Onsite and offsite data backup: the key consideratons

Deciding between onsite and offsite data backup strategies is a tricky decision to make, but also an important one.

Saving copies of sensitive data is essential for any business and whichever option you go for, it will do far more good than harm.

We’ve compiled some of the key considerations for you to help you choose once and for all between onsite and offsite data backup plans.

Onsite

Onsite backup involves storing your data at your place of work using hardware such as tape drives, external hard drives or virtual servers.

Due to the convenience of having the backup hardware in the workplace, onsite backups could be quicker and cheaper than offsite backups.

However the key word here is ‘could’ – depending on how much backup hardware you need for your data and how expensive it is to maintain, it’s possible for costs to escalate quickly.

Then there are the disaster recovery considerations – natural or human damage to your servers could also affect your backups if they are stored onsite.

Offsite

With offsite storage, your sensitive data is backed up away from the workplace – this could be online in the cloud or perhaps in several geographical locations.

Offsite backups usually involve entrusting a reliable supplier to manage the backup process for a small fee, although this does mean the responsibility is taken out of your hands.

There can also be some bandwidth implications if regular backups involve vast data.

In terms of disaster recovery though, offsite data storage is a safer proposition – it means that if your workplace encounters a crisis, it won’t affect your backups, because they will be stored either far away or online.

Hybrid

There is a third option too, which is to backup some of your data onsite and some of it offsite.

This process needs careful planning and may not be suitable for all businesses, but done correctly, could prove to be the perfect solution.

Arranged in the right way, it means that onsite backup data can be recovered quickly if needs be, but the most crucial backup data is held offsite, safe from any workplace disasters.

This hybrid option typically means that the most recent data is readily available, while archived data which is required much less frequently.

Onsite and offsite data backup: in summary

Onsite backups can be quicker to recover and more convenient, but offsite backups offer added protection, particularly in the event of an unforeseen disaster.

For more information about deciding between onsite and offsite data backup or IT support in general, please contact us and we can talk you through the full range of considerations.