Inadequate Data Backup Systems Could Cost You Thousands…

And thousands…

Think of how much your business relies on technology today… billing, invoicing, shipping, production management, client management… the list goes on.

Today, nearly everything involving data is happening on a computer – and therefore, the potential of mechanical failure, along with other destructive forces, could affect your business data.

Now imagine what would happen to your business if all of the important data stored on your computers or network server were suddenly gone?

This could become reality if adequate backup systems are not in place.

Most Businesses are Unprepared

Many businesses operate under the assumption that they can get away without having a backup system in place capable of protecting and maintaining ALL of their valuable business data. Currently, a staggeringly low number (6%) of business have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in place for dealing with large-scale data loss. (From an article on data loss at emc2.com)

Even if data is regularly backed up on-site, what happens if there’s a fire and your building is completely destroyed? The insurance company isn’t going to be able to recover your data. Your data is worth money; protect it as if it is!

A recent study concluded that data loss and downtime costs businesses a yearly average of $1.7 trillion annually. A great majority of this loss figure could have been saved if each and every business had an adequate system in place to preserve and rapidly restore data in the event of loss.

Is your business going to add to that figure this year?

Contact Shiloh Service or call 724-863-0190 for an evaluation of your data backup systems and to learn more about how we can help you prevent data loss disaster.

Keeping Your Business Safe

So how do you keep your business from joining the legions of un-prepared business operations that suffer major loss as the result of data-loss?

Backup, backup, backup…

We can’t stress it enough. Having multiple copies of your data at off-site locations is the only way to ensure that your data stays safe.

Having an adequate backup system can save a business from immense costs and the down time resulting from data loss.

There are many ways to protect your data, depending on the size and scope of your operation, as well as the value of the data that you are trying to protect.

For advice and information on possible backup solutions for your business, contact Shiloh Service today!

Ever Growing Options…

Classically, a tape drive was the way to go for reliable backup of server files. High reliability, low operating costs, and super-simple operation made tape drives attractive.

The game has changed, though. Today, issues arise with regard to:

• Volumes of data that exceed the physical capabilities of the tape media
• Slow data transfer speeds
• No ROM capabilities

Because of these issues and the prevalence of affordable, highly capable new technologies, tape drives are no longer the best answer.

StorageCraft

At Shiloh Service, we recommend StorageCraft® backup and disaster recovery software.

StorageCraft® provides:

• Fast and reliable backup and recovery
• Scheduled automatic backups
• The ability to save backups to any location (to local hardware or the cloud)
• View backup files for quick file and folder recovery
• Perform remote or bare metal system recovery

StorageCraft ShadowProtect5 Server takes sector-level backup images of your server disk drives, saves them to local hardware or to the cloud, and creates incremental backups as often as every 15 minutes.

These incremental backups happen fast and in the background. A detailed list of features and benefits of StorageCraft’s ShadowProtect5 Server is available on the StorageCraft website.

To learn more about how StorageCraft software can protect your business from disasters as well as minor, accidental file deletions, contact Shiloh Service today or call us at 724-863-0190.

Cloud Backup Considerations

More and more we’re hearing about this thing called “The Cloud”… but what is the cloud, really?

Put simply, cloud storage is storing your data on a server somewhere remote to you that allows you to access your data from any location.

While it may seem like the perfect solution for backup, there are several important things that you must consider before making the decision to switch to cloud backup technology.

First and foremost, cloud based backup systems offer some key advantages in the sense of:

• Efficiency
• Global Accessibility
• The ability to restore small sets of data quite rapidly

However, if you’re dealing with limited bandwidth, or very large quantities of data, the recovery capacity of cloud backup could prove too slow to be profitable in high-productivity businesses.

Furthermore, it is important to consider the fact that when you’re backing data up to a server over which you have no direct control, the potential for your data to be compromised by someone unscrupulous is real.

At Shiloh Service, we’ve seen the good and the bad with regard to cloud storage, and we can guide you as to which approach is best for your business, best for particular data sets, and best in terms of security and reliability.

To learn more about cloud storage and its potential for being a useful means of data backup, contact Shiloh Service today or call us at 724-863-0190 for more information.

Microsoft End of Life

We all have that piece of software that we’ve used for years and are perfectly content with, but using software past its “end of life” date can pose problems, and even represent a dangerous security flaw.

Here are a couple “old favorites” that we still see in use at businesses around the Pittsburgh area every day.

• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003. This reliable email server system ended its operational life on April 8, 2014. Continuing to use Exchange 2003 means exposure to security and privacy threats, along with missing out on the mobile revolution that 2010 and 2013 versions ushered in.
• Windows Small Business Server. Over one year ago in July, Microsoft terminated support for Small Business Server. As this software no longer receives security patches, it represents a vulnerability for all of your business data.
• Window XP. Yes, there are still Windows XP users out there! Continuing to use Windows XP is not only a security threat, it’s aging components cannot keep up with the mobile device revolution and rich content on the modern Internet. Any Windows XP machine still in service should be disconnected from your Network and from the Internet.

Are All Components of Your OS Up To Date?

When you’re dealing with something as dynamic as the computing world, change is a given… and it occurs rapidly, often without your knowledge.
Allowing any kind of software to fall out of date is usually a bad idea. It exposes your business to a variety of threats such as:

• Viruses
• Security weaknesses
• Malware
• Compatibility issues

Without monitoring and pro-active actions, certain elements of your operating system can fall out of date without your knowledge. Consult with Shiloh Service today to find out if your systems are up to date.

Service Area

Shiloh Service, Inc. provides computer solutions, including network support, computer sales, and computer repair services in the Pittsburgh region.
Our service area includes but is not limited to: Pittsburgh, Monroeville, McKeesport, Greensburg, Jeannette, Irwin, North Huntingdon, Latrobe, Murrysville, Ligonier, and more.

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