Why and how should you back up your data?
Although it can depend on your use case, backups should occur at regular intervals. If not daily, then at least weekly. By doing regular backups, you protect yourself from data loss due to unexpected predicaments like natural disasters, ransomware, cyberattacks, crypto locker, human error, and hardware theft.
The 3 2 1 Method for Data Backup
The 3 2 1 method for data backup is simple in theory and in practice.
This method is not only easy to remember, but it’s a very straightforward and effective way to ensure your data is backed up properly. It’s also not difficult to remember.
There are schools of thought that suggest this method is somewhat outdated. And we’re not implying it will work for everyone out there, but it is a solid foundation that you can build from and upon, especially if you don’t have one in place right now.
So, what does 3 2 1 mean? Well, let’s break it down.
Starting first with ‘3’.
It means having three separate copies of your data.
Of these copies, one is your primary copy, and the other two are backup copies. Ideally, each of them is from a different period of time. Certainly, though, by having more than three copies, you’re protecting your data even further.
Maintaining three copies is a good place to start, though, and these will provide sufficient security to ensure that you don’t lose all of your data.
Next is ‘2’.
This means of those [minimum] three backup copies we just talked about, each is housed on two separate units or pieces of media. It’s not enough to have those copies on the same machine or server.
Put it this way: If you only had the three of your data on the same unit, and you then lost that unit due to theft or an unexpected accident? You have then lost everything. All of your data is gone.
By keeping those backup copies on two different media – if you lose one or if one fails – you still have the other piece to fall back on.
Finally, ‘1.’
The last number of this equation refers to external locations.
In other words, if you are following this rule for data backup, you should also keep one piece of media/device at an off-site location. Somewhere that is different than your main office, i.e., in a different physical location than your current one.
By keeping this piece of media in another location away from the data (and its copies), you’re ensuring that you always have an alternate available. This gives you the ultimate peace of mind if you lose the primary media/device for whatever reason.
Is 3-2-1 the answer for data backup?
We’re not saying it is. We’re not even suggesting that it’s the best method out there.
Data storage and data backup plans are not meant to be cookie-cutter. They will vary by context and application. Like we mentioned earlier, variables such as the types of files being stored and the retention policies you need to follow might carve out a different path for you.
There’s no such thing as the perfect plan or strategy.
But again, for those who do not have any plans in place, or for those whose current ones aren’t as failproof as, perhaps, previously assumed, the 3 2 1 method is fundamental enough. From there, you can continue to improve and grow your data backup infrastructure.
We, at GANSAN IT, can help you implement the data-backup plan with our storage server starting from 2 TB to 200 TB of data.
Do avail our consultation, detailing and answer to your queries at your convenient date & time.
Let’s begin to talk as a first baby step.