Guide to Network Backup and Recovery Software Basics

Protect your business data and information with network and backup recovery software and solutions

By Rachel Davy, Writer/Editor

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use network backup utility programs to prevent data loss from your office computers and networks

Since data loss can cost your company in revenue and the time it will take to recovery what's been lost, make sure to have network backup systems to prevent data loss from occurring. These kinds of programs are an investment, but they are a necessary one and, in the end, will be cost-effective for your business.

I recommend: Read about the costs and causes of data loss at Graziadio Business Report and ChannelWeb. Check out the features of the backup network software program from Ahsay Backup Software, which can be set to automatically back up your data whenever you like. Acronis offers recovery and backup services and software that allow you to backup image encryption and restore individual files and folders.

Find network backup solutions that prevent data loss for small businesses, servers and PCs

Learn about software solutions that backup servers, PCs and networks to give you the kind of data protection you need to keep your business information safe from viruses, human error and other threats. So whether you run a home office or large business enterprise, there are network backup programs that can meet the needs of your business.

I recommend: Learn about the backup and recovery solutions from Arkeia Software, which features small network backup software for computer systems, along with server backup software programs for midsized networks with five to ten servers to large networks with ten or more servers. Novastor offers three packages that offer PC network backup for home offices, as well as other software programs servers and businesses.

Recover and restore lost data with network recovery software and solutions

Recovering a network isn't impossible thanks to network recovery software programs. Not only can you recover lost data from networks and servers, but you can also recover files from recycle bins, information lost because of power outages, but also recovers files from a damaged hard disk.

I recommend: Learn about the features offered by Final Data 2.0, such as the ability to not only recover lost data from your network but also to compare files and print data recovery reports. Read about what to do to protect and plan for disasters that will affect your network systems at The Disaster Recovery Guide.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Download free trial versions of recovery and backup services to see if the programs meet your business needs.

Guide to Implementing a Data Backup Plan

Don't let a hardware failure or flash flood leave you stranded

By Chris Maxcer, Freelance Writer

Here are some questions you need to ask to implement a solid backup plan:

1. Which data files or applications do you need to back up?
2. How often should you backup your data?
3. Do you need high availability of your data?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use simple backup media

If your backup needs are modest, you can get by with USB thumb drives, burnable CDs, or burnable DVDs. The key here is to implement a consistent data backup schedule and plan to store the data you need to backup.

I recommend: Make sure you have plenty of storage media: Office Depot or Staples carry what you need.

Use dedicated backup software

The risk-free solution for most small businesses is to use an application that lets you copy your entire PC hard drive with all your data and settings intact.

I recommend: Check out PCMag.com's Software Backup Reviews or go with one of the top solutions in this space: Norton Save & Restore or Acronis True Image.

Use a hard drive

You can buy inexpensive hard drives that you can attach to individual PCs or to your office network.

I recommend: Check out PCMag.com's Backup Storage Devices Reviews or CNET's Hard Drives and Burners Reviews.

Use an online backup service

Online services let you backup to the company's remote servers automatically.

I recommend: Check out Apple's .Mac, Data Deposit Box, Iron Mountain's Live Vault, SOS Online Backup, and Mozy.

When in doubt, call in the pros

If you'd face immediate lost business from an outage, it probably pays to hire experts rather than risk your livelihood yourself. Hire a local knowledgeable information technology consultant.

I recommend: Several services, such as Geek Squad and GeeksOnTime can visit your office and set you up with a combination of onsite and offsite backup.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  It's usually worth the extra initial investment to purchase a software solution and external hard drive or offsite online service because you can automate the backup process most easily.
• •  Test your backup data – you can't be sure that you have it backed up if you can't put it to use when you need it.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider network backup software classes and courses

Some of the nation's top schools offer great network admin training that can cover the crucial area of data backup and recovery. Look for programs that fit your specific needs and interests.

I recommend: Find advanced network backup software options at HigherEd online. Look for more training options at sites like Compucell Computer and Cell Phone Training Center, for more in networking admin or dealing with network software.

Find online training options for network backup software

Other sites offer options for getting educated about networks and how they operate with online and distance learning options.

I recommend: Symantec is one company willing to teach public users about network backup and recovery with their products online. Other online options include national education company Kaplan; ask reps about IT networking classes offering backup and recovery training.

Check out public pages, forums, and reviews on data recovery systems and network backup software

A lot more information is available through other sites offering explication of products or services that are popular in the network admin community. Keep a look out for tips that fit your network situations.

I recommend: Find options on open source data backup and protection from Enterprise. Or find reviews, newsletters and more on server backup software, backup programs and small network backup software at Data Recovery.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Always keep your end goals in mind for network backup software training. You can get bogged down with trying to tackle all aspects of networking: pick a specialization, whether it's by software type, admin area, or other aspect of what you're trying to learn.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Ghost disk image

The ghost disk image is a backup software methodology that is gaining a lot of traction in today's market. Ghost disk backups provide easy network backup solutions because they save all of a disk drive at once. The big makers of ghost disk image software are Norton and Acronis.

I recommend: See more on ghost disk image software at Gizmo's Freeware.

Scheduled backups

A feature that many businesses look for in network backup and recovery software is scheduling. Scheduling backups lets data protection happen consistently, on a timed basis, for the best chance at protecting a large dynamic data flow.

I recommend: See more on scheduling backups with software at LifeHacker.

Access choices

A lot of the nuts and bolts of using network backup and recovery tools depend on what kind of data access is standard for your IT system. Network backup and recovery software can be customized to fit a specific use for data.

I recommend: See more on access for stored data at TechRadar.

USB

USB or Universal Serial Bus is a connectivity that is now almost entirely standard for peripherals like mouse, keyboard and speaker models, as well as a range of external drives. Since external drives are a popular backup solution, the software that they use qualifies as network backup software (technically) and much of it operates through USB connectivity.

I recommend: See more on USB at this USB site.

Backup server

The backup server is the data center that takes in copied data and stores it for effective backup. A server is a computer component that processes information.

I recommend: See more details on how backup servers might work with backup software at Handy Backup.

Client system

Network backup software setups often operate on a 'client' system. This generally means that there is a central server backing up drives from connected 'clients.'

I recommend: See more on a client server system at Tech FAQ.