When it comes to data loss, small- and medium-sized businesses are generally at greater risk than their larger counterparts. Lacking the resources of the large enterprises, SMBs are often left with little to no wiggle room in their budgets with which to protect data. And, depending on the severity of the incident, a data breach can even put an SMB out of business.
However, as a recent Acronis report pointed out, there are a number of steps SMBs can take to minimize the threat of data loss, whether from a cyberattack, a natural disaster or otherwise.
Among the most effective data protection solutions cited by Acronis are virtualization and cloud computing. Both technologies have received a great deal of hype in recent years, and, as a result, more businesses are beginning to implement them into their operations.
According to Acronis, any data protection strategy should include both physical and virtual environments. This is especially important for businesses operating in areas where natural disasters are common. But by relying on virtual and physical systems, a company can more easily restore data if and when a disaster strikes with minimal loss of production.
Many businesses have also found the cloud to be an effective tool for data protection. Because data in the cloud is stored on a server separate from a company's physical location, it is not subjected to the same conditions as the office itself. Therefore, even if a disaster takes out a company's physical servers, the data remains safe and accessible when equipment is up and running again.
A recent study from AMI-Partners found that SMBs have more confidence in the cloud and its data protection capabilities than in years past. According to the study, SMBs plan to spend more on the cloud as a data storage solution. As this occurs, the research firm predicts the SMB cloud storage market will reach $270 million by 2015.
