Blog

What is the 3-2-1 Backup Rule for Data Protection?

15 Jul 2021 IT Services

Whether you are working in retail, accounting, or industrial manufacturing, your business uses and stores a wealth of important data. This data is used for ensuring optimal tracking of revenue, inventory, and employee information. Due to the importance of this data, it is crucial to ensure that it is protected from local and remote threats. As leading providers of data protection and disaster recovery solutions, the team at EC Managed IT understands how important data security is for any business. That is why our team has provided some information on what the 3-2-1 backup rule for data protection is to help you keep your vital data safe.

Learn how to improve data security for your business.

What is the 3-2-1 Backup Rule?

The 3-2-1 backup rule is a secure recovery method that is specifically designed to ensure complete protection and security for a business’ data. The rule is based on the idea of creating 3 copies of your business’ data. 2 copies are stored in different onsite storage devices while 1 copy is stored offsite.

Keep 3 Copies of Your Data

Your computer network can be affected by a variety of threats including fire, vandalism, natural disasters, malware, ransomware, hardware failure, and human error. While having 1 backup of your vital data is far better than nothing, it will likely not be enough to ensure that your data can be recovered in the event of a disaster. An effective practice is to keep 3 recent copies of your important business information to minimize the risk of data loss.

Store 2 Copies on Different Storage Devices

2 copies of your company data should be stored on different types of storage devices. Choosing 2 different types of devices ensures that you are not exposing both copies to the same potential risks of hardware failure or corruption. Consider storing 1 copy on an internal hard drive and another on an external drive or high-capacity USB.

Keep 1 Backup Offsite at a Different Location

Many hazards will primarily affect the devices stored in your location. To minimize the risk of total data loss, it is strongly recommended to keep a copy of your data stored in a remote location or on a cloud server. Storing your data in a hard drive at a manager’s home or using a remote storage solution are both great examples of effective offsite data storage.

To learn more about the 3-2-1 backup rule and how it can help your business, get in touch with the experts at EC Managed IT. They can be reached at 604-888-7904 or through their online contact form and will be happy to assist you.