How reliable is your data restoration process?

Today, reliable data protection is not an option but a requirement for any successful business. As more business transactions occur online, small businesses are increasingly dealing with confidential electronic data including customer information, credit card records, company financials, critical email communication, and other intellectual property. Further, regulations such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) are forcing businesses to reexamine their data backup and recovery plans.

Effective data backup strategy requires a careful analysis and an end-to-end backup plan. What data should be flagged as most critical, or should all data be treated equal? In the event of data loss, would last night’s data suffice, or would you rather want the ability to roll back to a more current file version? Thould confidential data be encrypted before it is transported and backed up? What happens if your facility gets destroyed by fire/flood etc? Most important, how reliable is your data restoration process?