Cloud Backup: Save Your

Business From

Natural Disasters

The hurricanes hitting Atlantic communities this year are some of the worst in history. Despite the tragic cost of these natural disasters, citizens persevere. But sometimes, the damage is irreconcilable. While it might seem trivial, not having cloud backup is one of the top reasons people lose their businessess, jobs and the ability to provide for their families in times of natural disaster.

The Risks of Not Having Cloud Backup

Hurricanes take a huge toll on businesses, especially the little guys.   “Forty percent of small businesses don’t survive these events,” said Russel Honore, former Joint Task Force commander for Hurricane Katrina.   When a hurricane hits, businesses flood and the electrical grid is knocked out for days. Affected companies close and cross there fingers that that they will be able to rebuild.   Every day a business is under water, it bleeds money. Most organizations can’t absorb these costs and shut down for months if not years. Unemployment rises, even after flood waters subside. People are left without jobs and no where to turn.   But believe it or not, physical destruction is only half the battle.   While brick and mortar can be rebuilt, central data structures hosting a businesses’ assets cannot. If servers, computers and network infrastructure are wiped out, the company’s death is almost certain.   A 2010 report by technology research firm, Gartner Group, stated that 43 percent of businesses went belly-up almost immediately after a “major loss” of data, while 51% shut down within just two years. That leaves a measly 6% survival rate for businesses that suffer company-wide data loss.   These are scary numbers. The good news is: businesses that migrate their data to the cloud are at significantly less risk of losing vital data.   Cloud services are not only more secure than their on-site counterparts, but also back up data with several levels of redundancy.

More Reasons to Invest in Cloud Backup

Hurricanes and other natural disasters are not the only reason to invest in cloud backup. Disgruntled employees, freak accidents and hackers all pose a threat to your easily accessible on-site data.   While these forces also threaten data on the cloud, the risks are reduced.   A 2012 Alert Logic report states that “on-premises environment users actually suffer more [hacking] incidents” than cloud-based users, while also being subjected to “significantly more brute force attacks.”   If you backup your system to a number of off-site locations, it’s much more difficult for hackers to hold your data for ransome or try and guess your passwords with automated systems.   That said, not every business absolutely needs the cloud to stay secure. Certain business models need on-site structures for various reasons, and a few find it more cost-effective. Still, the cloud is definitely something that any savvy business owner needs to examine closely as a potential option. It could mean the difference between flourishing and going under.   Give us call today at 310-641-3274 to learn how our cloud services can safeguard your critical data.