Keeping your data safe should always be a New Year’s resolution. According to the trade publication Government Technology, the top three cybersecurity threats are targeted ransomware, phishing attacks and mobile malware. These are the tip of the iceberg. One inexpensive insurance policy is back up your data.
Dedicated backup
Everyone needs a backup strategy.
According to Backblaze, a cloud backup company, the best way to go about this is the “3-2-1 strategy,” which means having at least three copies of your data. Two should be on-site (but on different mediums or devices), and the third should be off-site — in the cloud. Thus, if you’re working on the great Hawaii novel, for safekeeping you’d have a copy on your home computer, a copy on an external drive (at home) and a copy in the cloud.
We agree 3-2-1 is the way to go. In a 2012 paper for US-CERT (U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team), Carnegie Mellon recommended the 3-2-1 method in its publication titled “Data Backup Options.”
There are a host of companies that will back up your data in the cloud, but for the purpose of this column, we looked at Backblaze, which my co-writer Rob Kay had a chance to review.
One of Backblaze’s best qualities is that once set up, it’s simple to use. It runs in the background, and by placing it in a “continuous” backup mode, it will copy your data throughout the day.
Its advantages include unlimited storage, strong security settings and an option to restore your data via mailed drive. Essentially, it means if you lose your data, the company will ship you a backup on a USB via FedEx anywhere in the world.
The interface is straightforward. Backblaze allows you to see what files are backed up by going to their “Overview” panel, but to view the actual file or restore it, you’ll need to download it. (With other cloud services you don’t have to download a file just to examine it).
At $60 per year, it’s inexpensive but will back up only one computer. Multiple computers will need multiple accounts.
Pros and cons
There was one snag Rob had with this product. When he first set it up, he discovered his antivirus software prevented Backblaze from communicating with the computer. He had to spend the morning determining out how to configure it. He worked it out with the Backblaze tech support and some help from MacAfee, the antivirus company, but it took time.
The good news is that the Backblaze support people are sharp, but they only use chat. Fortunately, most issues can be resolved via chat, but if your preference is phone support, you’re better off with a company that has a tech support line.
When you weigh everything, we thought Backblaze was excellent for a small business or home office.
Having a backup strategy is key to your business’ success, and cloud backup is a standard operating procedure. If your computer is stolen, compromised or destroyed, the cloud will be your savior. We’ll be evaluating this technology throughout the year and will get back to you with any other thoughts.
Mike Meyer is chief information officer for Honolulu Community College. Reach him at mmeyer@hawaii.edu. Rob Kay is a freelance writer and can be reached at robertfredkay@gmail.com.
