Why Backups Matter
The Threats Are Real
Hardware failure: Hard drives fail. SSDs fail. Laptops get dropped. Servers die. Average hard drive lifespan is 3-5 years—some fail much sooner.
Ransomware: Criminals encrypt your files and demand payment. Without backups, your options are pay (maybe get data back) or lose everything.
Human error: Files get deleted accidentally. Databases get corrupted. Someone overwrites the wrong version. These happen constantly.
Theft/loss: Laptops get stolen. Phones get lost. Offices get burgled. Fire, flood, and other disasters happen.
Software problems: Corrupted updates, application bugs, sync conflicts—software can destroy data too.
The Statistics
- 60% of small businesses that lose data shut down within 6 months
- 29% of data loss is caused by human error
- 21 days average downtime from ransomware (if you don't have backups)
- 140,000 hard drives fail every week worldwide
The Simple Truth
With good backups: Any data disaster is a temporary inconvenience.
Without backups: Any data disaster could end your business.
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule
What It Means
3 copies of your data
- The original
- A local backup
- A remote/cloud backup
2 different storage types
- Original on computer
- Backup on external drive or NAS
- Another on cloud storage
1 copy offsite
- Cloud backup, or
- External drive stored elsewhere
Why Each Part Matters
Three copies: Because one backup can fail. Two copies means one failure doesn't destroy you.
Two media types: Because problems affecting one type (e.g., power surge) won't affect the other.
One offsite: Because fire, flood, or theft at your location shouldn't take all copies.
Modern Addition: 3-2-1-1
Add: 1 copy that's offline/air-gapped
Ransomware can encrypt connected backups. An offline backup—disconnected from networks—survives even if ransomware spreads through your systems.
What to Back Up
Critical (Back Up Everything Here)
Business documents:
- Contracts and legal documents
- Financial records
- Customer data
- Proposals and quotes
- Important correspondence
Business systems:
- Accounting data (Xero, QuickBooks databases)
- CRM data
- Website (if self-hosted)
- Email archives (if local)
- Databases
Configuration:
- Software license keys
- System configurations
- Password manager backup
- Authentication recovery codes
Important (Should Back Up)
Work in progress:
- Current projects
- Design files
- Development code
- Marketing materials
Historical:
- Past projects (for reference)
- Old versions (sometimes needed)
- Archive materials
Lower Priority (Nice to Have)
Reinstallable software:
- Applications (can redownload)
- Operating system (can reinstall)
Temporary files:
- Downloads folder
- Cache files
- Things you can recreate
Cloud Services—Are They Backed Up?
Don't assume cloud = backed up
Cloud services protect against their failures, not yours:
- If you delete a file, it's gone (after recycle bin expires)
- If your account is compromised, attacker can delete everything
- If they terminate your account, you may lose access
Back up your cloud data too:
- Google Workspace/Microsoft 365 data
- CRM exports
- Cloud accounting data
- Important cloud-stored files
Backup Solutions
Cloud Backup Services
What they do: Automatically back up your computers to secure cloud storage.
Good options:
Backblaze (backblaze.com)
- £6/month per computer
- Unlimited storage
- Simple setup
- Good for computers, less for servers
Carbonite (carbonite.com)
- From £5/month
- Business plans available
- Server backup options
- Longer retention
IDrive (idrive.com)
- From £60/year for 5TB
- Multiple computers
- Server backup
- Good value
Pros: Automatic, offsite, secure, maintained by experts.
Cons: Requires internet, initial backup is slow, ongoing cost.
Local Backup Solutions
External hard drives:
- Buy a drive (£50-150 for 2-4TB)
- Use built-in backup (Windows Backup, Time Machine for Mac)
- Rotate drives (one offsite while one is in use)
NAS (Network Attached Storage):
- Shared backup for multiple computers
- Usually has redundancy (multiple drives)
- Options: Synology, QNAP (from £200)
- Can sync to cloud for offsite copy
Pros: Fast backup and restore, one-time cost, no internet needed.
Cons: Can be stolen/damaged with your computers, needs manual rotation for offsite.
Microsoft 365/Google Workspace Backup
These platforms have some protection but not full backup:
Built-in protection:
- Recycle bin (limited time)
- Version history
- Some retention policies
Consider dedicated backup:
- Backupify, Spanning, Afi.ai (for Google)
- Veeam, Acronis, Barracuda (for Microsoft 365)
- £2-5/user/month
Why: Protection from accidental deletion, ransomware affecting accounts, rogue employees, compliance requirements.
Server/Business System Backup
If you have servers or business-critical systems:
Options:
- Veeam (industry standard, powerful)
- Acronis (good for small business)
- Windows Server Backup (basic, free)
- Cloud-native (Azure Backup, AWS Backup)
Consider:
- Full system images (restore entire server)
- Application-aware backup (databases backed up properly)
- Off-site replication
- Bare-metal restore capability
For most small businesses: Cloud backup (Backblaze/Carbonite) plus local external drive covers 90% of needs.
Setting Up Backups
Computer Backup (Windows)
Option 1: Windows Backup (Basic)
1. Connect external drive
2. Settings > Update & Security > Backup
3. Add a drive
4. Configure options
Option 2: Cloud Backup (Recommended)
1. Sign up for Backblaze/Carbonite/IDrive
2. Download and install software
3. Configure what to back up
4. Let initial backup complete (may take days)
Computer Backup (Mac)
Option 1: Time Machine
1. Connect external drive
2. System Preferences > Time Machine
3. Select Backup Disk
4. Automatic hourly backups begin
Option 2: Cloud Backup
1. Sign up for Backblaze or similar
2. Download Mac application
3. Configure and let it run
Important: Test Your Backups
Backups that don't work are worse than no backups—false confidence.
Test regularly:
- Monthly: Verify backup is running
- Quarterly: Test restoring a file
- Annually: Test full restoration scenario
Ask:
- Can I access the backup?
- Can I restore a single file?
- How long would full restore take?
- Do restored files actually work?
When Disaster Strikes: Recovery
Single File Recovery
Deleted file:
1. Check recycle bin/trash first
2. Check cloud service's deleted items
3. Restore from backup
Corrupted file:
1. Check version history (cloud services)
2. Restore previous version from backup
Process: Usually simple—navigate to backup, find file, restore.
Computer Failure
Hard drive died:
1. Get replacement hardware (new drive or new computer)
2. Install operating system
3. Install backup software
4. Restore from backup
Time required: Hours to days depending on data volume.
If no backup: Professional data recovery possible (£500-2,000+) but not guaranteed.
Ransomware Recovery
Critical: Don't connect backups to infected systems.
Process:
1. Isolate infected systems
2. Verify backups are clean (check on isolated system)
3. Wipe infected systems completely
4. Reinstall from scratch
5. Restore data from clean backup
6. Change all passwords
Key: Offline/disconnected backups survive ransomware.
Full Disaster (Office Lost)
Scenario: Fire, flood, theft—everything at your location is gone.
Recovery:
1. Obtain new hardware
2. Access cloud backups from anywhere
3. Restore data
4. Resume operations
Key: Cloud/offsite backup means location loss isn't data loss.
Common Backup Mistakes
Mistake 1: No Backup at All
Still the most common situation. If this is you, fix it today. Cloud backup for £6/month is trivial insurance.
Mistake 2: Backup to Same Location
External drive sitting next to the computer. Fire takes both. Theft takes both. Ransomware encrypts both.
Fix: Use cloud backup or rotate drives offsite.
Mistake 3: Never Testing Restores
Backup runs every night but nobody's checked it works for two years. The backup is corrupted or incomplete.
Fix: Quarterly restore tests.
Mistake 4: Only Backing Up Some Things
Documents folder backed up, but accounting software data isn't. Email archive isn't. Database isn't.
Fix: Inventory what matters and ensure it's all covered.
Mistake 5: Backups Connected 24/7
Always-connected backup drives are encrypted by ransomware along with everything else.
Fix: Rotate drives (disconnect one while using another) or use offline backup.
Mistake 6: Relying on Sync Services
Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive are not backups. If you delete a file, it syncs the deletion. If ransomware encrypts files, it syncs the encryption.
Fix: Sync is convenient, but have real backup too.
Mistake 7: No Documentation
You have backups, but nobody knows how to restore them if you're unavailable.
Fix: Document the process. Someone else should be able to recover.
Backup Checklist
Setup
- [ ] Identified all critical data
- [ ] Cloud backup service active
- [ ] Local backup in place
- [ ] At least one backup offsite
- [ ] At least one backup offline/rotated
- [ ] Cloud services (M365, Google) backed up if used
Ongoing
- [ ] Backups running (check weekly)
- [ ] Storage not full
- [ ] Restore test (quarterly)
- [ ] Full recovery test (annually)
- [ ] New important data included
- [ ] Process documented
What It Costs
Minimum Viable Backup
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| External hard drive (2TB) | £60 one-time |
| Total | £60 |
Limitations: No offsite, no automation, requires discipline.
Recommended Setup
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Cloud backup (Backblaze) per computer | £72/year |
| External drive for local backup | £60 one-time |
| Total (5 computers, first year) | £420 |
Business Setup
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Cloud backup (business plan) | £100-300/year |
| NAS with redundancy | £300-600 one-time |
| M365/Google backup (if used) | £60-150/year |
| Total (first year) | £500-1,000 |
Compared to Data Loss
| Scenario | Cost |
|---|---|
| Proper backup | £100-500/year |
| Data recovery (success not guaranteed) | £500-2,000 |
| Ransomware recovery without backup | £20,000-100,000+ |
| Business closure from data loss | Everything |
The Bottom Line
Backups are the most important thing most small businesses don't do properly.
Minimum: Cloud backup service (£6/month per computer) gives you offsite, automatic protection.
Better: Cloud backup plus local backup (external drive or NAS).
Best: 3-2-1-1 with offline copy for ransomware protection.
Critical: Test your backups regularly. Untested backups aren't reliable.
Start today. Hardware failure, ransomware, and human error don't wait. If you don't have backups, sign up for cloud backup right now. It takes 10 minutes and could save your business.
