Small business owners are being advised to invest in external hard drives to back up their data. Tape drive systems can be expensive, while external hard drives are affordable and easy to use – simply plug the hard drive into the USB port of your computer.
But what is the best backup solution for small businesses? There are a number of options available, including Acronis Cyber Backup software, a cloud version of Acronis Cyber Protect, MSP360, NAKIVO, Veeam, a data center backup and recovery solution from Unitrends, and Altaro VM for backing up virtual machines.
Acronis Cyber Backup starts at $69.95 and costs $99 per year for each feature. While there isn’t a free version of the software available, it is possible to test it for free. For more comprehensive backup solutions, organizations can expect to pay between $2 and $4 per GB per month, while lower-level data backup will cost closer to an average of $1 per GB per month.
For those looking for a backup server, virtualization in a data center can keep businesses working even if their server room goes down. A comprehensive, managed solution starts at $500, with an additional cost of $2 to $3 per gigabyte per month.
When it comes to backing up large amounts of data, options include USB sticks, external hard drives, network attached storage, and cloud storage. While USB sticks are small and convenient, they can be easy to lose. External hard drives are a reliable option, while network attached storage allows for easy access across multiple devices. Cloud storage is also a popular choice, with services like IDrive Personal offering the best overall performance.
One affordable option for cloud storage is Backblaze, which is able to offer unlimited storage due to the fact that most users will only backup a small amount of data. Polycloud is another safe option for cloud storage, with state-of-the-art encryption and widely dispersed data.
While it’s not mandatory for businesses to back up their data, any business that maintains data on its computer that it does not want to lose should consider data backups. Business backups are even more important because they must maintain so many records. It’s recommended to back up important data at least once a week, but preferably once every twenty-four hours.
When it comes to choosing a backup strategy, businesses can choose between full and incremental backups. Full backups are more comprehensive, while incremental backups only backup changes made since the last backup.
In terms of cost, businesses can expect to pay between $2 and $4 per GB per month for more comprehensive backup solutions, while lower-level data backup will cost closer to an average of $1 per GB per month. Cloud storage services like Backblaze and Carbonite offer affordable monthly backup services starting at $6 per user.
Overall, there are a variety of backup solutions available for small businesses, from external hard drives to cloud storage services. It’s important for businesses to consider their specific needs and budget when choosing a backup solution to ensure the safety and security of their data.