In the early days of the internet and computers, storage and computing processes were limited to the capacity of the physical hardware of your computer. For instance, we began our IT services journey at SES computers in 1995 when the average PC hard disk drive had one gigabyte of storage. It was necessary to install or connect specialised components to expand storage space, which could become costly quickly. Additionally, as the computer reached its storage limits, it often experienced performance issues.

Now, many businesses can conduct their operations and save their data on personal computers and laptops with varying amounts of storage, often from 256GB to one terabyte (this is equal to 1000 gigabytes)!

It’s also increasingly cost-effective and easy to expand your storage capacity and transfer data between devices through cloud backups and storage. But with such large amounts of built-in storage capacity, you may wonder, “Why do I need cloud backups and storage?”

Understanding what it means to use cloud storage and backups can be complicated, but its benefits for businesses across all industries are undeniable. Let’s examine the basics of saving your data in remote cloud storage, the advantages it offers your UK business, and how contracting UK-based experts in IT services and cloud management make securing and maintaining your data as easy as possible.

Different Types of Cloud Backups

Determining the ideal cloud backup service you need for your business depends on various factors, such as the type of data you need to save, how often it needs to be saved, and your requirements for accessing and sharing it.

The following are some basic outlines of different types of cloud backups that can save you from losing critical data should you have issues with your computer or on-site data storage.

Full Data Backup

As its name implies, this type of backup saves a complete copy of every piece of data and media on your computer in your remote cloud storage. While it is vital to have complete copies saved for potential disaster recovery, it does require more storage space and time to execute. A full backup is best conducted regularly every few days or weeks rather than daily.

Incremental Backups

An incremental backup saves files that have been changed or newly added to your cloud storage since your previous backup. This type of cloud backup is highly efficient and ideal for  daily or regular backups on the dates when changes have been made to your files, ensuring optimal use of your cloud storage.

Real-Time Backups

Real-time cloud backups are precisely what they sound like—saving every change or newly uploaded data as it happens to your remote storage servers. This is sometimes called continuous data protection (CDP) or continuous backup.

Cloud Sync

Cloud sync is a backup service that stores data from various locations in folders on your cloud storage. If your business employs both on-site and remote workers who require access to the same data, utilising a cloud sync service enables you to effortlessly increase your storage capacity and enhance your data accessibility.

How Remote Data Storage Benefits Your Business

After the significant advances of the internet, cloud backups have revolutionised personal and business devices’ storage and software capabilities worldwide, with advantages that far outweigh the disadvantages.

Save Money and Space

Installing and maintaining equipment for on-site data storage is a costly endeavour. The equipment takes up physical space that must be correctly maintained, such as being kept free from moisture, air-conditioned, and regularly cleaned. Additionally, you must allocate more physical space as your storage requirements grow, resulting in higher overall operating costs.

You can avoid the expensive monetary and physical costs of on-site data storage with a cloud backup service that securely stores your data in off-site servers you can easily access through the internet. As your business grows and you need to add to your cloud storage capacity, it is much more cost-effective and flexible than expanding on-site storage equipment.

Protect Your Data from Disaster

On-site data storage systems are vulnerable to corruption or complete loss from incidents such as:

• Flooding from burst plumbing or severe weather events
• Fires from faulty electrical wiring or lightning strikes
• Cyberattacks that wipe out your data and backups

While there are some benefits to having on-site data storage, you’re gambling against huge risks if that’s the only place your information is stored. This is probably one of the most significant reasons business owners go from asking, “Why do I need cloud backup and storage?” to “How quickly can I set up cloud backup and storage?”

Keeping your data saved and updated through cloud backups to off-site storage is vital for securing the future of your business.

Recover Your Data Quickly and Reduce Downtime

Let’s say a worst-case scenario happens to your business or equipment, and you lose valuable data from your on-site computers and storage or remote work devices. Having copies of your data saved through cloud backups and storage allows you to swiftly restore your operations and avoid excessive downtime that could have caused considerable revenue loss.

Focus on Your Business with Help from Cloud Backup Providers

Though it is possible to utilise cloud computing services and manage them on your own, it can become confusing without knowledgeable IT support experts on your side. Many smaller businesses often lack the extra resources to add designated IT specialists to their teams for such maintenance.

Luckily, many third-party IT support providers can lend a helping hand through consulting or managed services. You can pay affordable rates to a trusted cloud service provider who handles the heavy lifting of protecting your data while maintaining and upgrading its storage infrastructure, giving you the freedom and flexibility you need to focus on running your business.

At SES Computers, we offer various consulting and managed IT solutions, including exceptional cloud backup services. Our UK-based experts can provide you with support and expertise tailored to your needs and give you peace of mind knowing that your data is safely stored and maintained for optimal performance and recovery.

Reach out to us to safeguard your data and business IT solutions today.