3-2-1 backup: keeping your business data safe when something goes wrong
The InnovaTech team
A failed disk, a ransomware attack or a file deleted by mistake — most businesses only learn what a backup is worth after they lose something. The 3-2-1 rule is the simplest way to never get there.
What 3-2-1 means
- 3 copies of your data: the original plus two backups.
- 2 different types of storage, e.g. an office NAS and the cloud.
- 1 copy off-site, so fire, theft or flooding can't take them all.
Why an external drive isn't enough
If the drive stays plugged in, ransomware encrypts it along with the server. If it sits in the same office, any physical damage hits both. A backup has to be separate — in location and in access.
Test the restore, not just the backup
A backup that has never been restored isn't a backup. Once a month we restore a file or a test server and time it — so there are no surprises on the bad day.
Where to start
List what matters (the POS database, email, documents), decide how much data you can afford to lose and how fast you need to be back at work. Pick the technology after those two answers, not before.
Questions about this topic?
Tell us how your setup works today — we reply within one business day.