
My client lost 10 days of work, as we tried to recover the missing data from his computer. We were faced with a unique challenge – either attempt repair of the infection or reinstall the operating system, causing an entire loss of everything on the computer.
The bad news was that the infection was so severe that all attempts to remove the infection failed. We were faced with the task of reinstalling the operating system, after having the hard drive wiped and reloaded. This would mean that all of the data and applications would be deleted from the computer.
The good news is that we found out that the customer on his own had purchased a data backup plan that included a “mirror image” that could be restored to his computer.
We consulted the vendor to verify that the client’s data backup plan was current and working. Good news was that we found a backup that occurred the day before he made the phone call to “Microsoft”. We started the backup process, which removed everything on the computer and replaced it with the image of the computer, exactly the way it was the day before the phone call. It took over 18 hours to rebuild the computer and in the end everything was back the way that it was supposed to be.
So, let’s talk about backup solutions. There are 3 options: Local Backup, Cloud Backup, or Hybrid Backup. You need to be careful on what you purchase. Let’s look at a few.

You can purchase an external hard drive from any computer or office supply store, Amazon.com as well as many other websites. These are storage devices that will allow you to copy your data from your computer to the external drive. Some come with backup software included, which work well but can be difficult to recover the data. This is a low cost item, with the current cost of a 4TB Seagate drive costing $110.00.

Carbonite is a cloud based backup solution that allows you to back up your data on a real-time basis. This means that you don’t have to remember to start the backup as it’s running all the time. There are 2 requirements to this service 1) your computer must be turned on and 2) you must be connected to the internet. There are 2 basic plans available – Personal and Business.
The Personal Plans are designed for individuals and non-HIPPA compliant businesses with only 1 or 2 computers. The Personal Plus plan will provide a mirror backup plan that will take an image of the hard drive and will allow for full recovery.
The Business Plans are designed for businesses with 1 or more computers and servers, and are designed for HIPPA compliant companies (i.e. Medical offices). These plans offer a mirror image of the computers and servers being protected, as well as backing up the data.
Annual costs vary based on which plan you choose, starting at $72 for Personal Plans and $288 for Business Plans.

Datto offers a hybrid solution to data backup, which allows the business customer to back up to a local device as well as to the cloud. The benefit of the Datto product is that it will allow for fast data or image restoration, since the image is stored locally. All Datto products are HIPPA compliant and are priced competitively with other programs. Please contact us for pricing information.
So, whatever you decide to use for a backup solution for your business or your computer, make sure to spend a few dollars and get the right backup that will recover your computer when you need it the most.
If you are not sure as to what product will be the best solution for you, please contact your IT Professional, who will provide you with the necessary information to allow you to make an educated decision as to what is the best for you and your business.
For specific pricing options that are unique to you and your business, please send an email to service1@elite-nac.com or call us at 855-767-9685. Elite Networking & Consulting are registered and licensed partners with both Carbonite and Datto.
Please visit these websites that were referenced in this article for additional information:
Carbonite: https://partners.carbonite.com/elitenetworkingconsulting
Datto: https://www.datto.com/alto