The Scars of Lost Data – Safeguarding Data with Backups

My Scars of Lost Data

Are backups necessary?

Some consider them a waste of time, an added cost, and a hassle. “Nothing will happen to us, and our data is safe in the cloud,” they say.

Well, well.

I used to share that sentiment until 1994 when my beloved Seagate 450-megabyte hard drive crashed in my Commodore Amiga computer. I lost most of my emails and programs.

In the photo, that infamous broken hard drive serves as a constant reminder: backups are a company’s most crucial and cost-effective insurance.

Fortunately, back then, I didn’t have digital photos. Contracts, accounting records, and offers were usually in analog paper form. However, I did lose two months’ worth of configuration and coding work on my BBS server, leaving scars on my heart.

Backup Practices 30 Years Ago

Three decades ago, taking backups was a manual process. We created backups whenever we remembered. The trusty paper calendar (yes, the physical one) played a vital role in scheduling backups. I used a program called Ami-Backup for my Commodore, which was one of the best backup tools in the early ’90s.

As for backup media, I used 3.5-inch floppy disks, each holding 720 KB of data (0.72 megabytes or 0.00072 GB). Creating backups took hours, and dozens of disks were needed for a single backup. I also had a tape drive that accommodated 150/300-megabyte tapes, but using it was slow, and tapes were valuable, so tape backups were infrequent.

In summary, it was a no-nonsense approach back then: backups were taken when remembered, when there was time, and when we had the energy.

So, how are things in 2024? 

Scheduled Backups Daily, Continuous Backups for Critical Files, and Regular Restoration of Backups ensure that data remains functional. Backup reports are sent via email and stored in the backup program.

Our backups are kept in our Kuopio data center, physically located in former bank vaults. These backups are duplicated to a data center in Kainuu, and from there, they are archived onto separate LTO tapes and USB backup drives.

I know precisely where my valuable data is stored physically, and the backups are readily available when needed. Our clients appreciate knowing where their data is kept, and some have even visited our storage location.

The rugged nature of Kainuu has taught us not to put all our eggs in one basket; hence, distribution is crucial. In today’s world, data is our most valuable asset.

“But my devices don’t contain anything critical.”

Imagine losing all your cherished photos. What about emails, documents, receipts, or conversations? Losing contact information feels regrettable. While insurance covers some losses, how do you quantify the value of lost pictures of your children, business interruptions, or bankruptcy due to data loss?

People often trust technology and hardware blindly. Devices don’t last forever, and even new media or equipment can break down shortly after purchase. What if cloud services erase data, or backup data disappears from a provider’s disks because it wasn’t duplicated or stored on multiple platforms and media? I could paint a grim picture throughout this text, but let’s focus on the lesson.

A simple piece of advice: Take backups. If you’re unsure, our professionals are happy to guide you.

The article has been published first in Finnish 15.3.2024 at Sollertis blog.