cases in the past where the data has been lost forever. Most online storage service providers claim to provide superior service which generates several copies of one file. This ensures the safety of the file in times of data corruption. You should verify these claims before opting for a subscriber because your data can be lost forever. So, be careful.

Accessibility

When a company is looking for a secureonline storage service provider, the third most important concern is the accessibility of the service. A company entrusts its important data with the online storage service provider for its accessibility. You must always be sure if the data stored in the servers of the online storage providers is accessible from any place at any point of the time or not. Accessibility is the flexibility that should be enjoyed by the company who is planning to take service from online storage service providers. So, compromising on this aspect is not recommended.

Follow the above-mentioned things to consider while subscribing to a secure online storage service provider for your business. You should leave no stones unturned to verify all the factors properly before fixing on one of the online storage service providers in the market. A data is an asset for a company, and in no way, it can be hacked, lost or misplaced. So, choose wisely.

Top Three Threats Your Business Can Face Without Cloud Backup

Today, most businesses exist on the web. Communication, sales or banking, everything is happening online simultaneously. Not only the e-commerce businesses but even the simplest of companies exist on the internet at some point or the other. They make use of online appointment making or online booking of services, and hence, if you do not take proper care of your online information, you might be at a great risk from hackers who can easily ruin your business.

Here are the top three threats that your company may face if you do not take help of the cloud backup plan. Let us now see how these threats can occur and how backing up your systems will protect the confidentiality of your business.

Identity Theft

Sometimes hackers create malicious programs that are designed to steal important information of various businesses, including bank accounts, credit cards and other. In case you have all your data stored on the computers, you are very much at the risk of identity theft. Hackers can also hack all your email addresses and contact numbers and use them to fulfill their needs through your customer’s accounts. Hence, you need to protect your business as well your customers by backing up each and every piece of sensitive information on the cloud to keep your data safe

Data Loss

Not only from the hackers or viruses but your data is also at a great risk from users. Furthermore, the hard drives you use can get damaged and stop working at any point of time. Your employees can misplace some important folders on the computer or even accidentally delete sensitive information.  All these mistakes can lead to a severe loss for the company as a whole. This is extremely stressful for you as a boss and also, your employees need to be careful when altering or removing documents. So, backing up all the files to the cloud is the best way to fight with such issues boldly. All our data will be kept safe on the cloud and you can have an access to them from anywhere, at any point of time. The only thing you will require is a good internet connection.

Natural Disasters

Even if you think that all your information is kept on the web and its safe, you would be mistaken. Natural calamities can never be predicted and can cause damage to your property as well as documents anytime. For example, in the case of a severe storm, servers and power lines can breakdown severely causing major damage to your company and keeping it offline for weeks. Even if the damage cost of your company is insured, and you get back the money you will never get back your data. In such a case, secured cloud storage in the UK is the ideal solution.

You may have some hard drives and few USB sticks, but when it comes to backing up the files on your computers, you will need lots of space and an easy access to them, especially with so many threats. So, backing up the files on the cloud can be your saviour as it will protect all your data and information from viruses, malware and human error.

Secure Online Storages Helps Business Perform Better

Cloud technology has catapulted the virtual world in several profound ways. The ability to offer instant access to a huge pool of resources is indeed commendable allowing people to work smoothly and easily. Cloud computing allows users to attain their objectives that they thought were extremely complicated to pursue. Cloud storage service providers offer hosting packages those are in sync with business needs of a company. The scope that Cloud provides to professionals implies the best use of avant garde technology.

Most entrepreneurs running a company face similar questions of staff management, ways of limiting business expenses and solutions that should be opted to streamline business processes. The answer to all these problems is the Cloud. Cloud is considered to be the go to solution because it helps

  • a) companies improve their overall efficiency
  • b) enhance the flow of communication
  • c) frame strong and effective business strategies.

So make sure you have the Cloud to enhance the overall work flow of your company. Secure online storage also helps your office in several other ways.

Create Great Office Ambience on the Move

Cloud storage is the best platform that you can give your office allowing professionals easy access to information and data. All you need to do is login with your confidential passwords and have Internet access. With the help of Cloud you can work smoothly even from your home or while you are on the move. So irrespective of your geographical position you can create a great ambience in your business.

Unlimited Storage Space

One of the greatest perks of using the Cloud is the ability to enjoy unlimited storage space. Unlimited storage space is extremely important for a business house because the space requirement will be on the rise. This rise takes place with the expansion that your business is experiencing. It is indeed a revelation that there will be no disruption in terms of space crunch.

Information and File Safety

Now that you have secure online storage solution, you can mitigate apprehensions you have been experiencing about file tampering or missing them. Cloud storage options guarantee complete client side encryption implying that you will get full control over the encryption process. Your files and data stay stored in the server and that is how it remains when kept in the Cloud.

So make sure you add the Cloud in your professional work front and give your professionals the ease and convenience of hassle free and smooth working.

File Security and Portability with Online Cloud Storage

Modern era of technology and information has indeed made our ways of working comfortable and more importantly convenient. Today it is not more about the ease with which we work but working has become a lot simpler and as per our convenience. With so much development coming up in the field of technology, the need to keep important data safe and secure is a lot more important today.

The most easy to use and low on pocket solution to keep data safe and secure is to bank on the online data backup services. In fact, online secure storage is more than its simplistic use and cost effectiveness. Entrepreneurs and business houses have more reasons than this to use online storage.

Safety

It is relatively safer to keep data stored in online storage spaces than to have them in external hard drives. There can be instances when the external hard drives will crash or may fall prey to virus attacks. In case of online storage, several anti malware programs run to keep virus threats away. Files and data are kept on the server for better accessibility.

Scalability

The need for more online space to keep data stored is never ending. With time and excessive use the space requirements would also rise. To keep up with the increased space demands, online storage solution seems to be the perfect solution. Online storage helps professionals to increase their online storage space. In fact, online storage comes with the facility of letting you increase your online storage space.

Portability

Online Cloud storage indeed helps in the professional space because of the portability users have in using this storage solution. But care needs to be taken that you have Internet access when trying to access data from the secure Cloud storage. All you need is good Internet speed and data is easily accessible from your laptops, smartphones and Tablets.

Cost Effective

This is one of the biggest good news for all companies and that is the Cloud is extremely cost effective and low on your pockets. You get the much required space to keep your data safe but it will not charge you a bomb. Cloud service providers lets you pay only for the space you have used. This facility makes Cloud an affordable solution among enterprises.

Cloud service solutions are what your business needs today so that there is smoothness in your work flow and professionals also have easy access to their important data.

Is your business’ data safe? Research suggests it’s probably not…

Business data research

New research carried out in the U.S. has revealed that the majority of businesses who store credit card data using cloud storage are not doing so securely.

Information Management reported today that research by the company reviews aggregator Clutch found that over 60% of small businesses that use cloud storage for customer credit card and banking information were not storing this data securely.

Clutch’s research polled the IT decision-makers at 300 small businesses in the U.S. who currently use cloud storage.

In addition, the results showed that 54% of companies that store medical data do not do so securely.

By not storing this data securely, the businesses are breaching industry regulations on data storage.

In the U.S., this can lead to fines of millions of dollars and of course huge damage to a company’s reputation.

Secured data

Keeping your customers’ data secure is crucial for any business

However, just as important – in the U.S. and everywhere else – is the need to protect customers’ sensitive financial information.

Being unable to reassure customers that their credit card and other personal information will be safe may lead to a downturn in business as customers will not feel confident giving you their data.

More than simply comprising customers’ privacy, having this kind of data unsecured leaves them at financial risk through the danger of fraud.

In the UK, with the new General Data Protection Regulation incoming, the need to ensure your cloud storage is secure and follows industry guidelines is also more important than ever.

Data breaches of unsecured cloud storage have featured heavily in the news recently. Just yesterday it was revealed that data on 123 million households in the U.S. was leaked due to a breach of an Amazon Web Services storage bucket used by a marketing company.

According to the security researcher who discovered the breach, the data included 248 fields of information for each household, meaning that “billions of personally identifying details and data points about virtually every American household” were made visible.

Safe Data Storage provide secure, fully-managed cloud backup services with extensive technical support. Data is encrypted and stored in two data centres, both based in the UK.

Safe Data Storage ranked among best cloud backups

Best cloud backup

Here at Safe Data Storage we are delighted to have been ranked as one of the best cloud storage providers in the UK for 2017 by a recent guide on a leading industry website.

Cloudwards released their ‘Best Online Backup UK Services for 2017′ guide earlier this month, and we are very proud to have been included in their top five recommendations for cloud backup services providers in the country.

The guide aims to inform readers about the best cloud storage options on the market in order to help them choose a service provider that best meets their needs.

Among the parts of our cloud backup services that Cloudwards praised were the fact that we offer a free trial, with no credit card details required, the speed with which information can be recovered, and how our backup software allows you to set what time is best for you for backups to occur.

They were also impressed with our excellent security protocols which allow us to provide secure data storage and put our customers’ minds at rest, and the fact that our software means backups can happen when your computer is not being actively used.

In addition, Cloudwards’ reviewers liked that our software can be used to provide secure data protection both for individual computers and full server systems.

We pride ourselves on offering the best cloud storage around, so it’s great to hear amazing reviews confirming this. Get in touch today to see how our online cloud backup can help your business protect its data, or take our free trial to experience our high-quality service for yourself.

Headquartered in Orpington, Greater London, Safe Data Storage have been providing secure cloud backups for businesses, educational institutions and charities since 2004. We have ISO 27001-accredited servers in London and Bournemouth and provide extensive, entirely UK-based technical support. 

What the Facebook data breach tells us about the public’s attitudes to data security

Facebook data breach.

In January we consulted our crystal ball and predicted that data – in particular the public’s data privacy, and large-scale breaches of it – would be headline news in 2018. What we didn’t expect was to be proved right so soon by the massive Facebook data breach exposé that has dominated the headlines this month. Feel free to ask us for this week’s lottery numbers…

Facebook users across the world are still reeling from reports that 50 million Facebook profiles were harvested by Cambridge Analytica, a UK-based data analytics company, in an enormous data breach for use in political campaigns including Donald Trump’s presidential bid and Brexit.

Facebook users’ ‘likes’ and other information on their profiles was used to target them with political propaganda encouraging them to vote for the candidates Cambridge Analytica was working with.

The effect of the news of the breach has been to make consumers more aware of their data and how it is being used. Cambridge Analytica’s data acquisition can be traced back to Facebook quizzes in the early years of this decade where users blithely granted access to their and their friends’ data in order to take part in quizzes.

Already, as a result of this story breaking, it’s hard to imagine Facebook users casually signing over their data to third parties en masse any longer without knowing how it will be used. Indeed, many users have left the platform altogether out of concerns about the security of their data.

For businesses who handle sensitive data about their customers or users, there is a clear lesson to be learnt from this: consumers are growing increasingly aware and passionate about their online privacy and how their data is used.

It seems clear that data security will become an increasingly important factor to consumers when they are choosing between services and products.

Of course, the Facebook breach has happened against the backdrop of GDPR’s introduction, which has been worrying businesses by itself. Organisations are required to be GDPR-compliant by the fast-approaching deadline of 25 May. Read more on GDPR on our blog.

GDPR gives individuals more access to, and rights over, their data and how it is used. It will force businesses to reassess what data they collect on employees and customers and the collection of all of this information is strictly necessary.

In addition, individuals have the ‘right to be forgotten’ if they object to some of the data being collected about them.

This is clearly a landmark moment for the data industry, with consumers awakening to the importance of keeping their data secure and organisations increasingly being held to account about their data practices.

Safe Data Storage provide secure cloud backup services for businesses, education providers and charities, giving you peace of mind that your data is safe.

For more information, get in touch.

6 Factors to Help You Choose the Right Cloud Partner in the UK

Branding

Branding is immensely important in building, sustaining and growing a business, so having to share the spotlight with another firm is not ideal. When working with a Partner, you will want to be able to put your own personal stamp on any of the products and platforms that you ultimately offer to your client base.

Ideally, you will want access to white-labelled services which are not explicitly tied to the provider but can instead be fully customised and kitted out with whatever branding you feel is appropriate. This will allow you to use your firm’s logo on the sign-up and log-in screens, reinforcing its impact every time that clients visit.

Location

While it may be tempting to opt to work with a cloud reseller that operates internationally and can thus offer the cheapest possible prices for things like backup and storage solutions, this can lead to issues. Legal and regulatory restrictions may prevent clients in your industry from storing data overseas, so the location of the facilities which a partner operates should be relevant in the decision-making process.

Look out for partners that are not only based domestically but also operate all of their hardware on home turf rather than choosing to outsource this to facilities on foreign soil. This will help to avoid any complications further down the line, since the location of data is relevant in industries such as health care and finance.

Trial Offers

Coaxing clients into committing to the services can be taxing, especially if they are required to make any kind of upfront payment or sign up to a fixed contract. This makes it important to choose partners that allow you to provide free trials to clients with no obligations attached.

This approach is effective in the enterprise and consumer markets alike, giving people 30 days to experiment with a service from a cloud reseller in the UK before they decide whether or not it is a good fit for their needs.

The best IT reseller will be able to offer you an unlimited number of trials which can be passed on to clients, allowing as many as possible to sign up from your current and prospective stable of customers. This is not only a good way of attracting new clients but also of retaining existing ones and preventing them from switching to rival services.

Affordable Pricing

The cloud is such an appealing prospect for businesses because, unlike traditional IT, it is not something which requires upfront investment. Instead, it is possible to work with partners and gain access to the data centre resources that they offer immediately, with no initial outlay for hardware, premises or staff to worry about.

If steep upfront costs are off the table, then the partner in question will represent a good prospect for any business. But it is also important to look at the prices of the services and packages that are available so that it is simple to calculate the value that is achievable via adoption.

Infrastructure Elements

By working with a partner and endowing their services with your company’s branding, you will be putting a lot of trust in a third party, since they are effectively representing you directly, and if outages occur or errors arise, it will be your reputation that bears the brunt of the repercussions.

Make sure that a partner not only operates UK data centres but that they also have services which are properly secured both physically and digitally, along with the ability to provide continuity by replicating information across multiple servers so that hardware failures do not lead to data loss.

Support

While it may not always be a priority during the procurement process, the availability of support services will become important as soon as you start using a cloud partner’s solutions. Check the types of support on offer, whether online or over the phone, and also look for packages that allow support for clients to be outsourced.

By carefully considering and assessing your needs, it should be possible to use these factors to find the best possible cloud partner for your business.

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