Data backups can feel complicated.
– What should you back up?
– How often should you do it?
– And if everything’s already “in the cloud”, is it even necessary anymore?
Backups are a bit like seat belts. Most of the time you don’t notice them. You might even question the point. But when something goes wrong, you’re very glad they’re there.
Why Do I Need to Back Up?
All backups exist for one core reason:
To protect your data and keep your business running when something goes wrong.
And “something going wrong” doesn’t have to mean a Hollywood‑style disaster.
Here are some very real, very common examples:
Hardware failure
Hard drives fail. Laptops get dropped. USB sticks go missing. Even modern hardware has a failure rate, and when it goes, your data can go with it.
Accidents
Someone deletes the wrong folder. A laptop is left on a train. A file is overwritten and you only realise weeks later. These things happen every day.
Disgruntled (or careless) staff
Not all data loss is malicious, but it doesn’t need to be. We’ve seen critical data deleted just before someone leaves a business – sometimes intentionally, sometimes not.
Ransomware
Ransomware encrypts your data and demands payment to get it back.
If you have good, recent backups, you don’t negotiate – you restore and move on.
Fire, flood or theft
Disasters don’t have to be dramatic to be devastating. Anything that affects an office or device can take data with it.
Backing up isn’t about if something will happen.
It’s about being able to recover when it does.
What Do I Need to Back Up?
A common mistake is thinking you need to back up everything.
In reality, backups cost money and storage – so they should be deliberate, not blanket.
A good rule of thumb is to ask:
- Did we create it?
- Can we easily replace it?
If the answer is “yes” to the first and “no” to the second – it should probably be backed up.
Let’s break this down.
Workstations (Laptops & PCs)
Do you really need 50 full backups of Windows system files across 50 laptops?
Usually not.
Reinstalling Windows and applications is relatively quick.
What isn’t quick – or replaceable – is user data.
For workstations, we normally recommend backing up:
- Documents
- Desktop files
- Pictures
- Any locally stored business data
Not full system images.
There are exceptions – specialist users, complex setups – but for most businesses, full workstation imaging isn’t worth the cost or complexity.
Servers
Servers are a different story.
They’re complex, heavily configured, and often business‑critical.
If a server goes down, the impact is usually far greater than losing one laptop.
For servers, we typically recommend:
- Full system image backups
- Regular, automated backups
- A clear recovery plan
This allows us to restore the entire system – as if nothing ever happened.
Cloud Services (Often Forgotten)
This is where many businesses assume they’re already covered.
Microsoft 365, OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox, Xero, CRM systems – surely they’re backed up?
Not quite.
Cloud providers are highly resilient, but resilience is not the same as backup.
Backups protect against:
- Accidental deletion
- Malicious deletion
- Ransomware
- Retention limits
- Large‑scale incidents
Even cloud providers state that independent backups are best practice.
If your cloud data matters to your business, it should be backed up separately.
Other Critical Systems
Don’t forget about:
- Accounting systems
- CRMs
- Industry‑specific platforms
If your business would struggle without it, it belongs in your backup strategy.
When Do I Need to Back Up?
“Whenever someone remembers” isn’t a strategy.
Manual backups quickly turn into:
- Weekly backups
- Monthly backups
- Or backups that quietly stop altogether
And when you need them, they’re months out of date.
For most organisations, daily automated backups are the baseline.
Modern backup systems use incremental backups, which means:
- Only changes are backed up
- Storage is efficient
- Performance impact is minimal
Once set up properly, backups just happen – quietly in the background.
Where Should Data Be Backed Up?
Traditionally, this is explained using the 3‑2‑1 rule:
- 3 copies of your data
- Stored on 2 different types of storage
- With 1 copy off‑site
This approach protects against:
- Device failure
- Office‑wide incidents
- Local disasters
In practice, this might look like:
- Working data on your device
- A local copy (such as a NAS)
- An off‑site cloud backup
One important rule: 👉 Don’t back up to the same provider you rely on for production.
For example, backing up Microsoft 365 to Microsoft isn’t ideal.
I Use OneDrive – Do I Still Need Backups?
Yes.
OneDrive, SharePoint and similar tools are sync platforms, not backup systems.
That means:
- If a file is deleted or encrypted, the change syncs everywhere
- Ransomware spreads just as efficiently as legitimate changes
- Large‑scale restore is slow and manual
These tools are brilliant for collaboration – but they are not designed for recovery.
A proper backup solution gives you:
- Point‑in‑time recovery
- Bulk restore options
- Protection against widespread incidents
Think of OneDrive as convenience.
Think of backups as insurance.
Always Networks Cloud Backups
At Always Networks, our cloud backup service is powered by Acronis, a market‑leading backup platform.
We don’t just “turn it on and forget about it”.
We:
- Assess what you actually need to back up
- Design a sensible, cost‑effective strategy
- Set it up properly
- Monitor it
- Make sure it keeps working
Because a backup that fails silently isn’t a backup at all.
Are You Confident You Could Recover?
If you’re not 100% confident that your data could be restored quickly and cleanly after an incident, it’s worth a conversation.
If you’d like to talk it through, get in touch with Nick:
