This depends more on how critical the files are than the type of files they are. Even system files which are used to run Windows and applications such as Sage should take a back seat to business critical files which hold data relating to customer databases, accounts, orders and invoices etc. If for example your accounts server crashes with no back ups, you could restore the operating system and the accounts application itself from a CD, but how would you recover the actual data relating to each account such as delivery addresses or orders and amounts outstanding? If your chosen back up solution affords enough capacity to back up everything, then by all means do so, as this will greatly reduce the time it would take to restore everything should you have to recover from a full system failure of some kind.

You could back up each PC to a tape on the server. However, this is not considered best practice. In order to manage your backups efficiently they should be administered centrally from the server. You should treat the data on any of the PCs as volatile and expendable. This means ensuring that all of your users save and store all work related material to the server and not on the hard drive of each individual PC. This will then centralise the backups and help to reduce the number of potential failure points that could lead to irretrievable data loss. For example, insufficient network speed, PCs not powered on during backup or PCs having unreliable hard disks etc.

Basically, remote backups work like regular tape backups, with one important difference. Instead of sending backups to a tape drive or other media attached to the computer being backed up, a remote backup sends encrypted file data over the Internet to a computer file storage system safely off-site.

This usually happens at night while your business is closed and nobody is using the computers. It's completely automatic.

The data is immediately stored off-site using an automated backup system. Also, only an Internet connection is needed, completely eliminating the need for expensive backup equipment and media. And, since the system is automated, manual labour is eliminated.

Very. All files are encrypted using Blowfish or DES encryption, selected by the user with their own personal encryption code, which is known only by the user of the system. Blowfish encryption has never been broken by a hacker. DES is used by the federal banking system.

An organisation should aim for an integrated online and offline backup solution. The greater number and forms of backups the better, as integrated solutions offer more possibilities for restores and resilience should anything go wrong.

Currently tape is seen as the primary backup solution. However, many online backup solution providers now promote online as a primary backup strategy. Ergo recommends a tape backup as your primary solution for all data, with the addition of online backups for highly critical business data.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of online backup?
Online backups are not prone to problems such as tape degradation, tape mismanagement or tape cleaning disciplines. However, they are dependent on your broadband connectivity, which carries its own risks of connection loss, insufficient bandwidth and so on. Most online backup solution providers charge based on the amount of space your data takes up on their servers and this can quickly become significantly more expensive than traditional backup solutions.

PDAs and data-enabled phones can be backed up using Active Sync for example. Active Sync can synchronise your PDA with your Outlook inbox, personal folders, calendar etc. You can also use memory cards - most mobile devices take Flash or SD cards just like a digital camera.

For laptops, local devices like USB sticks and Flash cards are okay but online backup providers can now supply a solution for mobile users. Every time the laptop connects with the Internet it will automatically back up any changes that have been made since the laptop last connected.

A Data Recovery Strategy is based on your requirements for restoration. An SME should consider how long it is going to take to recover their data.

If all your data is available on a backup tape or online disk, you should be aware of how long it’s going to take to restore that backup to a replacement server. The length of time that would be acceptable to you will be one of the main factors governing your strategy.

For example, with a traditional tape restoration scenario you would normally reinstall a replacement server with an operating system, reinstall all required applications and then restore your data from the backup tapes. This is a lengthy process on a per server basis.

Another major factor that will influence your Data Recovery Strategy is your tolerance of data loss. Ask yourself, “If my systems fail today, is it acceptable to restore my systems to they way they were yesterday, last week, or even last month”. Maybe you can't tolerate any loss of data at all.

Unless you are employing real-time replication of your servers or data which can be hugely expensive, some degree of data loss should be expected.

Another option is to create duplicate images of your servers, which are essentially snapshots of your entire server from which you can restore everything. This type of restore is usually much faster but can be more difficult both to implement and maintain.