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Beyond Backup

Inside Guide: Making the Most of NAS for Backup
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By now, the message of “everyone needs to back up” has been repeated throughout everyday computing wisdom to the point of fading into ignored background noise. Everyone knows it should be done, but too few are regimented about the practice. Why?

First, backup products must be powerful, intuitive, and reliable. Getting all three of these at once has proven much more difficult over the years than it should have been. Does the backup software guide users through basic operation with wizards? Is it simple to add new users? Can novices make sense of and easily harness complex features? Simple as it might seem on the surface, backup has carried an unnecessarily steep learning curve.

Today, thankfully, that curve is more like a gently graded ramp. User-friendly tools have become ubiquitous and often free. Even backup apps with advanced features remain quite affordable, especially in light of the value they offer. The 2013 EMC IT Trust Curve survey pegged the average cost to businesses of a data loss incident at $585,892. SOHO and SMB losses may be less, but they will almost inevitably be worse than expected.

Simplicity and power must also extend to the NAS. The Linux operating systems and Web interfaces offered in these devices have also evolved considerably over the years, although this is one area that will differentiate the most reputable names in the field from smaller, would-be players. A solid backup NAS will make functions such as logging and remote access easy and secure, and they will offer plenty of additional value for applications other than backup.

Above all else, weigh whether NAS belongs in your life or business. If so, don’t delay. Protect your data with a suitable RAID configuration now. Select the right backup software for your clients and be smart about your NAS selection. All it takes is one instance of being saved from disaster to make all of the planning and investment more than worthwhile.