Most business owners couldn't tell you if their backups actually work. They just trust that IT has it handled.
That trust is usually tested on the worst day of the year: the server dies, a laptop gets stolen, or ransomware locks up every file in the office. That's a bad time to find out.
What this means in plain English
A backup is a copy of your files kept somewhere else, so you can get them back if the originals are lost. Simple idea. The catch is that a backup can look fine for months while quietly failing.
The software says "completed" but skipped the folder that matters. The backup drive filled up last spring. Someone changed a password and the job has been failing ever since. The copy sits on the same server it's protecting, so when that server goes, so does the backup.
A backup you've never restored from is a guess. The only real test is pulling a file, or a whole server, back from the backup and seeing it open.
Why a small business should care
When ransomware hits, the attackers lock your files and demand payment. A working backup is often the difference between a bad week and paying criminals. Attackers know this, which is why they go looking for backups to delete or lock up too.
For a manufacturer, it's not just documents. It's job files, machine programs, quotes, the accounting system and the email history that proves what a customer ordered.
What to do: everyone
Save work where it gets backed up, usually a shared drive or company cloud folder, not the desktop.
If you're not sure where your files are backed up, ask.
If you ever need a file restored, tell IT how long it took to get it back. That's useful information.
What to do: if you run the business
Ask for proof, not reassurance. Have your IT person restore a real file, or better, a whole server, while you watch.
Make sure at least one copy is kept away from your main network, so ransomware can't reach it. Off-site or in the cloud, and ideally one that can't be changed or deleted for a set time.
Decide how much work you can afford to lose (a day? an hour?) and how long you can be down. Those two answers decide how your backups should be set up.
Put a restore test on the calendar. Some IT people do it every month. Plenty never do, and nobody asks.
Questions to ask your IT provider
When did we last restore something from backup, and how long did it take?
Is there a copy that ransomware on our network couldn't delete?
Which systems are not being backed up right now?
If our main server died this afternoon, when would we be running again?
Contact Nautalex to see how we can help you with testing your backups.
