The world is changing at the speed of light. Information that previously required a large warehouse to store data can now be stored on devices smaller than a fingernail. Technology has made almost all businesses keep their data on a computer or online.

Unfortunately, the ability to store things electronically also facilitates corruption or theft. The saying, beggars can’t choose has never been truer than today. No one and no company is safe from attack.

Hospitals, small businesses, retailers, the government – they have all had hackers who have tried (sometimes successfully) to obtain information. Additionally, data is sometimes destroyed or corrupted by thieves, making it nearly impossible to resume normal operations until the flaw is discovered and fixed.

Unfortunately, some companies cannot recover from an attack. An attack can cause customers to lose faith in the security of the company or prevent it from returning to normal operations in a timely manner. In real life, time is money and people would be surprised how easy it is to go under in the blink of an eye for a successful company.

This is why the ability to recover secure data during a massive security breach or other disaster is a must. Some small business owners believe that they do not need a backup service in the cloud because they are expensive and only large corporations require large amounts of information to be stored.

That is an incorrect and potentially dangerous way of thinking. Small business owners are the number one requiring secure backup for their business. Many of these business owners rely on their company as their only source of income. One major problem and the whole business could go under.

Cloud services are inexpensive and one can buy a package for as little as a few pounds. The smart business owner knows that his business is only good as long as operations run smoothly, so he includes a secure backup service in the budget and business plan of the company.

In fact, the backup plan should be included in no fewer than two business plans. The first should be the business budget mentioned above and the second should be in the emergency plan.

When emergencies occur, employees can isolate themselves from each other, documents and supplies are destroyed, and operations cease. This can be the death sentence for many companies if they don’t have a plan to overcome obstacles.

This means that they must have at least two authorized persons to retrieve company data. They must have the ability to establish a temporary office where recovery can take place, as well as a system to resume operations during a crisis.

Backup systems in the cloud are necessary because the technological age requires that we have a means to recover data. When businesses can be destroyed in a few clicks of the mouse, business owners (and individuals) must take all necessary means to protect their data.

Two main things happen when a company announces a data breach. One, customers and clients lose faith in the business and two, operations are hampered until everything can return to normal. Loss of customers and cessation of operations can ruin a business in a week.

Not using a reliable and secure backup and recovery service is one of the biggest mistakes a business can make. Only one thing is certain with today’s technology; There will come a time when the data is erased, violated or destroyed.

Being able to restore everything as it was before is not a luxury but a right. Too many employees and customers trust the business to be safe, trustworthy, and expert in its services to have the longevity that the best companies need to survive.