3 Reasons to Test Data Backups in Honor of World Backup Day

World Backup Day is tomorrow, March 31st, and it is annually observed to highlight the importance of data backup. Losing data can lead to loss of revenue, damaged reputation, and client information exposure, among many other things. Data backup is critical, but it’s not enough to just back up your data without testing it. Testing your data backups is essential to ensure reliability in the face of a crisis. In this article, we will discuss three reasons why your organization should test its data backups in honor of World Backup Day.

1. Ensure Data Availability

When a disaster strikes and data loss occurs, you need to be sure that your backups are reliable and can be restored with minimal delay to mitigate any loss of revenue. Disasters can come in the form of fires, hurricanes, pandemics, ransomware attacks – you name it. By testing your backups regularly, organizations can ensure their data is available when needed the most, and can quickly restore systems and data to their previous states.

Utilizing a hybrid cloud solution can ensure your data is available in times of need, as MSPs like Dataprise can provide an extra layer of protection by creating a hidden, protected repository.  

2. Test for Errors and Verify Data Integrity

Regularly testing your organization’s backups and verifying their integrity is an excellent way to identify and fix errors that can prevent accurate restores. These tests enable you to spot and correct any issues while confirming that your backups will be successful in the event of a disaster.

Additionally, data integrity is vital for the reliability of backups. Data corruption can result from software or hardware failure, issues with network or system infrastructure, and even human error. Testing your backups will prevent restoration with corrupted data.

Testing your backups regularly is one of our three keys to a successful BCDR plan. Since you’ve got one in your pocket, take a look at the other two to set your organization up for success.

3. Compliance

Data backups play an essential role in businesses’ compliance with industry regulations and data handling laws. By testing backups regularly, organizations provide proof of compliance with industry and legal regulations.

For example, in the healthcare industry, to maintain alignment with HIPAA’s data backup plan criteria, backups are mandated to be fully recoverable within 30 calendar days. If healthcare organizations are unable to provide fully restored backups, they can incur millions of dollars in fines. Additionally, it’s mandated that healthcare organizations must document their testing procedures.

Data backup is essential to ensure the uninterrupted running of businesses, and testing your backup is equally important. With serious consequences, such as lost data, lost productivity, lost revenue, regulatory fines, and damage to the company’s reputation, it’s better to make sure that backup testing becomes a regular practice. As technology continues to evolve, so do backup and recovery solutions. Regular testing ensures that your backups remain up-to-date and reliable if a disaster occurs.

At Dataprise, we provide backup solutions that can give you peace of mind. Our cloud backup solutions are secure, reliable, and scalable. We can help protect your valuable data from loss and keep your business running as usual, no matter what happens. Contact us today to learn more!