When a computer fails it can be replaced, but lost data is irreplaceable and failing to properly safeguard against system failure can stall your shop for days.
If you've ever been a victim of a mild case of computer fever, a customer file that you couldn't open, or an important spreadsheet that you or someone accidentally deleted, consider yourself lucky. Glitches like that can't compare to the ultimate computer disaster — a hard disk crash or a virus that wipes out all of your business records.
Think it can't happen to you? Think again. Computer consultant Michael Leibrandt, Abington, Pa., says almost every computer in service over a period of several years will suffer a major catastrophe, such as a hard disk crash. Imagine what that would mean to your business.
Fortunately, modern technology has made protecting yourself and your shop from that kind of disaster simple and inexpensive, but you have to give yourself the inoculation. Here are the steps you need to take to give yourself the peace of mind that comes from knowing your business records are safe.
Begin by examining all of your data files and deciding which ones contain information essential to the operation of your collision repair business. Consider each file and imagine what the consequences would be if that file disappeared or became unusable. You must back up these files on a regular basis to protect your shop from a technological disaster. Remember, you can replace a computer that fails; the information it contains, in many cases, is irreplaceable.
A history of backups
In the early days of desktop computers, backing up was a simple procedure. All you had to do was pop a floppy disk in a drive and copy your data. Today, most files are much too large to fit on floppies. That's why manufacturers no longer include floppy drives as standard equipment; some no longer even offer them as options.
In 1995, Iomega introduced their innovative Zip drive, a format that many regarded as the logical successor to the floppy, but that hasn't happened. One disadvantage was the cost of Zip disks, originally ranging from $5 to $10 per disk. Even with newer Zip disks able to hold up to 750MB at about $15 each, the ever-increasing size of data files has caused many users to look to emerging technology as a better solution to the backup problem.
While many users still rely on Zip disks for their backup chores, Leibrandt recommends that business owners look to later technology as a better long-term choice for protecting business data.
Another early format no longer considered practical for business backups is the tape drive. Tape backups are less reliable than other methods. They can break making them unusable, backups and restores are often slower than other methods, and tape drives capable of handling large amounts of data are quite expensive.
Here are the four modern backup methods suitable for providing the peace of mind that comes from knowing your business records are protected from loss:
- CD/DVD disks: Compared to early floppies that held a maximum of 1.4 MB of data, CDs can hold as much as 800 MB. DVDs can hold upwards of 4.7 gigabytes (GB). A GB is 1,000 megabytes. There are very few sets of small business records that cannot be accommodated by CDs or especially DVDs.
A single DVD with its massive storage capacity can be bought for around $1.25; CDs cost only pennies each. Most new computers now come with CD/DVD drives built in. As recently as six years ago, a DVD drive went for as much as $500 and a single DVD disk for $35.
According to Leibrandt, you should keep in mind that disks have their own set of disadvantages. Some users have reported disks that became unreadable after a few uses, others readable only in the drives in which they were created.
Some prefer disks as a good short-term solution, but they don't recommend them for long-term archival purposes. Just one scratch can make a disk unusable. "However, as far as cost is concerned," says Leibrandt, "CD and DVD disks can't be beat. For most business users they should be adequate and would certainly be the least expensive."
- Jump, Flash, USB Drives: So-called jump drives are tiny plug-and-play portable storage devices that use flash memory for data storage. As small as one-half inch by two inches, they can easily be toted around in a shirt pocket; some are designed to be carried on a keychain.
Jump Drives will work with any newer PC or Mac with an existing USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 port. When you plug a jump drive into a USB port on your computer, it is automatically assigned the next available drive letter. Then, just use the drag and drop method to transfer files and folders.
Retail prices for jump drives depend on storage capacity. They range from about $30 for a 512 MB unit to about $75 for 2 GBs of capacity. Some manufacturers are now offering jump drives with up to 16 GB of memory.
"The primary advantage of jump drives is portability," says Leibrandt. "They were originally designed to transfer files from one computer to another with a minimum of bulk, and they do that job superbly well."
If you are backing up relatively small amounts of data (less than 2 GB), inexpensive USB jump drives may suffice. They're a great way of backing up and transporting data quickly and easily. And remember, you can never make too many backups. Just make sure you organize multiple backups so you can find what you need easily in case of an emergency.
In Leibrandt's opinion, jump drives have just one major disadvantage. "They're so small that they're easy to misplace or lose," he says. "I've managed to lose a couple of them myself."
- External Hard Drives: As you know, the "permanent" storage device on your computer is its hard drive. This is where all of you applications and data files reside. The use of a second hard drive for backing up data is arguably the most popular of all systems.
"The method of choice for backups is the addition of an external hard drive," says Leibrandt. "Plug the device into a USB port, copy your entire library of data files and, if you like, unplug the drive and take it home with you at night for safe off-site storage. Because they come with huge storage capacity, one drive can do it all."
The latest external hard drives have also benefited from technological downsizing. Drives of up to a whopping 250 GB of capacity selling for about $100 are smaller than your favorite novel. Even smaller drives with a capacity of 20 GB (more than enough space to store all of the data files for a typical body shop) are no larger than a cigarette package.
For the ultimate in compactness, Leibrandt likes the FireLite brand. "I've had very good luck with them," he says. "However, you won't go wrong with any of the major manufacturers such as Maxtor and Iomega." Maxtor drives, bundled with Dantz Retrospect software, include a one-touch backup button. Just press the button and do other work while your computer handles the backup procedure automatically.
- Online Data Storage: Business owners who prefer not to invest in backup hardware and the need to tote physical backups to an off-site location have an alternative method that helps solve both of those issues. Online data storage allows you to log-on to a secured Web site where you may upload your files for storage and recovery if that is ever necessary.
The costs for online storage vary according to the capacity you require. Ibackup.com offers a basic plan with 5 GB of storage space for $9.95 per month. An enhanced plan with additional features costs $14.95 per month. Packages of up to 300 GB are available from Ibackup. Rates from other companies are similar. Iron Mountain (ironmountain.com) offers a plan with 2 GB of space for about $165 per year. All companies encrypt their stored data so that it cannot be accessed by unauthorized persons.
You may be entitled to free online storage space if you have an account at Hotmail or Yahoo. Also, some Internet service providers offer limited storage space to their account holders at no additional charge.
"There's one caution with online data storage that you should keep in mind," says Leibrandt. "If the provider's server goes down, you won't be able to backup or have access to your files until the problem is fixed. That's why I consider online data storage a supplement to traditional backups, not a replacement."
Online storage can be satisfactory for backup purposes, but it's probably best not to rely on this method for primary storage of data. If the host's server goes down, you won't be able access any of your files.
Schedule regular backups
Remember that protecting your business against data loss will be effective only if you perform your backups on a regular basis.
How often should you back up your data? If you were to use your computer only occasionally, a weekly backup might be enough. However, in your shop, chances are that important information in your computer changes every day. That's why you should make a backup a regular part of your daily routine.
Another precaution, for the ultimate in protection, is always store a backup copy of your data off-site.
Finally, whatever backup option you choose, be sure to do a test restore occasionally to make certain that it is working properly. "Don't wait until you have a catastrophic loss to discover that your backups don't work," says Leibrandt.
