What happens if your computer dies tomorrow?

Try a quick test. If the computer at your front desk stopped working right now, what would you lose? Customer files, this year's QuickBooks company file, the folder of quotes, years of email? If the honest answer is "I'm not sure," this guide is for you.

The 3-2-1 rule, in plain words

The backup rule most IT people follow is called 3-2-1. It sounds technical, but it's simple:

• 3 copies of anything important: the original you work on, plus two backups.
• 2 different kinds of storage, so one failure can't take out both. For example, an external drive and a cloud backup.
• 1 copy away from the office, so a fire, flood, or break-in doesn't take your backup with your computer.

You don't have to get there in one day. Going from zero backups to one automatic backup is the biggest single step you can take.

What to back up

Most small businesses have four things they can't easily replace:

• Files. Documents, spreadsheets, photos, scanned paperwork, and anything on the desktop. Shared folders on an office computer or server count too.
• Email. Years of customer conversations, quotes, and receipts. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace keep the service running, but deleted mail is only kept for a limited time.
• Accounting. If you use QuickBooks Desktop, the company file lives on one computer, and it's often the most painful thing to lose. Make sure it's included in your regular backup, not just saved by hand once in a while. If you use an online accounting service, check what it lets you export or restore.
• Your website. Your web host may keep copies, or may not. Find out how often, how far back, and who can restore it. Our Website Care plan includes weekly backups.

Cloud or external drive? Use both

An external drive is cheap, fast, and easy to restore from. But it sits in the same building as your computer, so it's exposed to the same theft, spilled coffee, or leaky roof.

A cloud backup copies your files to a secure data center automatically. It's off-site by design, which covers the "1" in 3-2-1. Restoring a lot of data can be slower, especially on a rural connection.

The best setup for most small offices is one of each. One more thing: OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox sync your files, which is great for sharing. But if a file gets deleted or scrambled on your computer, that change syncs too. Sync helps, but it isn't a full backup on its own.

Why ransomware can scramble your backup too

Ransomware is a program that locks up your files and demands payment to unlock them. It usually gets in through an email attachment or a fake login page. Once it's running, it scrambles everything it can reach, and that includes an external drive that's always plugged in or a shared backup folder on the network.

That's why at least one backup should be out of reach: a drive you unplug after each backup and rotate, or a cloud backup that keeps older versions that can't be changed or deleted from your computer. Strong passwords and two-step login make an infection less likely in the first place. Our five security habits for small businesses cover those basics.

Storms, outages, and the South Coast

Here on the coast, winter storms bring power flickers and outages that can last hours. A sudden power loss in the middle of a save can corrupt a file, and repeated outages are hard on drives. A small battery backup, called a UPS, gives your computers and network a few minutes to shut down cleanly.

It's also why the off-site copy matters. If a storm, flood, or downed tree closes your office for a few days, a cloud backup means you can keep working from home, or from a borrowed laptop, while things get sorted out.

Test a restore before you need one

A backup you've never restored from is a guess. It's common to find a backup that quietly stopped running months ago, or one that skipped the one folder that mattered.

Once a quarter, pick a real file, like last month's invoice or a QuickBooks backup, and restore it to a different spot. Open it and make sure it works. It takes ten minutes, and it's the difference between hoping and knowing.

Your backup checklist

Common questions

How often should a small business back up?

As often as you would hate to redo the work. For most offices that means files and accounting back up automatically every day, and the website at least weekly. If you would lose a full day of invoices or orders, back up more often than that.

Isn't OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox already a backup?

Not by itself. Those services sync, which means a deleted or ransomware-scrambled file can be deleted or scrambled in the cloud too. They do keep earlier versions for a while, which helps, but a separate backup you control is still the safer plan.

Do I need to back up my Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace email?

It's worth it. Microsoft and Google keep the service running, but deleted mail is only kept for a limited time, and a mistake or a hacked account can wipe out messages. A separate email backup lets you get them back months later.

What should I do if ransomware hits?

Unplug the affected computer from the network and the internet, and unplug any backup drives. Don't pay or reply to the ransom note yet. Call your IT person right away, and check whether your offline or cloud backups are clean before restoring.

How long should we keep old backups?

Keep more than one version going back several weeks, not just last night's copy. Problems like a corrupted file or a quiet ransomware infection are often noticed days later, and you want a copy from before it started.

Want a second set of eyes on your backups?

AXD helps small businesses in Coos Bay, North Bend, and across the South Coast set up backups that run on their own and get tested. Backups are part of our IT support, and you can see our plans on the pricing page. Book a free 30-minute call, or run our free Tech Checkup to see where your setup stands.