The Ekaru Technology Advisor  Vol 5-3  April 2005

Welcome to this month's issue! Ekaru's mission is to provide technology advice and on-site technical support to help you manage and grow your business!

Are you backing up your critical data?
One of the biggest causes of technology stress for small business owners is the issue of data backup. Think about the impact to your business if you lost all your critical data. We get a lot of questions around the subject of backup, and here are some tips to guide you through the process of selecting the right backup solution for you.

Questions to ask yourself:

• How much data needs to be backed up? The amount of data will determine the storage capacity required.
• What is the rate of data growth? Will you increase by 10% over the next year, or will your data size double? You may outgrow your backup capacity, so try to look forward a year or two.
• Are you backing a single system, a server, multiple systems, or multiple systems connected on a network?
• Do you want a copy of data off-site? This is highly recommended. In the rare event of an office catastrophe, if your backup is stored in the same facility as your data, you could lose everything.
• Do you want physical control of your data, or are you open to on-line backup solutions?
• Who decides what is backed up? We highly recommend a company policy around this, so that individual users aren't making decisions. Clearly define what data needs to be backed up, and how often.
• Do you want an automated backup process? Make your backup process as easy as possible, and its more likely to be performed correctly.
• What about open files? If you have the discipline to close all files and applications before backing up, a standard backup solution will be just fine. Backup solutions that can handle open files are much more expensive.

How should I back up my data? Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. It depends on all the factors listed above, but here are some options to consider:

• If you don't have a large amount of data: Consider simply using a Read/Write CD or even a portable USB Flash Drive - Easy to take off site, very simple, and inexpensive.
• There are several on-line backup solutions available, but these aren't for everyone. Are you comfortable with your data on a remote server? What is the monthly price for the amount of data you have? - these solutions can get expensive with a lot of data. The upside is that on-line backup is essentially "worry free" in the sense that you don't need to buy or maintain an on-site backup solution.
• Tape Backup is the most common solution for backup for small business. If your data can fit on a single tape, its pretty simple to swap tapes and develop a strong protocol for taking a tape off-site to a secure location. If you have larger amounts of data, you'll need to invest in a magazine drive, and the cost of multiple sets of tapes for on-site and off-site storage can get to be expensive.
• Hard Drives / Network Storage Appliances - The new emerging trend is for network storage devices. Over the past year or so, hard disk prices have fallen to the point where it is now economical for small businesses to get a network storage device - with no need for a server or host computer. You can even get a second USB hard drive to mirror the backup device and they are small enough to take off-site for security. This is a trend to watch. For a personal system, the Maxtor One-Touch is a simple solution that's worth a look.

Common errors to avoid:

• Failure to backup open files. Make sure applications and files are closed, and check backup reports for any errors.
• Failure to backup ALL important files. For example, the Microsoft email .pst file is not stored with "My Documents", and the default for QuickBooks is to write the file to the program directory. You need to know where your data is!
• Keep your system and network protected from viruses - you don't want to back up corrupted files!

Bottom Line: If you aren't following a protocol for comprehensive backup, its time to start!

Ekaru in the News! Ekaru in the News!
Clear connections:
A wireless setup is fun, but is it the right fit for your business?
Computer User - March 2005

Technology Tip: Microsoft Office Online - Check it out!
If you haven't visited the Microsoft Office Online web site: www.office.microsoft.com, check it out! It's a great resource for templates, clip art, and tips for getting more from Microsoft Office. The template area is full of resources - calendar templates, fax cover sheets, and more. You'll even find basic business planning tools, sample sales letters, presentation templates, mailing label templates, and invitation templates. The templates can be downloaded, and you'll want to check for the program version required. For example, some of the templates require Publisher, and that program isn't as common as Word or Excel. If you want to tune up your communication pieces, this is a great place to start. Check it out!

Was this newsletter helpful to you? If so, forward it to a friend or colleague! Do you have suggestions for future newsletter topics? Send us an email!. We want to write about what's important to you! Click here to read past issues.

   Enjoy Spring!

Sincerely,
Team Ekaru

Introductory Technology Assessment Over 170 local small businesses have chosen Ekaru to manage their computers and networks. We offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation to get started. We'll visit your office, review your network, and make recommendations. Call us toll-free at 866-463-5278 x1 or email us to schedule a no-obligation assessment.

  ©2004 Ekaru, LLC. All Rights Reserved.