World Backup Day on March 31 highlights the importance of having a complete, tested backup solution in place when data loss occurs.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – March 31, 2016 – Most businesses and consumers have a backup solution in place, but for those who do not, the cloud is becoming an increasingly popular option. That is one takeaway from updated data released today from KLDiscovery, the leading provider of data recovery and ediscovery. Results from a survey of customers who lost valuable data confirm that traditional external hard drives still prevail as the primary option for data backup (51 percent – down 17 points from 2015), and 23 percent are considering the cloud (an increase of five percent from last year).
The majority of businesses and consumers are taking steps to back up their data, but unintentional gaps in protocols continue to prove costly. Eight-six percent of respondents had a backup solution in place, and for the fourth year in a row, well over half had a backup solution in place at the time of data loss. Of those respondents who had a backup solution, 16 percent currently back up to the cloud, 58 percent use an external hard drive, eight percent implement a tape system and 11 percent report using a network-attached storage (NAS) solution.
With 48 percent of respondents backing up their data on a daily basis, why are companies still losing data? Minor oversights or an inadvertently non-functioning backup can render backup procedures ineffective. This year’s data shows that of those who had a backup in place at the time of data loss:
- 22 percent describe their backup solution as not operating correctly
- 21 percent report their device was not included in backup procedures
- 21 percent say their backup was not current, reducing the likelihood of retrieving relevant data
“It’s no longer enough to have a backup solution where you hope for the best,” said Jeff Pederson, senior manager, data recovery operations, KLDiscovery. “As survey results indicate year-over-year, conducting backups is just one step in the entire backup strategy. Regularly ensuring your backup solution works effectively and the data is accessible is also essential. In cases where oversight or backup failure leads to data loss, consider enlisting the assistance of a creditable and experienced data recovery provider.”
Obstacles to Backup Adoption
Among the 528 respondents across North America, Europe and Asia, over half (54 percent) of people who did not have a backup solution in place cite time to research and administer as their primary reason for not seeking a backup solution (up four percent from 2015). However, seven percent fewer people in 2016 (24 percent) report the expense of a backup solution as their primary reason for not leveraging a backup. Other findings include a six percent increase in the number of survey participants who report daily backups this year (48 percent).
“As storage devices are packing more and more data into smaller and more complex systems, which not only requires IT teams to dedicate significant time to actually back up the data, but even more time to verify the backups worked properly, IT teams face an impressive balancing act,” added Todd Johnson, vice president of data and storage technologies at KLDiscovery.
Additional Statistics
Additional findings from the 2016 survey include a six percent increase in the number of survey participants who report daily backups this year (48 percent), and almost no changes in the numbers of people who report weekly (26 percent), monthly (22 percent) and annual (three percent) backups.
When asked how often they test or validate their backups, only 28 percent report weekly tests (down from 35 percent last year). However, exactly half of respondents said they validate monthly – an increase of 14 percent from 2014. Only 14 percent claim to never test backups, which is down from a survey-high of 20 percent last year.
In acknowledgement of World Backup Day on March 31, KLDiscovery advises that individuals and businesses regularly monitor and certify their chosen method of backup to ensure it is successfully operating and capturing all relevant data, in addition to the following tips:
- Take the time to invest in a backup solution and set a backup schedule for all identified devices and media
- Ensure that backups are running regularly in accordance with the determined schedule
- Check backup reports for errors or failure
- Test backups on a regular basis to validate that data has been accurately captured and files are intact
About KLDiscovery LLC
KLDiscovery provides technology-driven services and solutions to help legal, corporate and government entities as well as consumers manage, recover, search, analyze, review and produce data efficiently and cost-effectively. In addition to its award-winning suite of software, KLDiscovery provides data recovery, data destruction, electronic discovery, consulting and document review. For more information about KLDiscovery and its offerings please visit: follow @KLDiscovery on Twitter.
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Media Contact: Kristin Husom, 952-516-3781, khusom@KLDiscovery.com
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