The No-Excuses Guide to Automated Online Backup

Backing up critical files is like exercising: everyone knows they should do it, but most people don't do it enough. A remedy for the files is automated online backup; as far as I know, there is no automated online remedy for staying in shape.

Automated online backup programs require only an Internet connection, a small software program, and a few minutes of your time. To perform a backup, you simply install the software on every computer containing data you want to back up; set up a backup schedule; and identify the files and folders to be copied. The software then sends copies of the files to a remote repository via the Internet.

Automated online backup is ideal for small nonprofits (say, two to 10 people) that need to store critical information such as donor lists, fundraising campaign documents, and financial data, but lack the equipment or inclination to set up dedicated on-site storage.

Why Online Backup?

When it comes to backing up files, you have two choices: on-site and remote. With an on-site backup solution, all your data is kept on the premises. You may use an external storage drive that attaches directly to your computer or some form of networked storage, such as a file server.

With local storage, all the data is within your reach - and therein lies both its value and its risk. You can always access your information when necessary, but that information is vulnerable to loss, whether through theft (someone breaking in and stealing computer equipment) or damage (such as a leaky water pipe or a natural disaster).

Online remote backup moves the data out of your office and to a third-party facility, usually a large, shared data center. This means you don't incur the capital expense of purchasing backup equipment, and in the event of a disaster you can still recover critical data (assuming you choose a remote facility outside the radius of earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, or other potential disasters).

Automation is another key benefit to remote backup. A software program won't forget to make an extra copy of a critical folder; a harried employee at the end of a busy week might. By taking the backup task out of your users' hands you avoid the problem of, "I forgot."

Online remote backup has other advantages as well. On your own, you are unlikely to be able to provide the multiple layers of security and accessibility, but your provider will likely store your data in a facility that keeps out unauthorized persons, offers network-intrusion monitoring, data encryption, emergency generators to keep the facility running during power outages, and spare hardware in the case of server crashes, failed drives, and so on.

Online remote backup may also help you meet regulatory requirements regarding data storage, but that's a topic for another day.

Remote Backup Services

I tested remote backup software from a company called EVault. I chose Evault Small Business Edition for several reasons. First, it leases space in seven Tier-1 data centers across the United States. A Tier-1 data center is certified to meet specific standards for security, reliability, and redundancy; because Evault has seven such locations, your data can be stored outside your local region.

EVault also supplies a central management console that lets you control the backup software on every PC in your office, a useful feature if you're dealing with more than a few machines.

The company offers a variety of plans, meaning that as your NPO grows, Evault can provide new levels of service and products, including remote database and email server backup.

One downside is that EVault is a bit expensive: backing up 10 desktops will cost $16.95 each per month for up to 2 GB of storage, a yearly total of about $2,000. (Beyond that, it's an additional $8 per gigabyte.)

It certainly behooves you to shop around. Two other brand-name online remote backup services are Iron Mountain DataProtector and BellSouth Online Backup. A small company called VMN Storage also offers online remote backup at compelling prices: VMN Storage provides up to 1 GB of storage per person for free and 15 GB for $9.95 a month.

DataProtector, Online Backup, and VMN Storage generally follow the same protocol: a software agent is installed on each computer, and that agent will send data via the Internet to the remote storage system at predefined times. However, all three of these three services also lack centralized oversight, which can make installation and management time-consuming when dealing with more than a handful of computers.

Installing and Running EVault

EVault's Small Business Edition lets you back up common file formats including word-processing documents, spreadsheets, Microsoft PowerPoint slides, PDFs, WAVs (for podcasts), and images.

To begin, download the Small Business Edition software onto each computer you want backed up. If you are working with two or more computers, the EVault Small Business Edition includes a program called Central Control that lets you administer the backup functions on all your computers from a single PC. With Central Control, you can choose the information to back up on each PC, create and adjust backup schedules, confirm backups, and restore lost data.

Setup is fairly simple, in part, because an EVault technical support representative walks you through the installation process by phone, a service included in the cost. You can also grant tech support temporary remote access to your computer to help walk you through setup. During this process, you will create a vault name. This vault is where your data will be stored off-site. You'll also set up network access to the vault, which the technician will walk you through.

When the software is installed on every computer, you'll use Central Control to name each PC. Once each computer is named, you can then configure the backup software on individual machines.

In the main panel of Central Control, you can see each PC installed with EVault backup software on the left-hand side of the screen. Simply right-click the PC you want to work with. Once you select a PC, you'll see a list of icons associated with that PC in the right-hand panel. Click the icon labeled Backup and then click Properties.

This opens a new window titled Task Properties. This window lets you choose the source of the data to back up. When you click the Add button, another window opens. In the left-hand pane you'll see relevant drives, such as the C drive (the hard drive). If the PC has a disk drive such as a floppy disk, CD, or DVD drive, it will also be displayed here.

Click on the drive to drill down to the actual data you want to store. On my own computer, three clicks got me to the My Documents folder. Another click reveals subfolders within My Documents. And clicking on subfolders will then reveal the individual documents inside those folders in the right-hand pane of the window.

The software lets you back up folders or individual files within folders. For instance, you can choose to back up the entire My Documents folder, or select subfolders or individual files within those folders.

You should take some time at this point to determine exactly what you want to back up. For instance, there's no sense in wasting remote storage space on an employee's personal documents, MP3 collection, or vacation photos.

To save the entire contents of a folder, simply highlight that folder and click the Include button. Do the same for individual files. When you click Include you'll see the file information added to a third pane at the bottom of the window. Once you've selected all the documents to back up, click OK. This will take you back to the Task Properties window.

The Task Properties window also lets you select an encryption type if you want the information to be stored in an encrypted format. You can select a variety of options, from no encryption at all to 256-bit AES. AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) is the standard encryption system of the U.S. government; 256 bits is the length of the encryption key. The AES algorithm with a 256-bit key length has been certified by the National Security Agency as sufficient to protect classified information up to the level of Top Secret - sound good enough for you?

Note that you have to select a password for the encryption function. If you lose the password, you won't be able to decrypt the data stored by EVault. EVault does not keep a copy of this password - it's up to you to remember it.

Once you hit OK in the Task Properties window, you'll be returned to the original CentralControl window.

Step two is to set up the time for backup. Double-click the icon labeled Schedule in the left-hand pane. This will open a new window called Schedule List. Click the Edit button to open the Schedule Entry window. From here you can select the days and times you want the backup to be performed. Once you've set your time parameters, click OK to exit the Schedule Entry and Schedule List windows to return to the CentralControl window.

Now that you've performed these functions, the software should automatically back up the information you selected on the schedule you created.

Note that once EVault has made copies of documents, it will only save deltas. That is, the software will only save new versions of existing files. For instance, if the software has already saved a copy of a Word document on Monday, it won't make yet another copy of the same document on Tuesday - unless the document has been changed. This improves the speed of the backup and saves storage space.

Another key function is to restore data from the vault. You would restore data if the original file had been lost or corrupted. You start in the main screen. Click the backup icon and then click the Restore icon on the top row of buttons. You'll then walk through a setup wizard that asks you to select the vault from which to restore the data and then the data you'd like to restore. EVault labels the stored data, which it calls "safesets," by date. Simply select the date of the backup (presumably the most recent). If you've encrypted the data you'll be prompted to enter your password.

The next screen asks whether you want to restore system information or data. Put a check mark in the Data box and click the Add button. This will let you explore the directory of files and folders you've saved. Select the files and folders you want to restore and then click the Include button, and then click OK.

You'll then be asked to choose a location to restore the files. You can have them restored to the original location of the file (note that the restored file will overwrite the original document on the computer) or to an alternate location such as the desktop, another folder, or a disk drive. Then the program fetches the files from storage and copies them to the location you selected.

Choosing a Remote Online Backup Provider

A downside to online remote backup is that you have to entrust critical data to a third party. Thus, due diligence is required on your part to ensure that the provider you choose is reliable and financially secure. Otherwise, you might end up with a company that has sloppy data-protection habits or goes out of business.

When shopping for a provider, ask to speak with one or two customers who have used that provider. You should also ask for specifics about each provider's storage facilities. The following are some other important questions to ask:

• Has the provider built its own data center, or do they co-locate with a third-party provider?
• What redundancy have they built into their system to ensure that your data will always be available? For instance, do they make backups of your backup?
• Will your information be kept on hard disk or moved to tape? How do they secure physical access to the equipment where data is stored?
• Will your data be stored in a secure facility?
• Who has network access to the machines that store your data?

You should also discuss pricing. Are there additional charges to the base price? Will the company notify you if you are nearing your allotted storage capacity, and how much do they charge if you exceed that capacity?

These questions will help you avoid unpleasant surprises and ensure that copies of your critical information are secure and available.

Even if you never make it to the gym or find a way to exercise, by setting up an automated backup solution you'll know that at least your files are in good shape - whether or not you remember to actually back them up.