Ask most small businesses if they have backups and they'll say yes. Ask when they last tested restoring a file and the answer is usually silence. A backup you've never tested is a hope, not a plan.
The rule
- 3 copies of your important data — the original plus two backups.
- 2 different types of storage — for example, your computer and a separate backup drive or NAS.
- 1 copy offsite — in the cloud or another location, safe from fire, flood, theft and ransomware.
Why it matters
Drives fail without warning. Laptops get dropped, stolen or soaked. Ransomware encrypts everything it can reach — including backup drives that stay plugged in. Following 3-2-1 means no single event can wipe you out.
Don't forget the cloud
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace keep your data online, but they are not full backups. Deleted emails and files are only kept for a limited time. A separate cloud-to-cloud backup closes that gap.
Test it
At least a few times a year, restore a real file from your backup and open it. We monitor and test backups for our managed clients, and we're happy to review yours for free.
