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What is the difference in Offsite Storage, Digital Archiving, and Remote Backups?

Home » Information Technology » Offsite Storage » What is the difference in Offsite Storage, Digital Archiving, and Remote Backups?

Offsite storage of your critical data involves making copies of every piece of critical information used in your business and storing it at another location. This can be accomplished in a number of different ways, but offsite storage can involve as much or as little digital data, hard copy files, and information as you deem necessary. These files should include any irreplaceable documents that would be necessary to keep your business going in the event of a fire, flood, or other disaster. Offsite storage may require the use of a document storage and retrieval company, backup storage space on the web, and a system of management and upkeep for all this information.

Digital archiving involves making copies of information that is not used often, or that will eventually become unnecessary to operations and storing that for a pre-determined amount of time until it is destroyed according to corporate specifications. Examples of these types of files would include information from medical or legal offices that are not needed on a regular basis. Universities often have need of digital archiving for enrollment records, grades, and other data regarding former students and employees. Legal firms may keep digital records of former cases and clients in a secure facility away from the main office should they ever be needed again.

A remote backup of all your digital files is critical in the event of a computer crash, corruption of electronic files, or if a hacker gains access to your data. A remote backup makes it possible to restore normal functionality to the office by restoring the digital data used in every day operations. Accounting files, payroll, orders, and inventory numbers could be lost and irretrievable without a current backup of recent data. Backups should be kept as current as possible to avoid delays while needed files are reconstructed.

Next Page: How Can Offsite Storage of hard copy files be integrated with digital storage?

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