Avoid Catastrophe: How Data Backups Can Save Your Practice

Let’s face it, we live in a digital age where our lives are intricately intertwined with technology. From cherished family photos to critical clinic documents and patient information, a vast array of irreplaceable data is stored on our devices. Yet, despite its value, this data is often left vulnerable to unexpected events, ranging from accidental deletions to catastrophic hardware failures. This is where the importance of backups comes into play.

Understanding the Importance of Backups

Data backups serve as a safety net for your clinic data. They ensure that even if your primary data source is compromised, you have the potential to recover and restore your information without significant loss or disruption to the practice. The need for backups cannot be overstated, as data loss can be devastating. According to statistics, 60% of small businesses that experience data loss shut down within six months. This highlights that backups are not just a precaution but a fundamental aspect of risk management.

In the medical field, it is also important to remember that EMR’s do not always contain all your data. Specialists often have imaging and other data that remains outside the EMR because of space constraints, or the need to share with other departments, colleagues, or staff without access to the EMR.  Dermatologists and Ophthalmological practices in particular have huge volumes of data that needs to be protected against loss.

What Should Be Backed Up

• Photos
• Office documents
• Accounting information
• Critical software and databases
• Email communications
• Any other files or documents that are vital to the operation of your business

How Data Can Be Lost

1. Accidental Deletion: It’s easy to delete a file by mistake. Without a backup, recovering that file can be a very difficult.
2. Hardware Failure: Hard drives and other storage devices have a finite lifespan. Mechanical failures or electronic faults can lead to data loss.
3. Malware and Ransomware: Cyber threats like ransomware can lock or encrypt your data, making it inaccessible without paying the ridiculous ransom amount or restoring a backup.
4. Natural Disasters: Fires, floods, and other disasters can physically destroy your hardware. A backup can save your data from being lost in such scenarios.
5. Human Error: Mistakes happen, from accidentally overwriting files to incorrect configurations. A backup can save the day.

Cloud vs. Local Backups: An Overview

When it comes to implementing a backup strategy, there are generally two primary options: cloud backups and local backups. Each has its own set of advantages and considerations.

Local Backups

Local backups involve storing your data on physical media that you keep at your location. This can include external hard drives, USB flash drives, or network-attached storage (NAS) devices.

Advantages:

1. Immediate Access: Local backups offer fast access to your data since it’s physically close. This is beneficial for faster recovery.
2. One-Time Cost: Once you purchase the hardware, there are no ongoing subscription fees, which can make it a cost-effective option in the long run.
3. Full Control: You have complete control over your backup media and the backup process. You don’t depend on an external provider for data retrieval.

Considerations:

1. Physical Risks: Local backups are vulnerable to the same physical threats as your primary data—fires, floods, theft, or damage.
2. Maintenance: You must manage and maintain the backup hardware yourself. This includes handling failures, replacements, and ensuring the backup software is updated regularly.
3. Scalability: As your data grows, scaling local backups can become cumbersome and expensive.

Cloud Backups

Cloud backups involve storing your data on remote servers managed by third-party providers. These backups are accessed via the internet and offer a range of features and benefits.

Advantages:

1. Off-Site Security: Your data is stored off-site, protecting it from local physical threats such as natural disasters and theft.
2. Automatic Updates: The cloud provider will ensure that the backup software is updated and maintained.
3. Scalability: Cloud storage is highly scalable, allowing you to increase or decrease storage capacity based on your needs without significant upfront costs.
4. Access Anywhere: You can access your backed-up data from anywhere with an internet connection, which is particularly useful for remote work and travel.

Considerations:

1. Subscription Costs: Cloud backups typically involve recurring fees. Over time, these costs can add up, especially if you need a significant amount of storage.
2. Internet Dependency: Accessing and restoring data from the cloud requires a reliable internet connection. Slow or intermittent connections can impact data retrieval times.
3. Security and Privacy: While reputable cloud providers implement robust security measures, you must trust them with your data. Ensure you choose a provider with strong encryption and privacy practices.

Best Practices for Backup Strategies

To maximize data protection, combining local and cloud backups often provides the best of both worlds. This approach is commonly referred to as the 3-2-1 backup strategy:

1. Have Three Copies of Your Data
   • The data you access on a day-to-day basis
   • A local backup of the data
   • A replicated copy of the data in the cloud
2. Two Different Media Types: Store your backups on two different types of media. For example, use an external hard drive for local backups and a cloud service for remote backups.
3. Keep at least one backup off-site to protect against local disasters.
4. Backups should run nightly to capture all changes for the day and quicken the recovery time.
5. The media for local backups should be stored in a fire/waterproof safe.
6. Backups must be monitored daily to ensure that the backup completed successfully.
7. You must consider how many days/weeks/months of backups are required.  This may be driven by compliance requirements or simply how far back you may want to restore from.  Many people think that you only need last night’s backup.  But what if a critical file was deleted a week ago but only discovered today.

Regular Testing and Maintenance

No matter how robust your backup strategy is, it’s essential to regularly test your backups. Ensure that you can successfully restore your data from both local and cloud backups. Additionally, update your backup strategy as your data needs and technology evolve.

Conclusion

In an era where data is integral to both personal and professional realms, ensuring its safety through effective backups is critical. While local backups offer immediate access and control, cloud backups provide off-site security and scalability. By employing a combination of both strategies, you can enhance your data protection and ensure that your valuable information is secure, accessible, and recoverable in any situation. 

Do you need a solution? Want to determine if your strategy is appropriate?  Need more information about backups?

Please contact BlueBird iT at 1.888.930.9933 or

We can help you create a backup strategy that meets the needs of your clinic, implement a solution and manage the solution to ensure that your clinic data is protected.

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Article By Peter Rooney / Technical Sales Consultant / peter.rooney@bluebirdinc.com