Data is an essential part of nearly every organization, including nonprofits. From sensitive donor information to program details, your nonprofit relies on data in nearly every arena.
However, depending so much on data creates the critical need for robust data backup strategies.
Just imagine if hackers breached the personal information of any of your longtime, dedicated donors, or if cybercriminals exposed and spread private forms, contacts, financials and more. You’d likely lose your supporters’ trust, as well as your reputation as a trustworthy, professional organization.
To avoid the devastating effects of data loss, we’ve researched seven best practices. They’ll help you confidently deliver services while avoiding cyberattacks along the way.
[Related: New Research Highlights Ongoing Cybersecurity Threat]
1. Understand Your Data’s Value
We hardly need to convince you of the importance of your own data.
Most people care about the organizations they work for (and with), right? That rings especially true for nonprofits because their focus is generally selfless and community-focused.
With an ethical mission statement lauding your work’s value, you should protect any nonprofit work-related data at all costs!
We’re not saying only some of your nonprofit’s data is important.
We’re simply pointing out that some data is more important than other data, so you should prioritize the most critical types. Place donor data, financial records and program information at the top of your backup strategy list to ensure the swiftest recovery possible!
2. Establish a Regular Backup Schedule
We all know consistency is key — especially when it comes to data backup.
So as a nonprofit, you should establish a regular data backup schedule. Lay out a strict routine that accounts for frequent data updates, backups and general data cleanings (think deduplication). Whether your schedule is daily, weekly or monthly is entirely up to your organization’s needs.
But don’t be afraid to err on the side of caution with more frequent backups. That way, there’s less risk of your critical data sets being left unprotected!
3. Use Reliable Backup Solutions
Not all backup solutions are created equal, so choosing the right one for your nonprofit is paramount.
Here are some cloud-based solutions that provide secure and scalable data backup options:
- Amazon S3
- Google Cloud Storage
- Microsoft Azure
These easily accessible platforms offer encryption and versioning, making them ideal for nonprofits with limited IT resources. But hiring an IT services provider like CMIT Solutions takes the hassle of learning these platforms off your hands.
We specialize in providing high-quality IT services with a general aim of safeguarding and managing data in a way that’s trusted.
[Related: New Google Chrome Ad Privacy Settings Deserve Attention]
4. Implement Redundancy and Versioning
As we mentioned earlier, versioning is an essential component of a great backup strategy plan alongside redundancy!
With redundancy, your system stores backups in multiple locations to prevent data loss due to any unforeseen events. These events include hardware failures, natural disasters and more.
Versioning allows you to keep multiple copies of the same file over time. As a result, you can roll back to a specific point when and if needed.
[Related: Don’t Let a Data Disaster Impact Your Business]
5. Secure Your Backups
Performing backups is clearly important. But securing those backups should be on your list, too!
You can add an extra security layer to your backups by encrypting them during transmission and storage. Also, you might implement strong access controls to restrict who can view or modify the backups.
Additionally, regular data audits are key. Update your security protocols as often as possible to stay ahead of potential threats.
[Related: Security Gaps Exist — Here’s How To Fix Them]
6. Test Your Backup and Recovery Procedures
Now that you know the importance of backups and securing backups, you should regularly test your backup and recovery procedures. Think about it: If a backup is faulty, it won’t help you.
Consider creating (or requesting) a test environment where you can simulate data loss scenarios and practice restoring your backups. This proactive approach helps identify any weaknesses in your backup system. Then, you can address them sooner rather than later — or most importantly, before a real crisis occurs.
[Related: Safeguarding Your Business With IT Disaster Preparedness]
7. Educate Your Staff on Data Backup Protocols
People often set aside this best practice, but it’s no less important than the others.
Human error is a common cause of data loss because no one’s perfect. But it’s important to educate your team on why data backups are essential, along with the procedures they need to follow closely to perform them.
To that end, offer training sessions so team members can familiarize themselves with their roles in the backup process. The more well-informed they are, the better.
[Related: Cyberthreats Are Changing. Is Your Protection Keeping Up?]
Contact CMIT Solutions of Bothell for Reliable IT Backup Services
Data backup isn’t just a technical requirement — it’s critical for your nonprofit’s success. With these seven best practices in place, your nonprofit can safeguard valuable data and focus on your mission to better your community.
If you need assistance getting your data backup strategy in place, contact CMIT Solutions of Bothell. We have years of experience in a variety of industries, so we can help you meet your nonprofit’s unique IT needs and goals.
Get in touch with us today to see how our cybersecurity services help your nonprofit thrive.
Featured image via Unsplash
