If you’ve ever been hit by ransomware, you know just how critical backups can be. Now, with more office workers operating from home than ever before, an essential part of your business’s IT security stack might be missing—remote backups.
In this article, we’ll discuss a quick fix to ensure your files are being backed up while working from home and offer a permanent solution for long-term protection.
The Challenge: Office-Centered Backup Solutions
Many small businesses rely on backup systems designed around the assumption that employees are working from the office. These systems, such as cloud backups, transfer data offsite to protect it in case of an office-related issue. However, the flaw in this setup is that many of these systems only work when employees are physically in the office.
With remote work now the norm, the first question you should ask your IT provider is: Are the desktop files, documents, and other data saved locally on employee laptops or computers being backed up when they are working from home? If the answer is unclear, your business may be at risk of data loss.
Quick Fix: Using OneDrive or Google Drive
If you’re unsure whether your files are being backed up, a quick and easy solution is to use Microsoft OneDrive or Google Drive. These tools function similarly to Dropbox—when you save your files to their local folder, the data is automatically backed up to the cloud.
Both OneDrive and Google Drive are included in subscriptions to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), so you may already have access to these platforms. They also provide several benefits, including:
- Automatic cloud backups: Files saved to OneDrive or Google Drive are instantly backed up to the cloud.
- Access from any device: You can access your files from any device with the OneDrive or Google Drive app installed.
- Version history: These services offer version history on most Office and Google documents, so you can recover earlier versions if needed or track changes over time.
Pro tip: If you have a large amount of data to upload, start the process at the end of the workday, as your internet bandwidth will be heavily used during the upload.
Long-Term Solution: A Comprehensive Backup Plan
While OneDrive and Google Drive offer a convenient stopgap, they are not a full-fledged backup solution. These services require you to manually save files to their designated folders. This means that not all of your data may be covered, and if your system fails due to hardware issues or a security breach, you could still lose important information.
That’s where a more comprehensive backup strategy comes in. Your IT provider should be able to advise you on setting up an automated, system-wide backup solution that covers all of your data, regardless of where it’s saved on your computer. This solution ensures that you won’t lose critical files, even in the event of a cyberattack or hardware failure.
Stay Protected While Working from Home
As more businesses embrace remote work, it’s vital to ensure that your company data is secure and backed up properly. At TekCom Computer in Wylie, Texas, we specialize in helping local businesses implement reliable and secure backup solutions for both in-office and remote workers.
If you have questions about how secure your company’s data is when working from home, contact TekCom Computer today. Our experts are ready to assess your current setup and provide the solutions you need to stay protected.