The food industry’s best solutions for data backups give more insight into how data is collected, analyzed, used, and even lost. When processes work together, it’s critical the flow of information is seamless and smooth – but what steps can you take to prevent loss?
Food is the fuel that keeps people moving.
Technology is the fuel that keeps food moving.
Data is the fuel that keeps the entire process moving.
You lose data, and you lose orders, delivery tracking, contracts – you lose the entire process.
Food is a lifeline, no matter how you look at it. All living things need food to keep systems going. The definition of “living” doesn’t only apply to biological organisms, but also any process with moving parts and a systematic flow that depends on successful completion of acts in successive order.
A collection of processes that work together to manage the flow of information is the fundamental foundation of an application. Applications help us collect, store, and analyze information in an organized way such that we can understand and use this information in a meaningful way. Applications run on tablets, workstations, laptops, servers, or any other computer hardware, and involve executable files that run processes.
Technology is what makes all of this possible. The basic definition of “technology” is the set of tools and practical knowledge and the application of these tools and knowledge in a specific scope. Technology applied to processes to automate the tasks and flow make the entire process move more efficiently and require less human interaction. The technology exists to support and simplify, and we are coming to depend more on technology today.
Why wouldn’t we simplify everything we can?
Through the use of technology, we are able to simplify and automate processes to require less manual input, thus skyrocketing efficiency in recent years. No business says “no” to skyrocketing efficiency!
As the use of technology evolves in modern offices, and the volume of computerized processes increase, so do requirements in key areas, like storage space and maintenance. As processes run, they generate data with each informational transaction. When processes run, the output – file or information – generated needs a destination. The data produced takes up space on a computer or a server, filling up the hard drive with these files or this information.
What can you do to safeguard against data loss?
Processes need reliable input and a reliable destination for output, but what happens when processes “break”? It’s worth repeating: you lose data, you lose the entire process. Interrupted processes can wreak havoc on a system, corrupting data or ceasing output entirely. Anything can happen to cause this, like “bad” data in the source files or a virus in the system for example, and the bad data can spread throughout a system like an out-of-control infection.
In other words, the way we see it, processes are living things, too.
The (potentially) million-dollar question: What can you do?
#1 – Maintenance
Processes, like people, need basic maintenance to keep going, like fuel for a car. The fuel to feed processes is basic maintenance:
- Ensuring enough space on servers and hard drives
- Making sure software versions are up to date
- Installing the latest security updates for operating systems and network programs
Like a plant needs water and sun to thrive, technology needs routine maintenance to stay in tip-top shape.
#2 – More Maintenance
Simple maintenance isn’t enough if you want your technology to simplify your process. Preventing catastrophic data interruption and loss requires extra ongoing maintenance to protect proprietary processes:
- Reliable data backup solutions with fast and easy file restorations
- Companies who have reliable data backup solutions in place have saved millions of dollars in lost revenue after what could have been a catastrophic loss.
- 24/7 system monitoring to detect – and react to – threats quickly
- Secure infrastructure and 100% compliance with industry and security regulations
Data backup solutions provide safeguards for businesses, protecting data and restoring information. The best data backup solutions go further by allowing comparison points so you can see changes and establish a time frame for insight into data interruption and pinpoint precise breaks in the processes.
#3 – Ask For Help
How can you keep your processes running their best? Feed them with the best care and technology possible, and bring in help where you need it.
Partnering with a managed IT services provider (MSP) to protect files with backup solutions not only safeguards your information but also ensures business continuity should something out of the normal happens, like power outages, natural disasters, or a threat from cybercriminals seeking network weaknesses to gain access.
Strategic partnerships
What does an MSP do? Partnering with an MSP, like Data Magic in Dallas, gives customers – like food distributors – an incredible technology resource. The service line-up can vary, but many of the ongoing maintenance details previously listed are included when businesses partner with an MSP:
- Remote system monitoring
- MSPs are a 24/7 protection force, monitoring systems and ready to respond quickly to issues and problems, making sure they don’t have time to “snowball” and lead to decreased productivity or downtime.
- Regulatory audits and compliance
- Data encryption, to add an extra layer of security against data intervention
- Support for third-party applications that focus on helping businesses with seamless daily operations in a secure environment
- Cloud solutions and consulting
- Flexible – set-up is easy and manageable and can be integrated with many applications, like the cutting-edge Zettabyte File System (ZFS) for advanced storage options.
- Scalable – when you experience quick growth or need to increase storage capacity quickly, cloud storage can adjust fast.
- Easy – a favorite aspect of cloud-based solutions by every cloud user (throughout history!) is that cloud solutions are maintained by the solution provider.
- Cost-effective – the cloud is a vastly more economical option than buying and maintaining on-site hardware, as well as the internal staff to maintain the hardware.
If you’re not already utilizing the cloud for data backup solutions, what are you waiting for? Protect your technology, and keep processes moving and on track.
