Choose a backup provider

Eventually, everyone needs to make a backup, but how to do it? What software to use? Choosing the backup provider that best suits our needs is important, so we do not waste time or money, and especially, so we are sure that, if necessary, our data is actually there and there is no problem when we recover our information, restore the system or servers. What should we consider?

If you have recently lost data, you are probably thinking of making a backup and being proactive for the next time it may happen to you. Maybe you have a business or company where, in order to comply with data protection regulations, you must have an adequate backup. Or maybe you are simply a person who wants to protect yourself and not risk suffering the loss of information and personal and professional data. In all these cases, you will surely be looking for the best way to make an adequate backup, but you do not know which provider to choose.

There are many programs to make backups and you have to be sure that you choose the correct one. Our memories, our business, or our project is at stake if, in the end, the backup was not done well.

The trial versions often have restrictions and are usually a hook to try and end up buying the full version, because when restoring the system, some option is not included in the free version, or it simply does not include the backup from a certain size. For an individual and for little information, it may be practical to use one of these versions, but for sensitive personal or confidential information of a business, it is not recommended.

It is important to know where the backup of our data is stored, is it a safe place? Can we schedule automatic backups with that free software? How long does it take to get my data back? Can I schedule backups automatically? There are many questions to ask about the software, so we can see that it offers what we need.

Paid programs often offer many features that justify the expense. For large amounts of data and for data that is important or confidential, it is recommended to choose a backup provider that has a good reputation, experience and, therefore, can offer us the data backup we need at such a critical time as after a malware attack, a deletion of information by accident or mistake, or a problem.

Although it may seem the opposite, the truth is that backup software is not an expense that is excessive or that can really throw some accounts out of balance. Their prices are very competitive and you can find very good options without having to spend a lot.

Some of the benefits offered by paid software are, for example, the ability to backup a really large copy of data, to be able to access them quickly and effectively, storing them in the cloud, reliable and safe restoration, options for configuring backups of different types, scheduling automatic backups, and more.

Once you have chosen the software to make the backup, the interesting thing is to configure it. For this, you have to:

• Decide what data you want to back up.
• Choose the frequency of backups and schedule them.
• Decide the type of backup: full, incremental, or differential.
• Select where to store the backup, on one device or in the cloud, or both.

All these sections are interesting and directly affect the final result of our data, and therefore, the restoration process in the event of a disaster.

Choosing the data to backup is essential. Of course, you have to dedicate the necessary time to this point, so that later, there is nothing to regret, and of course, you have to see that nothing essential for the business or any personal data that is really important to us is missing.

Scheduling backups is really convenient, since you don't have to remember to do it manually, as you run the risk of forgetting or not doing it correctly. These backups can be requested to be made every 24 hours, more frequently in certain businesses, or less frequently in the event that updates are less frequent. The frequency is determined by the importance of the data and its frequency of change.

Once the frequency of backups has been planned, the type of backup must be defined. There are two main types:

1. Full backup: A copy of absolutely everything.
2. Differential backup: It is a copy only of the files and data that have changed since the last full backup.
3. Incremental backup: Copies only files and data created or modified since the last backup (full or incremental) was made. It is the most advanced method, as it saves time and space.

Choosing correctly the type of backup you want to perform is key to safeguarding the information.

In addition, you have to choose where you want the backup data to be stored, which can be online or in the cloud, or on an external or internal physical device. It is becoming more and more common to make backup in the cloud, as it provides many advantages.

Once these parameters have been chosen, the software will back up our data and information mechanically without our almost noticing. 

It happened. We have suffered a ransomware or malware attack, we have been victims of a virus, or we have erased the hard drive in an attempt to restore the system, what do we do now?

The backup software will recover the last version of the backup made, it will take all that data and copy it where we have chosen. That's it, thank goodness, we are the same as before, thanks to the backup we made and thanks to the restoration of data from the backup.

A good backup software provider is the one that offers us:

1. Guarantees of a properly made backup, with high security standards. Data cannot be lost or stolen, and must not be accessible to anyone other than its owner.
2. Enough space to store our data, without the amount of data being a limitation. Beware of certain programs that have limited space to store backups.
3. Cloud storage, if desired. Today, this option is fundamental. It allows access from anywhere to be able to restore the data in case we need it, and also frees space, so we do not need extra devices or physical servers to store so much information.
4. Technical support in case you need help. A company that offers a quality product does not neglect its customers, and gives them support and help whenever they need it.
5. Reputation and experience. Knowing that other companies or other people have already worked with this software and are satisfied is the best way to decide. Nothing is more reliable than knowing from others who go back to that software that does not fail them.
6. Clear costs. Sometimes hidden costs appear when you want to apply certain options or features when viewing the backup or performing a data restoration.

Acronis has all these features. Its Acronis Backup software is used by many companies who do not want to risk that their data may be stolen or damaged in the backup process. Its backups and storage management have already earned well-deserved recognition and awards for its product. Acronis solutions are a good choice that will not disappoint, as they have innovations and improvements that protect your data and improve the performance of backup processes.

Any disaster plan requires having a good backup, so choosing the right backup provider is essential for any business. Choose an experienced supplier with a good reputation and proven quality over many years. Don't take risks with your data and get it right with secure, reliable, and fast solutions. Check the performance, quality, and security of your data.