At some unpredictable point, events will cause a data failure and necessitate a data restore or recovery. If you have not backed up, you have no ability to restore. And that means you might be confronted with the task of manually inputting data from hard copies. Imagine the time and expense involved if you had to go back to 2002 and re-enter all of the patient records and support information to bring the office back up to date!

Comparing backup options

According to an article in CRN (an authoritative computer newspaper):

 

Kill those viruses before you back up! Before you perform a backup, perform a complete anti-virus scan of your hard drive. If you fail to take this precaution, you may discover that a virus has been stored on the backup, along with your data. If a virus infects hard-drive data, you may reinstall the virus from your backup, after cleaning and reformatting your hard drive. Protect yourself from this painful experience by verifying that the data you put on your backup is virus free.

Obviously, you need to backup. Here are the basic steps involved in the process:

1. Select a backup hardware device. Your hardware choices include CDs, smart cards, DVDs, 2GB jump drive (USB compact flash CF drive), tape drive, a RAID system (a system of independent disk drives), or an additional hard drive.

Today, large removable hard drives are an economic and pragmatic consideration for a SOHO (small offices/home offices) practice. Installing this type of drive in a caddy system permits you to back up to an additional hard drive of large capacity and lock it with a key, which secures data while on-site, yet allows you to store backup off-site.

2. Pick a software solution. Today’s computers primarily run on Windows XP operating systems, with a smaller number on Mac or Linux systems. A free and preloaded data backup utility is included with all versions of Microsoft Windows XP.

Many CD or DVD burner software applications also incorporate a backup utility. Any of these software systems allows for full backup, incremental backups, and backups scheduled at designated times.

3. Decide between manual or automatic backups. Opting for automatic scheduling of backup reduces the opportunity for human failure or forgetfulness.

4. Establish a routine. Schedule a regular backup of your important data and be consistent in its execution. When you need to restore your important files — and eventually you will — you’ll be glad you did.

5. Store off-site. As victims of disasters (such as Hurricane Katrina) can attest, it is important to store backup disks in a safe location — such as in a fireproof safe in a location away from your computer. The goal is to protect the data from damage, loss, and theft.

Best recommendation: Make two backups. Keep one copy in a safe location and the other copy on-site and available for immediate access. The cost of a second DVD, CD, hard drive, or tape is minimal compared to the loss of your important data.

What type of backup should you make? A complete system backup will allow restoration of the entire operating system — programs and data. A data-only backup will require you to install the operating system and install the programs and then restore the data. Which type of backup to make depends upon the amount of data (and programs) you have to backup, as well as the type of backup system you employ. A full system backup, for example, cannot usually be done on a single CD, and possibly not on a single DVD.

WHAT ABOUT ONLINE BACKUPS?

We have been discussing backup done through your computer onto some sort of removable media device, which is then stored in a secure place. You have another option: Online backup storage.

With the proliferation of high-speed connectivity and network resources, virtually any office is capable of sending large amounts of data via the Internet to an offsite server for storage. And sending sensitive data into cyberspace is safe.

Security protocols of the best remote backup software products, including tight encryption and compression of the data, shorten data transfer times and ensure absolute security in-transit.

The better remote backup software and services usually provide the ability to receive verification notices that the backup sessions completed successfully. They also include the ability to restore data quickly.

Off-site remote storage incurs additional costs.

Consider the many backup solutions that are available and select the one that’s best for you. Select the option that you will faithfully follow on a regular basis, so your data is not lost at a future date. In the event of a catastrophic failure you will sleep well knowing that you have formalized and executed a judicious backup routine for your valuable office data.

Eugene Cianciulli, DC, MS, FICC, oversees the clinical development of ChiroPulse (www.chiropulse.com), an integrated software system. Past president of New Jersey Board of Chiropractic Examiners and former ACA delegate, he maintains an active family chiropractic practice with his son and daughter. He can be reached at 908- 289-9613.