New England Data Services Blog

Baseball and Backups: Covering the 4 bases of Your Business’ Data

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As we just saw the conclusion of the MLB playoffs, crowning the Philadelphia Phillies the new World Series Champions after a great season in which baseball has seen so much parity, I had an interesting thought about the game of baseball that many probably do not notice; no matter where a ball is hit or what the situation is on the baseball field, every base is covered and the place where the ball is most likely to go is always backed up by another player.

How about some proof? Situation #1:

Runners on first and third, 1 out. The batter hits a screamer to right-center field that is just barely cut off by the right fielder on a dead run. The fielder turns and fires to the cut off man who immediately turns and unleashes a strike to home plate, beating the runner who is then tagged by the catcher  for the second out. Meanwhile because of defensive positioning the pitcher is standing behind the home plate area in case the throw gets by the catcher. In addition, the first baseman acts as another potential cut off man in case there is not enough time to get the runner at home. If he feels there will be no play at home it is his job to cut off the throw to home from the second baseman in order to get the batter, who would most likely be trying to take second base on the throw home to put himself in scoring position.

How about a more routine situation?  Situation #2

Next time you see a groundout to any infielder other than the second baseman, keep your eye on the catcher. You will see him trail the base runner up the first base line in case the throw is off line. In the event that the throw is wide or somehow gets past the first baseman, the catcher is now there to back it up and hopefully contain the runner to first base.

Both of these scenarios are accomplished in a matter of seconds while the cameras are following the ball. The players have practiced this over and over in order to be in position to cover all the bases and to backup the most important one. It is second nature to them; an afterthought. Surprises only occur when someone is not in the correct position and the results are usually disastrous. Of course, the important thing to remember here is that disastrous in baseball is losing the game. Losing a game is obviously not a good thing, but it is nothing compared to what would happen if the same situation happened to your business.

It is incredibly important to ensure all of your “bases” are covered when it comes to your business. Your data is one of your most important assets, and it should be treated as such. With that in mind, I have outlined four specific ways to ensure your data is safe and secure.

Single  – Onsite Data Backup

You have to get to first base first in order to have a chance at scoring right? That is why in order to play this game, you need to have a data backup solution in place. As far as first steps go, you could employ a system in which you back up your data to a mass storage device somewhere onsite or offsite. The costs of backing up onsite will be relatively cheap depending on what solution you choose, so choose the solution that is right for you and right for your budget. Many small business owners will purchase a portable hard drive for backing up their data. This is an effective solution so long as you remember to take the drive with you offsite every time you leave the office. The problem with using this type of solution is that the backup of your data is onsite. So the only real protection you have for your data is if you have an equipment malfunction. If there is a flood, fire, or any other kind of unpredictable disaster, you will most likely lose both your original data and your backups, rendering this solution effectively useless.

Double – Offsite Data Backup

A double is a great way to kick of an inning or put your team in the position for a scoring opportunity. In this instance, an offsite data backup solution can do much of the same for your business. An offsite solution is a very effective way to ensure the safety and security of your business’ critical data. Most offsite solutions will install on multiple machines, and are charged by the amount of data you choose to store. The amount of data you need to store offsite is dependent on your business, however it is important to recognize that not all data you have on your equipment is in fact critical data. Be sure to find what information you could absolutely not live without, and back that up offsite. This is a way to save on the cost of offsite backup, although that cost has significantly decreased in the past couple years. Offsite solutions are great because they eliminate the human element that is needed with a onsite solution. You do not need to push the button to start the backup or verify the data has been sent afterwards. Most solutions will automatically backup your specified data every day to the offsite location and provide you with a report at completion, so you know your data is safe and secure.

Triple – A Combination of Onsite and Offsite Data Backup Solutions

 What is better than an effective offsite solution? The answer is a combination of both and offsite and onsite backup solution! What this combination will do is provide you with a means by which you can backup your critical data onsite for quick retrieval, and offsite for safety and security. You can also use the onsite solution to backup less important data as well, providing you with a complete backup solution. Many IT professionals will tell you when it comes to your data, you back it up, and then you back it up again. This scenario will allow that to happen and ensure that your data will be safe from nearly all possible calamities.

Home Run – A Combination of Onsite and Offsite Data Backup, with a Disaster Recovery Solution

In the world of data backup, the equivalent to hitting a data backup home run is to employ a complete data backup solution in addition to having a disaster recovery plan in place that is thoroughly tested. This will give you the best of both worlds and provide you with the peace of mind knowing that no matter what happens, your company and its data are safe. If you feel all that protection is going a little overboard, I challenge you to find a company that has had a graceful rebound from a large scale data breach/loss.

This was an fun and interesting way (for me at least!) to look at the world of data backup. What is important to note about this whole article is just how imporant it is to ensure you have a secure and tested means of backing up your company's data. The level of protection you choose is up to you, but do not run the risk of getting "tagged out on the basepaths"  by not having any protection at all.