Maxell Kicks Off Inaugural "Fall Back-Up Day"; Reminds Businesses to Backup Computer Files to Avoid Data Loss

Maxell is launching an annual initiative aimed at preventing critical data loss. Maxell Fall Back-Up Day coincides with Daylight Saving Time as a reminder of the importance of backing up all critical files. This year Maxell Fall Back-Up Day occurs on Friday, October 27.

"Businesses run on information, and when that information is lost or access is interrupted, the impact can be insurmountable," said Al Dripchak, technical manager for Maxell. "The loss of critical data, like customer orders and account receivables, can hurt financially and operationally. Today's technology and resources simplify the everyday backup process so it's not a drain on time or resources and companies are confident that their business-critical data is always fully protected."

According to Gartner, 40 percent of businesses that suffer an interruption to their operations fail within five years. Small and mid-size businesses are very vulnerable to data loss because they typically do not have staff or resources dedicated to managing data backup and recovery.

What are the Risks?

Data storage experts at Maxell cite many threats that can destroy, corrupt or deny access to critical business information including natural disasters, equipment failure and often overlooked is theft and loss of hardware. According to SBTI (Small Business Technology Institute) laptops are rapidly becoming the preferred choice for the over 20 million small business users in the US with over 45 percent of them utilizing one or more. The FBI estimates that laptop theft is the second most common crime just after identity theft with more than 2 million notebook computers reported stolen each year, which doesn't take into account the systems left at airports, coffee shops, and bus terminals.

"Beyond theft -- human error and equipment failure can be the most common problems with data loss, and more frequently than people may think, mostly when traveling," said Andrea Peiro, CEO and founder of the Small Business Technology Institute. "There could be months or several years worth of proposals, sales data, personal contacts and much more that are suddenly lost and unrecoverable."

Ensuring that critical company information is securely stored and protected is not only a good business policy for businesses, but in many cases it is now a legal requirement. A focus on records retention to comply with new federal laws has caused many businesses to re-evaluate their data storage infrastructure and data protection, backup and archiving methodologies. The challenge to comply with government regulations such as HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley for record-keeping can impact small, privately held businesses as well as large publicly traded companies. Business owners should check with legal counsel as to which regulations apply and the liabilities that could be incurred. For more information regarding regulatory compliance go to www.maxell-usa.com/getpdf.aspx?id=19&type=support

Backup

Data storage options have grown to accommodate business and home office requirements on many levels. Maxell has developed the following best practices built on its experiences in premium recordable media over the past 30 years.

--  Understand Your Needs. Consider how much data will require backup by
    examining the current amount of data produced and stored on all systems and
    devices. This will determine the type and amount of media needed for backup
    activities. Also, estimate future data growth as part of a long term backup
    strategy. As a general rule, consider that company data will double every
    18 months.

--  Create a Backup Schedule. Commit to a daily back up routine along with
    weekly and monthly full back-ups. Critical data includes payroll and HR
    records; contracts, leases, and agreements; business records including
    accounting (AP / AR), customer history and orders, and operational data.
    Once a routine is established, backup can be conducted incrementally where
    only the data that has changed requires backup because a copy of older data
    already exists.

--  Include All Data Devices. A storage backup routine should encompass
    desktops, laptops, servers and other devices including handhelds. According
    to a report from IDC, more than 300 million business PCs have a combined
    109 petabytes of data -- about half of all the corporate data residing on
    PCs and laptops -- that is not backed up regularly.

--  Protect and Secure the Backup Files. Keep portable backup media in a
    labeled protective case or package, so it stays clean, undamaged and
    organized. Scratches and debris on CDs, DVDs, and tape can impact the
    retrieval and quality of the stored data. It is highly recommended to keep
    storage media in racks or boxes designed to hold them properly and
    organized. And, always store backup copies of files off-site at a location
    that is far enough away so a disaster cannot destroy the backup and
    original source of the data.  The removability characteristic of backup
    tapes, CDs, and DVDs meets these criteria.